TAMPA (WFLA) — Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Diego Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson was found dead Monday at a hotel room in Brandon, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said 38-year-old Jackson, who was a South Tampa resident, checked in to the Homewood Suites at 10240 Palm River Road in Brandon on Jan. 11 and had been staying there since then.
Jackson’s family reported him missing on Feb. 10. Two days later, deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office found Jackson at the hotel he was staying and spoke with him.
After assessing Jackson’s well-being, the missing persons case was canceled.
Jackson was then found dead around 11:30 a.m. Monday in his hotel room by a housekeeper, the sheriff’s office said.
There were no signs of trauma, deputies said. The medical examiner’s office has yet to assess the cause of death.
“My heart aches for the many loved ones Vincent Jackson leaves behind, from his wife and children to the Buccaneers nation that adored him,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement.
In his statement, the sheriff called Jackson a “devoted man who put his family and community above everything else.”
“Football aside, he touched countless lives through his Jackson In Action 83 Foundation. We shared a passion for supporting military families, and three years ago, Jackson was even made an honorary deputy by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to recognize his dedication to the community,” Chronister said. “He will be sorely missed by not only football fans across the country, but also the people here in Hillsborough County who reaped the benefits of his generous contributions.”
Buccaneers owner Bryan Glazer released a statement Monday night saying the organization was “shocked and saddened” to hear of Jackson’s passing.
“During his five seasons with our franchise, Vincent was a consummate professional, who took a great deal of pride in his performance on and off the football field,” the statement said. “Vincent was a dedicated father, husband, businessman and philanthropist, who made a deep impact on our community through his unyielding advocacy for military families, supported by the Jackson in Action 83 Foundation.”
Jackson, who went to college at Northern Colorado, was selected in the second round of the 2005 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. The now-Los Angeles Chargers released a statement Monday calling him a “fan favorite” both on and off the field.
“We simply cannot believe he’s gone, and our hearts go out to his wife, Lindsey, their children, his parents, former teammates and everyone whose lives were touched by having known Vincent,” the statement said.
Jackson was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 where he played until retiring in 2016.
Jackson was a three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, twice with the Chargers in 2009 and 2011, and once with the Bucs in 2012.