Former Widefield High UNC standout Vincent Jackson has been found dead in a Florida hotel room

DENVER – According to authorities there, the former University of Northern Colorado and Widefield High School, an excellent recipient, were found dead Monday in a hotel in Brandon, Florida.

According to the sheriff of Hillsborough County, Jackson, 38, who lived in South Tampa, dropped by the Homewood Suites in Brandon on January 11. Jackson’s family members reported him missing to the sheriff on February 10 and subsequently filed a formal case. report the next day, the sheriff said.

On February 12, delegates found him in the Homewood Suites, assessed his well-being and canceled the case of the missing person.

But the former Pro Bowl receiver was found dead by a housekeeper in his hotel room around 11:30 a.m. Monday, the sheriff said.

There were no clear signs of trauma to Jackson’s body, the sheriff said. The provincial medical investigator will determine his cause of death.

Jackson was a soccer player from all conferences at Widefield High School in Colorado Springs and also played basketball. He attended the University of Northern Colorado on a partial scholarship and was an All-America as a first-year mark learner. He also played basketball for the Bears.

CHRIS DONAHUE / AP

After that, Jackson became the university’s record holder in receiving and receiving yards for both a game and a season, and he received touchdowns, and kicks and point-return yards.

Reed Doughty, a former UNC teammate and roommate of Vincent Jackson, told Denver Troy Renck he is deeply saddened by the death of a friend.

They were inducted into the NoCo Hall of Fame in 2011. Jackson waited a year to enter the Hall so he could enter with Doughty. “It was a special evening.” They decided to go to UNC together after meeting on a recruiting trip at Colorado School of Mines.

He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2005 NFL draft, where he had two Pro Bowl seasons and three seasons in which he received 1,000 yards. He was the highest draft pick ever for a UNC footballer.

Jackson signed a $ 55 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for five years in 2012 and completed the year further with a career high in reception and recruiting and earning another Pro Bowl pick. He would play another four years with the Bucs before injuring his knee in 2016 and retiring in 2018.

Buccaneers owner Bryan Glazer said the team was saddened by the news and praised his outreach work, which earned him several nods as the team’s Walter Payton man of the year award.

‘We are shocked and saddened by the terrible news of the loss of Vincent Jackson. During his five seasons with our franchise, Vincent was a perfect professional who was very proud of his accomplishments on and off the football field. Vincent was a dedicated father, husband, businessman and philanthropist, who made a profound impact on our community through his unwavering advocacy for military families, supported by the Jackson in Action 83 Foundation. He was a three-time Pro Bowl pick for his accomplishments on the field, but his greatest achievement as a Buccaneer was the four consecutive nominations he achieved as our Walter Payton man of the year. Our deepest condolences to his wife, Lindsey, and the entire Jackson family. ”

“My heart aches for the many loved ones that Vincent Jackson leaves behind, from his wife and children to the Buccaneers nation who worshiped him,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement.

“Mr. Jackson was a dedicated man who put his family and community above all else. Soccer aside, he touched countless lives through his Jackson In Action 83 foundation. We had a passion for supporting military families, and three “years ago, Jackson was made an honorary deputy by the sheriff of Hillsborough County in recognition of his commitment to the community,” Chronister added. ‘his generous contributions. ”

“Rest in peace for one of the greatest bears of all time,” the University of Northern Colorado football team tweeted.

This is an evolving news story and will be updated.