Former NFL star Vincent Jackson had serious brain trauma at the time of his death.
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers superstar was found dead at the age of 38 in a hotel room in Florida back in February 2021, and at the time of his death, the autopsy revealed he showed serious signs of alcohol abuse. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
We now know that he was dealing with serious brain issues.
The full release on the death of former WR Vincent Jackson. pic.twitter.com/8GzX7kWSl8
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 15, 2021
According to ESPN, the Concussion Legacy Foundation announced Thursday that the former electric receiver had stage 2 CTE at the time of his death.
CTE is caused by repeated trauma to the head and can result in individuals becoming unstable and aggressive.
Former NFL WR Vincent Jackson, who was found dead earlier this year in a Florida hotel room, has been diagnosed with Stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the Concussion Legacy Foundation announced Thursday. https://t.co/Egj2ymFidr
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 16, 2021
This is now the second former NFL player in recent days to have been revealed to be dealing with CTE at the time of their death.
Former NFL player Phillip Adams had CTE at the time he allegedly murdered multiple people before committing suicide.
BREAKING: A coroner says an autopsy shows unusually severe brain disease in the frontal lobe of the former NFL player Phillip Adams, accused of fatally shooting six people in Rock Hill, South Carolina before killing himself in April. https://t.co/YeuQTrqaYu
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 14, 2021
As I’ve said multiple times before, CTE is a very real and very serious thing. Human brains aren’t meant to get scrambled on a regular basis. They’re just not.
I love football more than just about anyone I know, and I can also admit that guys getting their bell rung over and over again has unintended consequences.
The family of former NFL WR Vincent Jackson issued a release, saying CTE researchers diagnosed him with stage 2 CTE.
Researchers say he dealt with depression, memory loss, paranoia and social isolation.
Jackson was found dead in a Tampa hotel room at age 38 in February. pic.twitter.com/Pds5ggFOoO
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 16, 2021
What role did CTE play in Jackson’s unfortunate and tragic death? We might never know, but it’s certainly something that can’t be ignored.
NFL Player Who Allegedly Murdered Six People Had Serious Brain Injuries, According To Autopsy https://t.co/wQkQqGV5kL
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 14, 2021
Let’s all keep trying to find ways to limit head trauma. It’s the best sport on the planet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find ways to improve it.