Site icon Side Action

Former NFL Wide Receiver Vincent Jackson, Who Committed Suicide Gets Troubling Diagnosis

Former NFL receiver Vincent Jackson's cause of death has been announced after it was revealed that he had CTE prior to being found dead in February

25 SEP 2016: Vincent Jackson of the Buccaneers during the regular season game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)

Another former NFL player with some issues stemming from his playing days.

The family of late NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson announced Thursday that he has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease more commonly known as CTE.

Jackson’s family donated his brain to researchers after the 38-year-old was found dead in a Tampa, Florida hotel room in February.

The family had suspected that the effects of concussions from Jackson’s football career might have contributed to his death.

“There is still a lot to be understood about CTE, and education is the key to prevention,” Jackson’s widow, Lindsey, said in a statement.

“The conversation around this topic needs to be more prevalent, and our family hopes that others will feel comfortable and supported when talking about CTE moving forward.”

According to a news release, researchers at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank diagnosed Jackson with stage 2 CTE ,  which has been associated with behavioral symptoms like depression, paranoia, substance abuse and impulsivity.

The announcement of Jackson’s CTE diagnosis came less than 48 hours after a similar announcement regarding another former NFL player, Phillip Adams.

This CTE issue is not going away, it’s more than obvious these blows to the head are negatively effecting players lives post football.

Pretty scary stuff.


Welcome to the game outside the game! Follow us on our Sideaction Twitter handle, Instagram, and Facebook for the latest on sports and pop culture news across the web!