The Minnesota Vikings’ rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson has been killed in a car crash at the age of 24, the team confirmed on Saturday.
“We are devastated by the news of Khyree Jackson’s death following an overnight car accident,” the Vikings said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with Khyree’s family, friends, teammates and coaches, as well as all the victims of this tragic accident.”
Maryland State Police told TMZ that Jackson had been killed along with two of his high school friends, Isaiah Hazel and Anthony Lytton, when their Dodge Charger was involved in a collision in the early hours of Saturday morning. The crash occurred near Jackson’s hometown of Upper Marlboro. Police told TMZ that an Infiniti Q50 attempted to change lanes at high speed and shunted Jackson’s Charger, which then hit another car before leaving the road and hitting some tree stumps. Police added alcohol may have been involved in the crash and charges are pending. No one else in the other two vehicles was injured.
Jackson played college football for Fort Scott, Alabama and Oregon before the Vikings picked selected him in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Jackson was named First Team All Pac-12 in his final season with the Ducks. During his time with Alabama he played in the 2021 National Championship game.
He took a long route to the NFL as the pandemic disrupted the schedule, and briefly quit college to work in a grocery store. He was also a good enough videogame player that he considered making a career of it. “For a bit of a second, football had got a little foggy, I would definitely say,” Jackson told the Associated Press in April.
Jackson was a popular member of the Vikings in the short time he spent with the team, where he was known for his infectious enthusiasm.
“His confidence and engaging personality immediately drew his teammates to him,” said Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell on Saturday. “In our short time together, it was evident Khyree was going to develop into a tremendous professional football player but what was most impressive was his desire to become the best person he could be for his family and those around him.”
