Former NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson “suffered from chronic alcoholism,” according to Sheriff Chad Chronister of the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office, and an autopsy indicates it was a contributing factor in his death at age 38.
Jackson was discovered Monday in a room at the Homewood Suites hotel in Brandon, Fla., by a housekeeper. He is believed to have been living at the hotel since January and his family filed a missing persons case last Wednesday.
Chronister revealed some details of Jackson’s autopsy on the “MJ Morning Show” Wednesday morning.
“We got the autopsy report that will be released today showed, unfortunately, he suffered from chronic alcoholism,” Cronister said, via TMZ Sports. “Just tragic.”
Cronister added that officials are still waiting on a toxicology report before determining an official cause of death. However, he added that Jackson had “long-standing health conditions that contributed to his passing because of some alcohol abuse.”
The sheriff went on to say that Jackson’s family believes the former Chargers and Buccaneers receiver suffered from CTE and that the disease helps explains why he was living in a hotel and believed missing.
Jackson last played in the NFL in 2016 but officially retired in 2018.
The Buccaneers and Chargers both paid their respects and mourned Jackson’s passing with statements shared on social media.
A three-time Pro Bowl wideout, Jackson had 540 receptions for 9,080 yards and 57 touchdowns during his 12-year NFL career. Jackson penned a children’s book in 2014 about military families dealing with deployments as part of broader efforts through his “Jackson In Action 83 Foundation.”
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