Family of Former NFL Player Vincent Jackson Donates His Brain To Boston Universities CTE Center

Details were released Thursday by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner. Former NFL recipient Vincent Jackson may have died in his Florida hotel room for up to three days before being pronounced dead.

On Monday, Jackson’s family spokesman stated to ESPN that they donated his brain to the CTE Center of Boston University in an attempt to learn more about his death.

Based on the sequence of events mentioned by the medical examiner’s office in the Initial Case Description provided to ESPN, Jackson was found as part of a welfare check on Feb. 12.  The hotel staff then entered his room on Feb. 13 and 14 and found him sitting on the couch slouched over.

The report noted that “They assumed he was sleeping and left the room.”

When the staff returned to the room on Feb 15, they noticed that he had not moved from his previous position and called 911. According to the study, there were no signs of damage or injury other than a minor laceration on his large left toe.

What occurred on Feb. 13 or 14 was not included in the original report supplied by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Since Jan. 11, Jackson had been staying at the hotel. On Feb. 10, his family called the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to complain that he was missing, and a formal report was filed the next day. On Feb. 12, deputies were able to locate and talk to Jackson at the hotel, so the missing person case was canceled.

Thursday’s revised report said there were no drugs found on the scene. It listed alcohol usage, smokeless tobacco use, and no documented substance use under “social history.” The report described the cause and manner of his death as “pending further study.”

Michelle Van Dyke, a spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner, said in an email, “There cannot be a rush to judgment in determining cause and manner of death.” She explained, “At this time, there is no timeframe for the completion of the autopsy report for Mr. Jackson, though the Medical Examiner anticipates it may take several months.”

The family spokesperson, Allison Gorrell, told ESPN, “If anything can be learned from his death that might help someone else, Vincent would want that since he was passionate during his life about impacting others around him.”