Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson‘s death in a tragic car accident overnight on July 6 has sent shockwaves through the NFL community, including some raw feelings from his teammate Mekhi Blackmon.
In a since-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), Blackmon called out Oregon Ducks beat reporter James Crepea, who covered Jackson in college, for noting Jackson was arrested in junior college as part of his improbable journey to the NFL after nearly quitting football.
“Khyree Jackson turned his life around. He had a minor arrest in junior college that was later dropped, worked at a grocery store while gaming, got back into football and made the most of his last opportunity in college to be the top CB in the Pac-12 and made the NFL. Awful news,” Crepea wrote.
Blackmon replied: “What thee f*** does him being arrested have to do with anything? Like what the fuck were you trying to accomplish ?”
While some fans saw Crepea’s post as unmalicious and adding context to the turnaround he made in his life, the post was deleted.
Selected in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, Jackson was poised to compete for a starting spot after shining throughout spring workouts.
The Vikings released the following statement on Saturday morning:
We are devastated by the news of Khyree Jackson’s death following an overnight car accident. While we work to gather more information, we have spoken to Khyree’s family and offered the support of the Minnesota Vikings. We have also communicated the news to Vikings players, coaches and staff and have offered counseling for those who need emotional support. Our thoughts are with Khyree’s family, friends, teammates and coaches, as well as all the victims of this tragic accident.
Vikings Rookie Khyree Jackson Realized NFL Dreams After Almost Quitting Football
Jackson’s legacy is marked by him beating the odds after a rocky start coming out of high school.
The talent was there for Jackson, who won two state championships as a wide receiver. He enrolled at Arizona Western Community College due to academic reasons and dropped out after a few weeks. Back home in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Jackson admitted he was embarrassed about his dropout and laid low “for about six months,” The Associated Press’ Dave Campbell wrote.
Jackson worked at a local Harris Teether deli, slicing ham and even receiving the employee of the month award. He tried to avoid his hometown friends because he wanted them to believe he was still in college.
“It was kind of eating away at me,” Jackson told Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller.
However, his competitive nature and work ethic remained. With all that time to himself, Jackson got so good at video games that he had an offer to move to New York and play in an NBA2k esports league, ranking in the top 250 players in the world.
But giving up on football continued to wear on Jackson, who told two of his friends, who were playing Division I, that he had left college.
“That moment really told me, man, if I was embarrassed to even tell them, I might want to get out and try to do it again instead of sitting here and sulking,” Jackson said, per Purple Insider.
At a crossroads, Jackson turned down the opportunity to play video games professionally and instead enrolled at Fort Scott Community College.
Jackson revitalized his football dreams, moving to cornerback and earning a spot at Alabama. He played sparingly and took another chance by transferring to Oregon, where he emerged as one of college football’s most dominant cornerbacks.
Jackson connected with the Vikings at the Senior Bowl, who were impressed by his winding path to the NFL and took him 108th overall.
“He called his parents and raced back home. You can imagine that he was thinking about how far he’s come since winning employee of the month,” Coller wrote.
“I wouldn’t change it for the world though,” Jackson said. “I feel like it taught me a lot of perseverance. It helped turn me into the man that I am today. I feel like I don’t take no shortcuts.”
Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell on Khyree Jackson: ‘I Am Absolutely Crushed’
Shortly after word of Jackson’s death made headlines, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell issued a statement.
“I am absolutely crushed by this news,” O’Connell’s statement read. “Khyree brought a contagious energy to our facility and to our team. His confidence and engaging personality immediately drew his teammates to him.
“In our short time together, it was evident Khyree was going to develop into a tremendous football player, but what was more impressive was his desire to become the best person he could be for his family and those around him.”
