Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson has tragically passed away, according to James Crepea of the Oregonian. Jackson’s agent and former high school coach confirmed that the athlete died in an auto accident last night. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has also confirmed the news. Jackson was 24.
The Vikings have announced Jackson’s passing.
“We are devastated by the news of Khyree Jackson’s death following an overnight car accident,” the team 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.”
“We are deeply saddened by the news of Khyree’s passing,” owners Mark and Zygi Wilf said in their own statement. “Khyree had an extremely bright future ahead of him as a player, and it was clear he was dedicated to being a tremendous person who made a positive difference in people’s lives. We are thinking about Khyree’s family and friends and all members of the Minnesota Vikings following this devastating loss.”
The auto accident happened at 3:14am this morning in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, which is Jackson’s hometown. According to a Maryland State Police news release (h/t Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post), Jackson was the front passenger in a Dodge Charger involved in the crash. The investigation indicated that another car was attempting to change lanes before striking the car that Jackson was traveling in, forcing the Dodge Charger off the road where it struck multiple tree stumps. All three passengers riding in the Dodge Charger have died. Investigators believes “alcohol may have been a contributing circumstance in the crash.”
After spending time with Fort Scott Community College and Alabama to begin his collegiate career, Jackson found his footing after transferring to Oregon for the 2023 campaign. The cornerback earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors this past season after finishing with 34 tackles, two sacks, and three interceptions, a performance that helped make him a fourth-round pick by the Vikings during April’s draft.
“[He has a] really aggressive mindset, [is a] play press man,” Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said following the draft (via the team’s website). “You know, really good insight we got from one of our former coaches … about the person and different things like that and how he would fit in. So just really excited to add him in with the mentality he can bring to that room.”
We here at PFR would like to extend our condolences to Jackson’s family, friends, and colleagues.
this sucks. prayers to his family and friends. He had a bright future ahead and it all is taking away before it begins. He “made it” only to have his future robbed from him. Even worse his parents had their son taken from them. Not sure if he had any kids but it he did it makes this horrible event that much worse
Oh wow. That’s terrible, and very sudden. Condolences to him, his family, and teammates. I know I’m an an anonymous poster on the Internet, but I really hate to see this.
Such a waste! So sorry to this kids family and friends. Another tragic tale of drinking and driving from what it sounds like. Sooooooo many ways to NOT have to drive drunk people! Uber, Lyft, etc…. Prayers to the family.
Nothing good happens at 3AM!!
Absolutely horrible. The guy had quite a story, too. Started off at community college, was out of school and football completely for a while with the pandemic. Worked a Harris Teeter deli counter, worked his way all the way to D1, and as a press man specialist, he was going to have a great shot in Flores’ defense. So awful to see him cut down before he could even get the chance he earned.
Thanks for the details, Oof. It does make it more tragic, but it’s good to know a little more about the man.
Wtf. Dude this is so sad. I loved this kid coming out of college. Rest in peace man
So young and taken so soon. Smh so sad. Rip young man
That’s horrible news! My condolences go out to his family and friends as well as the Minnesota Vikings. As a Michigan native who lived in Portland Oregon for 5 years I’ve become a Ducks fan as well as Michigan State. He was a special player and person. RIP Khyree!
Says alcohol was involved. 3 AM who would have guessed? Still tragic as this young man was just riding in the car. Sounds like the other car was at fault but still that’s little consolation. Tragedy can strike at any time. RIP young man. So sad.
Nothing good happens at 3 AM. Sad….RIP.
Taken too soon. Always sucks when life is taken so young.
All the more reason the Vikings should be awarded the 5th round pick that was stripped from the Falcons for their tampering. Some League consideration should be given to the Vikings for the loss to the organization of a draft pick who was never able to take the 2024-2025 field for the team.
What a no class comment…a young man died because of someone else’s stupidity and your worried about a draft pick.
this right here, the original commenter is a heartless clown
The fact is Mr Jackson was out at 3:00 AM, probably under the influence himself and made the decision to place his safety in the hands of an impaired driver. A tragic and unfortunate example of a decision – string of decisions that lead to the altering of an individual’s life journey.
Wow, you were called out for being kind of gross, so you decided to be really gross. Stick to dumb puns on people’s names.
Adults die every night at 3am. Do their employers need compensation for their deaths, why not?
Wow…you already made a stupid comment and so you double down with an assumption that the victim himself was under the influence along with the driver of the vehicle he was in…you are a sorry excuse for a human and this old adage certainly applies to you…”when you have put yourself into a hole of your own doing…quit digging”
You are just despicable.
The remorse at the loss of this man has already been stated by others.
Just expressing what had not yet been stated.
Time and place. Neither are now man.
Maybe in a future article about Vikings position battles or something. Not on an article about someone dying.
That guy is as big of an A** as I’ve ever seen here. And that’s saying something. What if it comes out that Jackson was with a designated driver and the other car just smashed into them head on? That would make you King of the A**h*****. All jail the king.
Why do you assume those three were under the influence? Police haven’t suggested they were, just the driver of the car who ran them off the road. If you’re going to make tasteless comments, at least spend some time looking into it first.
It’s also why nfl players want that guaranteed money. A nfl career can be over in the blink of the eye. R.i.P young man.
Ban cars
And booze
And tree stumps
if i saw the crash scene right, it looked like a stacked up pile of cut wood. i would think that whoever cut it and stacked it by the road might be involved in a future suit also.
Not clever. Cars are heavily regulated. You have to be trained, licensed, and registered to own and operate one.
Not sure if sarcasm font is on or not
Awful news for everyone.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends and all those in his college and Vikings’ organizations.
That rounded very sincere. I second that emotion.
“A person has a depraved indifference to human life when that person has an utter disregard for the value of human life – a willingness to act, not because he or she means to cause grievous harm, but because he or she simply does not care whether or not grievous harm will result.”
Depraved indifference is the same as intent legally, thus DUI is attempted murder (that we treat like jaywalking).
Tell Kyree Jackson and the other two guys’ families I’m wrong.
OMG…TMZ has the pictures of the car he was in…nobody and I mean nobody could survive that…the pictures are not for the faint of heart.
RIP Khyree and prayers for your family, friends and loved ones
Regular people die everyday no one says anything. This dude played ball so now it’s tragic. It’s not, he’s a dumbass for not taking a ln uber. If I can afford it so could he. Sayonara!
Scumbag
Thoughtless moron.
Would Uber had stopped another car running the car he was in off the road? There’s been nothing to say that anyone in his car was intoxicated just the driver of the other car.
“Investigators believe that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the crash, although the report did not state which parties may have been driving under the influence”. Why are you lying about the other driver was the only one intoxicated? Bandwagon jumper, you’re three days late
If the uber driver wasn’t impared; yes
It’s like you didn’t even bother to look into what happened– they were ran off the road.
RIP Khyree…..