Family of Former NFL WR Vincent Jackson Says Researchers Diagnosed Him With CTE

He was found dead in a hotel room in Florida last February at the age of 38.

The family of former Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson said Thursday that Jackson, who was found dead at 38 years old last February, has been diagnosed by brain researchers as having stage II chronic traumatic encephalopathy, more commonly known as CTE.

“Vincent dedicated so much of his life to helping others. Even in his passing, I know he would want to continue that same legacy,” Lindsey Jackson, Vincent’s widow, said in a statement. “By donating his brain to the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, we hope to continue to see advancements in CTE research, enabling physicians to diagnose the disease in the living and ultimately find treatment options in the future."

Dr. Ann McKee, who directs the Boston University-based research center where his brain was examined, said in a statement that Jackson “became depressed, with progressive memory loss, problem solving difficulties, paranoia, and eventually extreme social isolation,” prior to his death.

“That his brain showed stage II CTE should no longer surprise us; these results have become commonplace," McKee said.

Last February, Jackson was found dead in a hotel room in Hillsborough County, Fla. Authorities said at the time, Jackson checked into the hotel on Jan. 11. They added that Jackson's family initially reported him missing and deputies tracked him down to a hotel two days later, spoke with him and canceled the missing persons case.

He was then found dead days later.

The New York Times reported Thursday that a cause of death wasn't announced by the county medical examiner's office.

The Chargers drafted Jackson in the second round of the 2005 NFL draft. He spent the first seven years of his NFL career with San Diego before joining Tampa Bay. With the Buccaneers, Jackson totaled 1,000 or more receiving yards three times in his five seasons with the team. Jackson made three Pro Bowls throughout his 12-year NFL career and retired after the 2016 season.