Sheriff: Vincent Jackson Suffered From “Chronic Alcoholism”
February 17th, 2021
Details begin to surface.
In an autopsy scheduled to be released today, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said it shows former Bucs receiver Vincent Jackson suffered from a disease he deemed “chronic.”
Speaking on the “MJ Morning Show” heard on WRBQ-FM 104.7 this morning, Chronister believes alcohol was a significant factor in Jackson’s death.
Jackson was found dead Monday at a hotel in Brandon.
“We got the autopsy report back that will be released today,” Chronister said. “Unfortunately he suffered from chronic alcoholism. It’s just tragic.”
Chronister, however, was not ready to say alcohol directly caused Jackson to pass. He said his agency is waiting on toxicology reports that have yet to be released. “We can’t say with any certainty that [alcohol was the cause of death],” Chronister said.
Chronister added that Jackson had a “lot of long-standing health conditions that contributed to his passing because of some alcohol abuse.” Chronister did not elaborate.
As for why Jackson was staying at a hotel recently, away from his family in South Tampa, Chronister claimed his family suspected he was acting unusual due to CTE, a brain disorder that causes brain degeneration believed to be caused by head trauma. CTE cannot be accurately diagnosed in those still alive.
February 17th, 2021 at 11:19 am
While many people are capable of drinking in moderation, alcohol unfortunately has destroyed a lot of lives still… As a society we tend to glorify drinking a little too much imo. Some people are out every weekend and that’s their whole idea of fun. Anyways, back on track here…. By all accounts he was a class act and a good man. Nobody is perfect, we all have chinks. in our armour. Being in chronic pain (probably?) And having cte I’m sure contributed
February 17th, 2021 at 11:20 am
Alcohol and pain pills. I have had to friends die in their sleep because of this NASTY Cocktail.
I will admit, it feels good and is addicting. Good thing I don’t have access to pain pills no more. 🙁
February 17th, 2021 at 11:23 am
This is so sad. The game is getting more safe, but I doubt CTE will ever complety go away.
February 17th, 2021 at 11:26 am
CTE is scary. RIP Vincent.
February 17th, 2021 at 11:30 am
MJ Morning Show is back? o.O
Unfortunately, as I suspected, CTE and drug (alcohol) abuse. 38 year old former elite athletes never pass away from natural causes.
This is so sad. I was a big fan of his. He was one of the best community guys the Bucs have ever had. RIP.
February 17th, 2021 at 11:46 am
CTE + alcohol + pain pills has been my guess all along.
Just tragic, dude was only 38 years old. 4 kids and a wife… Nothing but a consummate professional and great person in the Tampa community.
Just so sad, always loved V-Jax.
February 17th, 2021 at 11:46 am
We already knew this from when he was in San Diego. This is not news unless toxicology confirms anything.
February 17th, 2021 at 11:48 am
So sad. Tragic
And booze Maybe reason going thru divorce too
38 is not old …so his liver must have been in real bad shape for a chronic alcoholism diagnosis at a young age
I saw a recent pic of him and i had to do double take like dang…thats vjax…i remember as this tall bigger then life dude / he was a stud in his playing days which was not to long ago. I cam only imagine what some of those guys go thru. Brad johsom even admitted he has hard time just getting around cause of his football career.
February 17th, 2021 at 11:50 am
We knew nothing. What exactly did he do in San Diego that would lead one to believe that he was a chronic alcoholic? Joe was around him many times when he played and never once suspected he was on the sauce.
(Yes, Joe knows he was suspended in San Diego and had DUIs.)
ASJ on the other hand…
February 17th, 2021 at 11:52 am
^ Exactly,
Yes he got a DUI while in San Diego, but by all accounts he was not a chronic alcoholic, especially by time he came to San Diego.
You don’t rack up over 3600 yards in 3 seasons if you’re boozing everyday in your late 20’s / early 30s.
February 17th, 2021 at 11:52 am
*especially by time he came to Tampa Bay
February 17th, 2021 at 11:57 am
Sucks V-Jax always seemed like a good dude that gave back a lot. Way too young to die. The NFL really needs to create a program and support for life after football to help these guys cope.
February 17th, 2021 at 11:58 am
Not to disrepect the sherriff but without having the autopsy report findings how does he know this. Possibly his wife gave out info on some drinking problems. Sad story; like stated above Im guessing some depression and mixing alcohol and pills just terrible for the his family and the community
February 17th, 2021 at 12:06 pm
He does have the autopsy report.
He does not have the toxicology report.
February 17th, 2021 at 12:17 pm
Why does everyone blame the alcohol? It just peeves me a bit that no one considers he may have had someone nagging him to death all day every day that could be a contributing factor. So many men, and many great men, were drunks and never got divorced. Alcohol might be a symptom of the problem. Some people don’t believe in divorce or have been through it and say…never again and would rather opt out than be painted the drunk and lose their kids and all respect.
Personally, I respect the guy and see his point of view not wanting to be without his kids and starting over. flame on.
February 17th, 2021 at 12:23 pm
Brain damage alone is almost impossible to overcome. I know from personal experience. You add in substances to cope with those things and that’s a one way ticket to death. I feel sick for V-Jax and his family. May he Rest In Peace.
February 17th, 2021 at 12:23 pm
Robert consistently bringing the hottest of hot takes on JBF.
Yea, blame his wife lol. JFC some of you…
February 17th, 2021 at 12:26 pm
CTE could be the underlying factor to V-Jack’s change in behavior and an increase in consuming alcohol. Even if CTE is found not to be a factor, alcohol can kill at any age. A woman I used to work with lost her 20 year old son when he died of a combination of pain killers and a lot of hard booze, he choked on his own vomit after he passed out… A guy I went to FSU with died a few years ago in hospice at the age of 52 from cirrhosis due to drinking a liter of vodka each day while still holding down a job until his health forced him to see a doctor but by then the damage was too extensive. V-Jack’s death is such a tragic story. If it was CTE related, I hope this forces the NFL to address the issue more thoroughly. I still can not believe that Scot Brantley is not getting any help from the NFL due to legal technicalities……
February 17th, 2021 at 12:32 pm
RIP Vjax. Why the good ones go too soon? 🙁
February 17th, 2021 at 12:33 pm
I hope you have found peace, Vincent Jackson. RIP, my brother.
February 17th, 2021 at 12:38 pm
Seems like nfl would have better safeguards to help prevent situations like this. A family should be able to report to the nfl unusual behavior and the nfl should provide help.
February 17th, 2021 at 12:39 pm
Someone posted he missed a game in san diego due to a hangover. not sure if that is true.
February 17th, 2021 at 12:41 pm
poster could have been referring to DUI i guess.
February 17th, 2021 at 12:51 pm
Robert, get a divorce already! Geez
February 17th, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Joe you think he didn’t have an alcohol problem when dude had two separate DUI convictions in San Diego about one year apart? You think those are the only times he drove drunk? And he never drank outside of that? Get real. VJax was a great player and a great person, but he has a well documented history of alcoholic behavior and to suggest otherwise is just naive or stupid (feel free to pick). He did a tremendous amount of good as well and certainly I was proud for my kid to have his jersey. But let’s not just forget the dude did have a long standing alcohol problem. It doesn’t just go away when you don’t drink. It’s forever.
February 17th, 2021 at 1:03 pm
Robert you are spot on with where you are going and I know for a fact that it had to cause some issues
February 17th, 2021 at 1:06 pm
No, Robert, alcohol is a problem. It is poison, period, end of story.
There are many other stress outlets. Alcohol is one of the worst. It is insidious and will ultimately destroy organs, one by one, liver, brain, pancreas and heart.
Dad CB was a chronic alcoholic. He died at 46. His death was unnecessary. He just liked it too much and shut out anyone who showed concern.
Was CTE a factor? Autopsy will show that. Toxicology will also add some puzzle pieces.
But the fact he estranged his family by moving out makes me wonder if he just didn’t want to hear about it. This is very common in the homes of alcoholics. Been there. And a main reason I hardly ever drink, not even a beer or wine. Maybe a fruity beach drink once or twice a year.
Unfortunately, this happens to non-celebs all the time…and nobody sheds one tear.
February 17th, 2021 at 1:10 pm
How come when a football player die it’s all ways cte with yall ? Even if he had a drug problem or alcohol problem it doesn’t mean he had CTE . Maybe Brady need to stop playing because if he die in the next 15 to 20 years yall will be saying it’s because of CTE . No one really know how he pass or why if he had a drug problem . But it is a sad lost .
February 17th, 2021 at 1:13 pm
[Joe is not anti-this guy but what this has to do with Vincent Jackson is beyond Joe. Let’t not hijack threads. Thank you. — Joe]
February 17th, 2021 at 1:15 pm
^^^^
Ummmm. His diagnosis was chronic alcoholism. Pretty sure he had a problem with alcohol
Geez.
February 17th, 2021 at 1:16 pm
Suffering from this chronic illness no matter how it was obtained, what its background story is, became extremely difficult for VJax and his family. While his suffering is now over his family must struggle through the grieving process, dealing with his loss, his presence missing in their lives and their love for him. The mental health industry needs lots of resources to combat these diseases and they don’t get the support the main stream health care industry is provided. A real weakness in such an affluent society.
February 17th, 2021 at 1:36 pm
The Mental Health industry….. LOL how many shrinks do you know that are not divorced once or multiple times? They feed on this stuff and feed pills that only make the issue worse! I’m sure there are some that do some good, but I would sway in the opposite direction from the few I have met.
Out of respect for V Jax I will not comment further. RIP big man.
February 17th, 2021 at 1:38 pm
rush!? NO! not rush!
Im legitimately bummed.
February 17th, 2021 at 1:38 pm
that it took that long.
February 17th, 2021 at 1:39 pm
Joe has a counter:
Joe’s old man had 2-3 drinks every day. Ev-er-ee-day. Even had beers when he was in the nursing home. He lived to 93. Cancer got him.
Joe thinks he saw his old man drunk once. He had his two beers, maybe three, and that was it.
To this day in Europe there are cultures (France, Germany) where kids drink wine/beer every meal with adults. That custom began centuries ago when wine/beer was the only thing to drink that wasn’t spoiled.
Sorry for your father. Alcohol, like so many things, when abused is bad. When he is not abused, no big deal.
February 17th, 2021 at 1:39 pm
[We are not hijacking threads. If you are triggered, go see a shrink. — Joe]
February 17th, 2021 at 1:45 pm
lol at joe! of course! i saw you were going to delete the comment i already posted, and figured id get in one more jab since you were going to delete them all anyway.
🙂
February 17th, 2021 at 1:56 pm
I CARE NOW Says:
February 17th, 2021 at 11:20 am
Alcohol and pain pills. I have had to friends die in their sleep because of this NASTY Cocktail.
I will admit, it feels good and is addicting. Good thing I don’t have access to pain pills no more. 🙁
____________
I just wish that you had access to a grammar book.
That would be nice.
February 17th, 2021 at 1:56 pm
Robert for sure there was issues at home there. The fact they waited an entire month before issuing a missing persons suggested they weren’t surprised when he left. I’d personally avoid finger pointing… I know what it’s like to be nagged and go through worry about not having access to kids (still sorting it out). But if the guy is an alcoholic it could be difficult for the people around him… Guy wasn’t perfect, nobody is. He did a lot of good by the sounds of it… For whatever reason there seemed to be issues at home… On top of it (could have contributed to it) he may have had cte, may have been in chronic pain, dealing with alocholism, coping the wrong way… It’s all a bad recipe is all. Guy helped so many others and didn’t have it himself unfortunately… We all wear these masks, but even the most upstanding people who seem they have to together.. well some of them are just keeping their heads above water and we just can’t see it
February 17th, 2021 at 2:00 pm
I’ll also just add that the divorce business is nasty, particularly for men. There are plenty of men, particularlt father’s who have just ended it all because of the unfair treatment. I think people are slowly waking up.. but got a long way to go. Some old school thinking still that men are providers and women are the nurterers who should continue to stay in that role while being provided for after divorce
February 17th, 2021 at 2:00 pm
This is kind of what I assumed when I heard he passed away at an extended stay hotel, given his past issues.
Alcohol may have been a problem at home and wife probably didn’t want to expose the kids to it anymore.
Very sad. Alcoholism is just as horrible as any other drug addiction and in many cases probably more so since it’s not an illegal drug and is readily available anywhere.
February 17th, 2021 at 2:01 pm
@Joe – to be fair, 2 or 3 beers a day is waaayyyyyyy different than 2 or 3 cocktails everyday, let alone if someone is drinking more than that, or putting down a half or full bottle of booze a day.
Just saying- that there are a lot of varying degrees here. And not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic either.
But it is definitely bad for your body, especially in excess. And I say this as someone who spent the majority of my 20s and early 30s regularly out-drinking dudes who were twice my size.
February 17th, 2021 at 2:03 pm
Joe, not everyone can “drink” the same, and alcohol to the body IS a poison.
Surviving poison does not diminish poison.
Good for your old man’s benign habit. Trust me, there are millions of non-benign stories.
I never understood the functioning alcoholic thing. Functioning for whom? My ex was (is) a functioning alcoholic physician. I felt sorry for her patients and colleagues who never knew. From a risk perspective, they deserved better.
It is also rare to see even a functioning alcoholic who does not look aged beyond his or her years…
February 17th, 2021 at 2:04 pm
Is it? Isn’t beer basically a shot?
February 17th, 2021 at 2:32 pm
I’ve seen several good friends succumb to alcoholism, and no amount of intervention could stop it.
It is an awful thing. Makes no sense to those who don’t have a drinking problem, but that is only because you have not been in its grips.
I’d like to know if there are others in his family, it’s often hereditary.
February 17th, 2021 at 2:40 pm
You’re right Eric. I never touched alcohol until k was around 17… Had some drinks with friends and had my share in college… After I finsihed and moved out kinda wondered what the point was. Didn’t seem to add anything to my life. But some people just can’t handle it. You’re right that genetics play a part. Native people had little to no exposure to it until Europeans introduced it to them and it’s been widely considered that it hits then a lot harder because of that. I’ve seen it within other families as well even though it’s not always obviously
February 17th, 2021 at 2:47 pm
so young…..that was his stick of life… just short, period. People drink regularly, and live long life; people dont drink at all and die….steve jobs, never drank alcohol, and die from liver disease…., people dont smoke and get lung cancer….
any abuse is bad for you in long run….but the poor guy was so young; SAD.
February 17th, 2021 at 2:54 pm
So sad. Ppl don’t want to lie or think how bad a drug alcohol can be.
February 17th, 2021 at 3:59 pm
Lookahere, Nobody knows the troubles somebody else experiences. This is truly sad. But Ballers go thru a lot. Injuries, hits which follow them after football. And many mask their pains with drugs and alcohol. Hell, many of us do the same deeyam thing minus the ballin. Who are we to judge? God knows you and I have our problems..Ticks as I call them. We all got a couple. Jackson carried himself well for the Buc nation. He was well spoken and well thought of. Now he can Rest in peace.
February 17th, 2021 at 4:52 pm
I don’t think TV Show loving Chad should have held that conference just two days after Vincent died out of respect for his family. I know the story and people have been asking, but out of respect for my friend and relationship with the family I never said how because it’s no ones business !! I lost my brother in 2001 at 30 and those are private and personal moments and that info shouldn’t have been shared by CC. It wasn’t CTE !!! Please keep Lindsey, his beautiful kids and entire family in your prayers while they grieve this loss and wish people would respect their privacy and can tell you she’s not happy he decided to share to the world !! Way too soon, but so sad and Rest In Peace V !! I’m sad, mad, and still processing this loss and I wish people would stop assuming and prayer for a broken family
February 17th, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Sure- but who makes a cocktail with just a single shot? LOL
That’s a pretty weak drink imo
February 17th, 2021 at 6:18 pm
Until Mike Evans came along, in VJAX’s short career with the Bucs he was the most productive WR to ever suit up as a Buccaneer. He was a big play guy who made some phenomenal catches.
The man did many great things in his off-field work, very sad his life ended in tragedy. I loved watching him play. Great man!
February 17th, 2021 at 6:38 pm
In Alcoholics Anonymous there is a saying “It is not what you drink, or how much you drink. It is what happens WHEN you drink that determines if you are an Alcoholic, or not”.
February 17th, 2021 at 7:25 pm
Sorry I got here late. Very obvious a lot of people here have suffered or been closely related to divorce and/or alcoholism. I am a child of divorce. So sad.
I always think of the story of Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde. He is a good looking Doctor and highly regarded and respected member of his community. But he goes home at night and drinks a “potion” and turns into a monster. I’ve always felt it was an allegory for alcoholism.
February 18th, 2021 at 5:01 am
watch the movie:
“leaving las vegas” circa 1995
with nicolas cage and elisabeth shue
February 18th, 2021 at 11:17 am
Studies have shown many times over that light to moderate consumption of alcohol extends lives.