On Saturday morning, word spread of a horrific tragedy in the NFL community. Khyree Jackson, a Minnesota Vikings fourth-round pick, and two of his friends were murdered in a three-car traffic accident. Details are still emerging from the site, however various accounts indicate that alcohol may have been involved in the tragedy. Jackson, 24, was poised to begin his rookie season following a successful collegiate career. He played two seasons at Alabama before moving to Oregon for his senior year. During his two seasons with the Crimson Tide, he played alongside several young Detroit Lions players who were understandably devastated to get the news Saturday morning.
Jackson, a cornerback, shared a position room with current Lions Brian Branch and Terrion Arnold. Both Lions went to social media to share their emotions of this tragic day.
“The journey it took for you to get to where you was at and you really accomplished your goals of making it to the NFL, you really looked out for me,” Arnold wrote in a post to Twitter. “A true brother and all you wanted to do was see me succeed and vice versa always love slim.”
Branch noted, “I haven’t shed a tear in a minute; this one hurt.” Jameson Williams, a Lions receiver, was also immediately touched by the news. Williams only attended Alabama for a year, but he was clearly close to Jackson as well. “I’m hurt, damn ski,” Williams stated in an Instagram post. “You can’t fake sht. “Don’t feel real, my brother.”
