The sudden death of Khyree Jackson shocked the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings rookie had just signed his first professional contract, and his net worth skyrocketed shortly before his death well above the NIL he once had as an NCAA star.
The University of Oregon product was about to make his professional football debut when a tragic accident took his life. This Saturday, Jackson and two friends were driving through his hometown of Upper Marlboro when his Dodge Charger collided with two other vehicles.
Jackson and his friend Izaiah Hazel died at the scene, and his third companion, Anthony Lytton, died in hospital as a result of his injuries. The accident occurred just a few weeks after the young cornerback signed a four-year, $4.85 million contract with the Vikings.
Jackson’s contract
Jackson’s average salary would have been $1.21 million, that is, 50% higher than the minimum salary for a rookie in the NFL, which is $795,000 annually in the 2024 season. This shows the faith the Vikings had in the former Oregon Ducks cornerback.
Jackson’s contract included an $827,000 signing bonus and $827,148 guaranteed. This figure alone is well above his last NIL as a college player, valued at $615,000, according to the specialized portal ON3.
His name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements placed him as number 93 overall and number 68 on the football players list. Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders tops both lists with an NIL of $4.6 million.
The accident investigation
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident in which Jackson died. The first reports from the Maryland State Police indicate that an Infiniti Q50 car attempted to change lanes at high speed, hitting the Dodge Charger in which the player was traveling in the front passenger seat.
The Charger collided with a Chevrolet Impala and then was thrown onto the shoulder, where it collided with several obstacles. The driver of the Impala was uninjured, and the occupants of the Infiniti did not suffer serious injuries. Police are still investigating whether alcohol triggered the incident.
