The autopsy report on former NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson concluded that the former San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers star died of chronic alcohol use, according to a report by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Jackson, who played 12 seasons in the NFL and was a three-time Pro Bowler, was ruled to have suffered a natural death as the result of his alcohol use.
According to the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's office, Jackson suffered from alcoholic cardiomyopathy, a condition that occurs when long-term alcohol use weakens the heart muscle. A toxicology report showed that three measurements of Jackson's blood alcohol content ranged from 0.28 to 0.32, about four times beyond what is considered impairment in the state of Florida.
Jackson was found to have several blunt contusions to his head, torso, and extremities, and also had a mild case of atherosclerosis -- a condition in which plaque buildup leads to a hardening of the arteries. While Jackson was found to have small cuts to his scalp and left big toe, there were no skull fractures.
According to a report by Jenna Laine of ESPN, other conditions that Jackson suffered from -- all related to chronic alcohol use -- included hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, esophageal varices, ascites, jaundice, remote pancreatitis, renal failure and hyponatremia dehydration, cardiovascular disease and intoxication by ethyl alcohol. In addition, Jackson also suffered from Stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
On Feb. 15, Jackson was found dead in a Florida hotel room where he had been living three days after authorities had conducted a wellness visit. Authorities had intimated that alcohol use contributed to Jackson's death, and issues with alcohol were part of his NFL career: He was arrested two different times for driving under the influence during his time with the Chargers, and he was suspended for the first three games of the 2010 season as a result of his arrests. Jackson's tenure with the Buccaneers did not feature such issues.
At the time of his death, Jackson had been living and working in the Tampa Bay area as a businessman and philanthropist. According to Stroud, the family will have no further comment on his death.
