Sheriff: Family believes Jackson suffered from CTE

Vincent Jackson's family thinks the former NFL wide receiver suffered from the degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said Wednesday.

"They believe he had a lot of concussion problems," Chronister told Q105-FM, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "When you suffer from that, you're not yourself, you're not your normal self. And they believe wholeheartedly all of these actions are a result of what he suffered while he was playing in the NFL."

Jackson was found dead Monday at a Homewood Suites hotel in Brandon, Florida, where he had been checked in since Jan. 11.

His family reported him missing on Feb. 10 but the case was canceled two days later when deputies located him, spoke to him, and assessed his well-being.

Jackson, who was 38, played for the then-San Diego Chargers from 2005 to 2011 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2012 to 2016.

A number of late NFL stars, including Ken Stabler, Junior Seau, and Chris Henry, have been diagnosed with CTE postmortem. The disease is the result of repeated brain trauma and has no cure.

Chronister said an autopsy showed Jackson suffered from chronic alcoholism, but authorities are still determining a cause of death.

"It could be several weeks before we know what led to the untimely and tragic death of Vincent Jackson," the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said in a statement obtained by The Athletic's Greg Auman. "The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office continues to conduct a thorough investigation alongside the Hillsborough Country Sheriff's Office. Based on statements made by relatives of Jackson to detectives, his family had reason to believe he may have suffered from chronic alcoholism and concussions. However, the exact cause and manner of Mr. Jackson's death will not be certain until his autopsy, among other reports, is complete."

Jackson posted six 1,000-yard seasons and made three Pro Bowls over his 12-year career.