EAGAN, Minn. — The dreaded early morning call for Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell came during that rare time for vacation on the NFL calendar, a summer holiday weekend soured by the sudden death of rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson.
The player selected in the fourth round from Oregon was expected to join his draft class at training camp this week.
Instead, O’Connell spent much of his season-opening news conference on Monday discussing plans to honor the gregarious 24-year-old who never got to play in a game and how the Vikings have been grieving Jackson since he and two friends — Isaiah Hazel and A.J. Lytton — were killed in a car crash on July 6 in their home state of Maryland.
“General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said, “His joy, his approach to life, and his hard-working spirit were all reasons we were thrilled to welcome him into this building, into this culture. His absence is a heartbreaking tragedy.”
The Vikings announced that the funeral of Jackson and Hazel is scheduled for Friday. They have contributed over $20,000 towards the funeral costs. Adofo-Mensah, O’Connell, defensive coordinator Brian Flores, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels, and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones will all be present at the service. In addition, the team plans to arrange for Jackson’s family to travel to Minnesota in the upcoming weeks for a private memorial with the Vikings’ players and coaches.
This season, Jackson’s uniform, bearing No. 31, and locker will remain untouched. Players will don helmet decals featuring his initials, while coaches will sport pins of the same design.
On Sunday, 38 players – mainly rookies, quarterbacks, and those recuperating from injuries – reported to team headquarters ahead of the rest of the squad’s arrival on Tuesday. Typically, O’Connell waits for the complete team to assemble before delivering his season-opening address. However, this year, he took the initiative to speak to the initial group. His main aim was to stress the accessibility of mental health resources and to outline to the players closest to Jackson how the team intends to pay tribute.
“Khyree didn’t spend much time on our team, but given our team culture, it doesn’t take long for strong bonds and relationships to form,” O’Connell explained. “Through my summer conversations with some of our experienced leaders and their expressions of sentiment, it was quite striking to realize the significant impact Khyree made in such a brief period.”
Jackson’s biggest legacy to the Vikings might be the reminder of life’s fragility and, for the players, the enduring uncertainty of their careers.
O’Connell stated, “This situation serves as a sobering reminder that we’re not promised another day on this planet at any given moment. Every player in that locker room has likely pondered this during their mourning, thinking about the injustice done to Khyree and his family, asking themselves, ‘What if it was me?’ or ‘Could I have been in his place?'”
That point became especially poignant less than a week later when second-year wide receiver Jordan Addison was arrested in California on suspicion of driving under the influence. Addison, who was cited for excessive speeding just before his first training camp, was expected to report to camp on Tuesday.
The Vikings have currently stepped back from any disciplinary role, allowing the NFL to handle it under the collectively agreed upon player conduct policy. It’s rare for the league to enforce punishments until the legal process is fully resolved.
“Jordan is always harder on himself than we could ever be,” said Adofo-Mensah. “He sets a high bar for himself, a result of his strong upbringing. He understands the behaviors necessary to reach his full potential. However, he feels he has fallen short recently. We tend not to talk about discipline in those terms within this environment. Our focus is on creating the desired outcome. We want Jordan to excel both on and off the field, and he is fully committed to this goal.”
Copyright The Associated Press 2024
