Jeff Gladney, a former first-round pick who played for the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals, has died in a car accident at age 25.
A 26-year-old female passenger in the car also died, according to reports.
Gladney’s former college teammate and fellow 2020 first-round draft pick Jalen Reagor posted his condolences to Twitter as the NFL world reacted to the star’s death.
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“Lost my brother, my best friend, my right hand man … ain’t too much more I can take man damn!” wrote Reagor, a receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles.
“R.I.P. Jeff Gladney, brother watch over me please.”
https://twitter.com/TCUFootball/status/1531370803689926659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/jalenreagor/status/1531327563485917185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/George_iloka/status/1531351339753689093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The news was met with sadness around the NFL as the Vikings and Cardinals released statements on the death
“Horrifying news to hear this morning,” wrote Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt. “Just tragic. Rest in Peace Jeff.”
Gladney, a cornerback, was drafted by the Vikings in the first round with the 31st overall pick. He appeared in 16 games for the Vikings in 2020.
During the 2021 offseason, Gladney was arrested on a charge of domestic violence, and was released by the Vikings on the same day and didn’t play in the NFL during 2021.
He was found not guilty of all charges in March this year, and was signed by the Cardinals shortly after.
He recently posted on social media that he’d bought his mother her dream house. The real estate agent was Gladney’s cousin, and it was her very first sale.
Gladney is the second young NFL star killed in a motor vehicle accident this offseason.
Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was struck by a car while crossing a highway in Florida.
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