Just months after the Minnesota Vikings called his name in the NFL Draft, Khyree Jackson’s promising future was extinguished. Nearly two years after the tragic crash, the person behind the wheel has finally been sentenced, bringing a painful chapter to a close for his family.

On February 5, Cori Clingman was sentenced to 15 years in prison, suspended for all but the three years remaining. She pleaded guilty to three counts of negligent homicide under the influence of alcohol. In the early hours of July 6, 2024, a drunk Clingman crashed into a Dodge Charger, which resulted in the death of Khyree Jackson and his high school teammates Isaiah Hazel and Anthony Lytton Jr. Hazel played for Charlotte and North Carolina, while Lytton was playing at Bowie State after stints at FSU and PSU.

According to reports, Clingman was friends with the trio and was out drinking with them. But while they were on the road, she had turned reckless. She changed lanes to avoid hitting a car and clipped another before ramming into the Charger. The crash claimed the lives of Hazel and Jackson instantly, while Lytton later succumbed to his injuries. For Jackson, the tragedy struck just 15 days before he was set to begin his NFL dream at the Vikings’ training camp, ending his life and career at just 24 years old.

The sentence closes a painful chapter that began just as Jackson’s own NFL chapter was about to start, a journey he fought tirelessly for. After receiving no scholarship offers out of high school, he took the junior college route, first at Arizona Western and then at Fort Scott, before earning a coveted spot with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

He played here for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, amassing 15 total tackles over those two years. Jackson then transferred to Oregon to play for Dan Lanning. That last year of his college career at the Ducks and an All-Pac-12 selection turned the scouts’ attention to his game.

In his honor, the Vikings left his jersey number (31) and locker unused for the 2024 season. Players carried his initials on their helmets in an ode to Jackson. The same design was sported by Minnesota coaches and staff members on their uniforms as pins. In the extremely short time he had spent with the team, he left a big impact on the franchise. Among the many special relationships he built here was the one he built with Dallas Turner, his teammate at Alabama.

“I know he’s watching over me,” he told the press in 2024. He also wore a T-shirt as a tribute to Jackson during training. Though the late CB’s locker no longer exists, Turner has a nameplate in memory of his friend above his own locker. J.J. McCarthy and Josh Metellus have one too. Since Jackson’s passing, Dallas Turner has also developed an extremely close relationship with his family.

Khyree Jackson is survived by his parents, Ebbony and Raymond, and a younger brother, Kolston. They now run the Khyree Jackson Foundation in honor of their son. In recognition of their work helping young student athletes, the NFL sent them a special gift.

The NFL extended some much-needed cheer to Khyree Jackson’s family

Khyree Jackson’s family has been doing some great work in the community. They were honored by the Vikings last year with the Inspire Change: Changemaker Award, and have also partnered with the franchise for the NFL’s ‘My Cause My Cleats’ campaign. However, the league took it upon itself to give the grieving family some joy.

The family was surprised with Super Bowl tickets during their appearance on Good Morning America in January. The surprise provided a moment of joy for the family amidst their grief, a gesture that honored their son’s love for the game.

“This is huge. I mean, we love it,” Raymond said on the show. “This is something that we always talked about. Khyree loved the game. We loved the game of football. That was our bond.”

Khyree Jackson’s family will forever be pained by his passing. But through their work in society and some special initiatives like this, they are trying to get by one day at a time. With the court formally announcing a judgment in his case, a tough fight comes to an end for his family.