Gone too soon… Former Chiefs DE and a 2003 NFL Draft pick, Jimmy Wilkerson passed away at just 43 years old. It’s hard to process when a player who left such a mark on the field and beyond is gone this early. CBS Sports Texas reporter Bill Jones confirmed the heartbreaking news. Wilkerson’s football story began in East Texas, where he led the Paul Pewitt Brahmas to a state title in 1998. The guy wasn’t just good; he was dominant.

At Oklahoma, he added a national championship ring in 2000 and snagged All-Big 12 honors—twice. Drafted in the sixth round, Wilkerson hustled his way to a nine-year NFL career with KC, Bucs, Saints, and Seahawks. Even after hanging up his cleats, he wanted every bit of football. So, he coached the Texas A&M-Commerce D-line and helped the team win a DII national title in 2017. Now, he’s gone, leaving behind a football legacy, stretching from high school glory to the NFL trenches and coaching sidelines. But he also leaves behind his family.

Did Jimmy Wilkerson have children?

Now, something noteworthy is that ever since retirement, Jimmy kept it lowkey. Going on vacays with his wife Jamie (like he deserved), attending church masses, reading sermons, and, most importantly, spending time with his family. Wilkerson and his wife, Jamie, have four children: Tyson, Maddox, Jax, and Emilia. How do we know it? Social media. As the two-time Super Bowl winner kicker, and Jimmy’s ex-teammate, Lawrence Tynes wrote: “RIP Brother! Gone way too soon. Jimmy was one of the good guys. Prayers to his wife, 4 kids, family, and friends.”

Jimmy’s goal in life, post-retirement? Be the Superhero dad to his children… We are no judge if he was, or if he wasn’t. But if son Maddox’s IG post is anything to go by, then we are to believe he was. Maddox posted a reel with all the memories as Kean’s “Somewhere Only We Know” played with a soulful caption. If we go deep with the caption, then that’d be long. To give you a gist. Maddox thanked. He thanked his dad for being the Jimmy Wilkerson and helping his children get some of his touch.

The caption concluded with a beautiful sentence that read: “And if I where to pick a person to look up to it would be you dad… Enjoy heaven and keep watching me grow. Good bye dad.” Even Jax re-shared this on his story. Spoiler: ‘the two brothers are following their father’s footsteps’… And Jimmy Wilkerson left his two up-and-coming baller sons in the wake, too. The man, the myth, the freight, the legend.

What was the cause of death of the ex-Chiefs player?

Per multiple reports, Jimmy Wilkerson’s cause of death was due to a heart attack on Friday, the 13th of December. That was the last anyone heard from Jimmy or saw him. No one could have foreseen it.

But what’s even somber is his last update on his gram. Jimmy’s last post was a selfie inside a car, dated 7th December. No caption. And now, there’s only but one comment remembering him. His greatness.

When talking about him on the gridiron, people don’t say how good he was… It was always how hard he came crashing down on you? That was his aura. There’s no mention of his net worth, but the man—a father, ex-NFler, a husband, a good friend, and a good coach, didn’t need his worth to be weighed by the bucks. And it wasn’t…

Now, as his son said, (let’s take Maddox’s word for it): He is in heaven. Let’s hope he is having supper with the heavyweights, and playing ball again.