The Vikings are facing the Rams in the wild-card round of the 2025 NFL playoffs, with the winner going on to face the Eagles next week in the divisional round.
Regardless of what happens on Monday night, Minnesota will carry on a tradition it has been doing all season: Honoring former teammate Khyree Jackson.
Jackson was a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he tragically died in a car accident in July. His teammates and coaches have been outspoken about the type of person he was and the impact he made on the franchise in a short amount of time.
Here’s how Minnesota has been honoring its fallen teammate.
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Vikings KJ helmet patch, explained
The Vikings have been wearing a KJ decal on their helmets all season, while head coach Kevin O’Connell and other coaches have a KJ patch on their jackets.
Jackson was born in 1999. The cornerback went to Alabama and Oregon and developed into a solid cornerback. He was a fourth-round pick, but his teammates were impressed with how quickly he picked up the game at the next level, as well as how curious he was with asking questions from the veterans.
Jackson had gone through rookie minicamp and was gearing up to go through his first training camp. However, he and two of his high school friends were involved in a car accident in July when he was back home in Maryland. They were hit by a drunk driver, and Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene. He was only 24.
Despite only a few months with the team, the impact he had on the organization was clear. In fact, O’Connell asked if he could say a few words at Jackson’s funeral, delivering a stirring eulogy of his former player.
While he wasn’t on the field with the team during the regular season, he was definitely with them in spirit. Minnesota is choosing to honor him with a decal on the back of their helmets, as well as a KJ patch on staff jackets.
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Where was Khyreen Jackson drafted?
Jackson was drafted with the 108th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was a fourth-round pick by Minnesota. Jackson was the eighth pick in the fourth round, the third overall by the Vikings. He joined a rookie class consisting of quarterback J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, who were both selected in the first round.
Where did Khyree Jackson go to college?
Jackson didn’t have any scholarships coming out of college. He initially enrolled at Arizona Western, but he dropped out to move home before ever playing a game. He then joined Fort Scott Community College as a wide receiver in 2019, but he convinced the staff to let him switch to cornerback that year.
Jackson then transferred to East Mississippi Community College — the school from ‘Last Chance U’ — in an effort to get some Division 1 looks to continue playing. He committed to Alabama and spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Crimson Tide. Jackson transferred to Oregon for the 2023 season, taking over for Christian Gonzalez as the Ducks’ top cornerback.
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