New details have emerged in the tragic death of 25-year-old Jeff Gladney, who died in the early hours of Monday morning in Dallas, Texas, after crashing his car into a second vehicle from behind, according to preliminary info from the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department. As per TMZ, the Arizona Cardinals cornerback and a female passenger were found dead in a white car at around 2:30 AM, and from the investigation performed so far, it’s believed that Jeff was speeding before the fatal collision occurred.
It’s still unclear how fast the Texas native was traveling at the time of the impact, but it was rapid enough for the car to clip the second vehicle before hitting a pier beam and flipping into a “grassy area.” There were two occupants in the car that Jeff collided with, but they are said to have escaped the incident without any injuries, with law enforcement officers expected to share further details later today.
NFL wide receiver Jalen Reagor was one of the first athletes to confirm the devastating news of Jeff’s passing in a heartfelt tweet, writing, “Lost my Brother, my best friend, my right hand man… ain’t too much more I can take man damn!” The NFL, too, are mourning his death, with the Cardinals organization having since released a statement, which read, “We are devastated to learn of Jeff Gladney’s passing. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and all who are mourning this tremendous loss.”
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The Minnesota Vikings were also quick to issue up some words for their former star player, sharing, “We are saddened by the tragic death of former Viking Jeff Gladney. Our hearts go out to his family and friends, as well as the Arizona Cardinals organization and Jeff’s current and former teammates and coaches who are mourning his life lost much too soon.”
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Jeff was let go by Minnesota last summer amid claims he had assaulted his girlfriend. The case did end up going to trial, but a judge found him not guilty in March. The downside of the court drama meant he would not be able to compete in the entire 2021 NFL season, though Jeff was happy he was finally cleared of the allegations made against his character.
We are saddened by the tragic death of former Viking Jeff Gladney. Our hearts go out to his family and friends, as well as the Arizona Cardinals organization and Jeff’s current and former teammates and coaches who are mourning his life lost much too soon. pic.twitter.com/5bdVCXT6Gv
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 30, 2022
The Cardinals went ahead and signed him to a new contract that same month, having commenced training for the next season, which begins in September. Jeff’s agent, Brian Overstreet, continued in a statement, “We are asking prayers for the family and privacy at this most difficult time.”