The Minnesota Vikings will pay tribute to former Oregon Duck Khyree Jackson with special honors.

In the wake of the untimely death of former Oregon Duck football standout and Minnesota Vikings rookie Khyree Jackson, the Vikings are making plans to commemorate Jackson in the upcoming season.

On July 6th, Khyree Jackson, a rookie for the Minnesota Vikings and former Oregon Duck, tragically lost his life in a car accident. On Monday, the Vikings revealed their plans to commemorate the late rookie during the upcoming 2024 season.

In tribute, Jackson’s locker at the Vikings’ facility will remain vacant throughout the season. The team will also wear helmet decals featuring his initials “KJ,” and his number 31 will be retired for the year. Additionally, staff members will be given pins to wear, and there will be stenciling on the practice fields to honor Jackson’s memory.

Additionally, the Vikings organization will provide the remainder of Khyree Jackson’s $827,000 signing bonus from his rookie contract to his estate and will also contribute $20,000 towards his funeral expenses.

Jackson’s funeral is set for Friday and will be held jointly with Isaiah Hazel, a high school teammate of Jackson who was also among the victims of the accident. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, head coach Kevin O’Connell, defensive coordinator Brian Flores, special teams coach Matt Daniels, and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones are expected to attend.

During Monday’s press conference, O’Connell announced that the team will also organize a private memorial in Minnesota for players and staff, with Jackson’s family present.

O’Connell remarked, “Jackson had an incredibly sharp focus on his goals and plans. This was particularly evident during the spring when he had a standout performance and was eager to return to training camp and make a significant impact on our team this year. From my personal conversations with him and the effort he put in over the summer, it was clear he was on track to achieve that.”

Tragically, Jackson never made it to training camp. In the early hours of July 6th, Jackson, along with his high school teammates AJ Lytton and Isaiah Hazel, were killed in a car accident.

Maryland state police reported that Jackson, Hazel, and Lytton were in a Dodge Charger that was struck by another vehicle changing lanes at high speed. Although the investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed yet, authorities suspect that alcohol might have played a role in the collision.

The University of Oregon hosted a vigil for Jackson at Autzen Stadium, where several players and Coach Dan Lanning paid tribute and shared their memories of him.

“Every day working with Khyree was a joy, and his big smile was always a part of it,” Lanning remarked at the vigil. “It’s hard to find a photo of Khyree where he’s not smiling.”