COLORADO SPRINGS — The late Vincent Jackson, a high school football standout at Widefield and former NFL wide receiver, was inducted into the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony happened during halftime of Widefield's home football game against Liberty High School on Saturday. Widefield went on to win the game by the final score of 30 to 14.
Fans who attended the game at Widefield High School released balloons to honor Jackson during the induction ceremony.
After graduating from Widefield with a 4.1 GPA, Jackson played football at the University of Northern Colorado.
In 2005, Jackson was drafted into the NFL by the San Diego Chargers. After spending seven seasons with the Chargers, Jackson signed with the Tampa Buccaneers in 2012. He retired from the NFL in 2018.
Jackson tragically passed away unexpectedly in Feb. 2021 in Florida.
Many friends were in attendance for the induction, and some of Jackson's family flew in from Florida to honor his memory.
"I'm just proud of him, man, even though he's not here with us now, he's with us in spirit," said Chris Smith, a lifelong friend of Vincent Jackson. "And just so proud of all the accomplishments that he was able to achieve on and off the field."
Fred Marjerrison, Jackson's former position coach at Widefield, was one of many who spoke highly of Jackson after his passing.
WATCH: FORMER NFL STAR, WIDEFIELD GRAD, VINCENT JACKSON FOUND DEAD IN FLORIDA HOTEL ROOM
In July, 2021, a golf tournament was held at the US Air Force Academy to honor Jackson.
Jackson was the son of two military parents. His dad, Terence, served in the Army for 21 years, and met his wife, Sherry, while in boot camp.
In Nov. 2012, Jackson launched the Jackson in Action 83 Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to provide support to military families, focusing on the educational, emotional, and physical health of the children. The foundation is located in Tampa, FL.
To learn more about Jackson's life and his foundation, visit the Jackson In Action 83 Foundation's Website.
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