A beloved former NFL player and cornerback for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers has died in a car accident at age 30.
Chris Payton-Jones was driving a sedan in Florida on Saturday when he collided head-on with a pickup truck, according to News 4 Jacksonville.
Payton-Jones died at the scene. The truck’s three passengers received minor injuries.
His family confirmed his death as tributes flooded social media honoring his legacy.
The defensive back played for parts of four NFL seasons, having signed with the Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, and Las Vegas Raiders between 2018 and 2022.
Payton-Jones ended his NFL career with 48 tackles and seven passes defended in 29 games.
From 2022 to 2024, he played for the XFL’s Seattle SeaDragons and the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks.
While still playing, he launched his YouTube channel, Flashflix, focused on local sports in his hometown of Jacksonville.
After returning to Jacksonville, Payton-Jones was frequently spotted on Sandalwood High School sidelines during football games.
He was a three-star high school prospect at Sandalwood, who graduated in 2014 and signed with the University of Nebraska.
Adam Geis, Payton-Jones’ coach at Sandalwood, told News4 that he was a special and genuine person with an elite work ethic.
‘He was one of my all-time favorites! The kid never missed a workout, never missed practice, and never wanted to come off the field. Everyone loved him,’ Geis said.
‘He was always unbelievably positive. I’ve never heard that kid ever say anything negative about anyone or anything. … It was always a pleasure to be around him. You were always happy to see him.’
At Nebraska, Payton-Jones was an elite cornerback and was named All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2016.
He was not selected in the draft and was initially signed by the Lions but was cut by the end of training camp in 2018.
According to Newsweek, the Arizona Cardinals picked him up two days later, and he would eventually appear in two games during the 2018 season.
In 2019, he played in 11 games, starting three.
He ultimately bounced around the league from 2020 to 2022, seeing the field in 16 more games before being pushed down to the practice squad.
He recently announced his retirement from football, thanking God for the opportunity to play at the highest level.
The UFL released a statement following the tragic news of Payton-Jones’s death: ‘The United Football League is in mourning after the tragic passing of former St. Louis Battlehawks Defensive Back Chris Payton-Jones.’
‘Chris was a beloved teammate and leader in the locker room, who demonstrated the importance of hard work, determination, and resilience throughout his career. As importantly, Chris was always a bright soul who everyone throughout the league enjoyed spending time with off-the-field during his three-year tenure.’
‘From fan appearances and media engagements to his own content creation and openness to share the highs and lows of his personal journey, Chris carried himself with humility and integrity.’
‘Our condolences are with his family, friends, teammates, and all others who are impacted by this loss.’
