FAYETTEVILLE — Tarvaris Jackson, a former NFL starting quarterback who began his college career at the University of Arkansas, died Sunday. He was 36.
An Alabama Law Enforcement Agency accident report stated that Jackson crashed his 2012 Chevrolet Camaro at 8:50 p.m., Sunday about seven miles south of Montgomery. The accident report stated that Jackson was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Jackson, who grew up in Montgomery, transferred from Arkansas to Alabama State prior to the 2003 season. He signed with the Razorbacks in 2001 in the same class with quarterback Matt Jones, who became Arkansas’ all-time leader in total offense as a three-year starter.
Jackson played in three games as a true freshman but received a medical redshirt when he injured his shoulder. In 2002, Jackson played in eight games while backing up Jones.
He finished his Arkansas career 17-for-48 for 196 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions.
In a 2006 interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Jackson said he transferred to Alabama State when it became apparent that Jones would be the team’s starting quarterback in 2003. Alabama State was a member of the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision, then known as Division I-AA, and he did not have to redshirt after transferring.
"You never know what would have happened,” Jackson told the Democrat-Gazette, “but I didn't want to stay there and wait and see what might happen.
"I never had any bad feelings about Arkansas. I just wanted to be somewhere I could play a lot."
Jackson flourished at Alabama State, where he was a three-year starter and completed 55 percent of his passes for 7,839 yards and 67 touchdowns, and threw 27 interceptions.
He also rushed 259 times for 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns at Alabama State. He was twice an All-Southwest Athletic Conference selection.
"I started for three years at Alabama State, won a conference championship and made a lot of good friends," Jackson said. "I feel like everything happens for a reason and it was just meant for me to be at Alabama State."
Jackson was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game after his senior season. Houston Nutt, his former college coach at Arkansas, coached him in the all-star game.
"Tarvaris had such a great attitude, willingness to grow and achieve," Nutt wrote on Twitter. "A man of character with an incredible arm and a wonderful mother. Loved coaching him. Really going to miss him."
Jackson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft and spent 10 seasons in the NFL with three teams - the Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills. Jackson started 34 NFL games and played in 25 others.
He started 12 times in Minnesota in 2007 and 15 times in Seattle in 2011.
A statement released by the Vikings said, "One of Tarvaris' greatest attributes was his positive outlook and approach. He genuinely cared about others, was a good friend and will be missed by family, teammates and Vikings fans everywhere."
Jackson was a backup for the Seahawks in 2013 and played in the fourth quarter of their 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.
"Tarvaris Jackson was a beloved teammate, competitor, and Seahawk," Seattle coach Pete Carroll wrote on Twitter. "He will be deeply missed. So heartbroken by the news of his passing and sending our condolences to his family and friends."
Jackson finished his pro career with 7,263 passing yards, 39 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. He also rushed for six touchdowns.
Jackson entered coaching after his NFL career ended. He was a quality control coach at Alabama State in 2018 and was hired as an offensive analyst at Tennessee State in 2019.
“We are devastated," Tennessee State coach Rod Reed said in a statement. "He was an awesome young man and he will be missed by our players, our staff and the TSU family.”
According to his coaching profile on the Tennessee State website, Jackson was married and had three children.