Brandon, Florida - Former professional football player Vincent Jackson has passed away at the age of 38, but the circumstances surrounding his death have so far puzzled investigators.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in Florida, a cleaner discovered the lifeless body of the 38-year-old in his hotel room on Monday morning.

Although the athlete actually owned a home in the area, he had been staying at a hotel in Brandon, a suburb of the city of Tampa, since January 11.

His family even reported the Jackson missing on Wednesday, and an official missing persons report was issued on Thursday.

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However, police found him at the hotel just one day later and made sure that he was fine.

As a result, the case was shelved – until Jackson was found dead on Monday.

The whole story gets even more mysterious, as investigators have not yet found any obvious injuries.

It remains unclear how and by what means Jackson died, and an autopsy will now determine the exact cause of death.

The former wide receiver was active in the NFL for twelve years and played for the San Diego Chargers as well as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who won this year's Super Bowl.

He ended his football career in 2018. In addition to his time in professional sports, he was also very involved in charitable causes, creating the Jackson in Action83 Foundation to support children in military families.

For his commitment to the area, Vincent Jackson was officially named an honorary member of the Hillsborough County Police Department. Many are now mourning the loss of the popular athlete and member of the community.