Arizona Cardinals' Cornerback Jeff Gladney, 25, Dies In Car Crash In Dallas, Confirms Agent

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Jeff Gladney, 25, died in a car crash early Monday morning in Downtown Dallas. Full details surrounding his death are not yet immediately available other than the information provided by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office who said the fatal crash occurred around 2:30 a.m. along the westbound services lanes of Woodall Rogers Freeway at Allen Street.

According to Fox News, Gladney was one of two fatalities in the crash, the other is still an unidentified woman. Detective Raul Reyna said they believe both Gladney and the woman were speeding in their vehicle and had clipped another car from behind which caused them to lose control of their vehicle. The passengers in the other vehicle were not hurt in the crash. The Sheriff’s department said they are still investigating the cause of the crash as the car had also struck the pier beam of the freeway, caught fire and crashed. Both Gladney and his female companion were pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said they will only release the name of the female victim in public after they have reached out to her family.

Meanwhile, an outpouring of sympathy and heartbreak from both family, friends and fans brings this devastating loss on the shoulders of the Cardinals as Gladney had just signed up with the team earlier this offseason.

Gladney recently just signed a 2-year-deal with the Cardinals after being drafted first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. However, he was released by the team ahead of the 2021 season when he was indicted on charges of felony assault. He was not found guilty in the incident and was signed up with the Cardinals in March.

“He had left an impression in his brief time with the Cardinals with his upbeat personality. He had been expected to play a significant role on defense this season along with fellow cornerbacks Marco Wilson and Byron Murphy,” the statement read.

His family told the WFAA that Gladney had just bought his mother a home and that his son had just celebrated his first birthday in February. Along with the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings tweeted condolences after learning of Gladney’s tragic accident.