"Way too young, sh*t sucks" - NFL fans react to the untimely demise of 25-year-old Cardinals corner Jeff Gladney

The NFL world mourns the demise of cornerback Jeff Gladney of the Arizona Cardinals | Source: NFL.com

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Jeff Gladney was tragically killed in a road traffic accident in his home state of Texas on Monday morning. In what has been an already heartbreaking off-season for the NFL, in light of the untimely passing of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins, this latest news has been difficult for football fans to process.

Gladney's life was abruptly cut short far too early. He was only 25 at the time of his death. Here are some early reactions as fans, friends, and teammates try to come to terms with the news.

One fan sent prayers to Gladney's family, adding that the cornerback was way too young to have gone so soon:

Teammate JJ Watt was one of the first players to share his feelings:

Jalen Reagor, the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver and former Texas Christian University (TCU) teammate of Gladney, shared an emotional tweet in remembrance of his friend:

The Eagles wide receiver also shared his last words with Gladney, which happened to be friendly text messages:

Reagor posted another heartfelt message in another tweet:

Gladney's former university shared their shock at the loss of their former student, who undoubtedly still had a massive future in the league:

The Minnesota Vikings, the team that made the former TCU Froghorn a first-round pick in 2020, tweeted the following:

One Cardinals fan published a tweet celebrating the legacy of the late cornerback:

Other Cardinals fans were still in shock at the unexpected death of their cornerback, while supporters of other franchises around the league expressed their sympathies as another young, talented member of the NFL family was lost.

Jeff Gladney's time in the NFL

After being selected 31st overall in the 2020 draft by the Minnesota Vikings, Gladney managed to get considerable game time in his first season. Unfortunately, he was cut by the Vikings before the beginning of his second season, after he was charged with domestic violence.

He was subsequently found not guilty and signed a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals as he sought to restart his fledgling NFL career, which had been unfairly interrupted.

Early reports from his time at the franchise suggested that the Cardinals were extremely high on the TCU product, looking to have him in the starting line-up for Week 1, should training camps have gone well.

As the news filters around the league, it will be difficult for many to accept after what has already been a highly emotional few months for the NFL and its fanbase. Another soul taken far too soon, a reminder of just how fragile life can be. RIP Jeff Gladney.

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