National Basketball Association

Former Ravens, Browns WR Michael Jackson killed in motorcycle accident

Published May. 12, 2017 1:22 p.m. ET

Dan Graf

Michael Jackson, who spent eight NFL seasons with the Browns and Ravens in the 1990s and led the league in touchdown catches during the Ravens’ first season in Baltimore, died early Friday morning in a motorcycle accident.

Louisiana police confirmed to TMZ Sports that Jackson, 48, was traveling at a high rate of speed on U.S. Highway 51 in Tangipahoa, La., when his motorcycle crashed into a car that was backing out into the highway. The impact was so strong that the bike reportedly smashed through the driver’s side door and killed both Jackson and the driver of the car.

Jackson was a sixth-round pick by the Browns in 1991 and had three 700-yard receiving years in his first five seasons before his breakout year when the team moved to Baltimore in 1996. He set career highs in receptions (76), yards (1,201) and TDs (14) in that season year as a Raven. He played two more years in Baltimore before injuries cut his career short at age 29.

Jackson was the mayor of the Village of Tangipahoa, a town with about 750 residents, from 2009-13.