Former NFL and UFL player Chris Payton-Jones has died.

The athlete was involved in a car crash on Saturday (April 11), traveling east in a westbound lane in Fla. when his vehicle was hit head-on by another car going in the opposite direction, per People.

Florida Highway Patrol says his car burst into flames and the other vehicle flipped over. Chris was pronounced dead at the scene.

Keep reading to find out more…

Chris, who was born in Jacksonville, Fla., played college football at the University of Nebraska and in 2018 signed as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions. He played in 29 NFL games, with teams like the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings.

He played for the XFL’s Seattle SeaDragons and the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks in 2023 and 2024 before retiring from professional football in January 2026.

The UFL shared a statement on Sunday that said, “Chris was a beloved teammate and leader in the locker room, who demonstrated the importance of hard work, determination, and resilience throughout his career. As importantly, Chris was always a bright soul who everyone throughout the league enjoyed spending time with off-the-field during his three-year tenure.”

His high school football coach, Adam Geis, spoke to News 4 Jax and said Chris was one of his “all-time favorites,” that he “never missed a work, never missed practice, and never wanted to come off the field.”

“Everyone loved him,” Geis added. “He was always unbelievably positive. I’ve never heard that kid ever say anything negative about anyone or anything.”

Our thoughts are with Chris‘ loved ones at this sad time.