DeSean Jackson named in lawsuit claiming DSU player was attacked by teammate

Delaware State University (DSU) football coach and former Philadelphia Eagles player DeSean Jackson was named in a lawsuit claiming a DSU player was attacked by his teammate inside the locker room.

The law firm Morgan & Morgan – on behalf of a DSU football player – filed the lawsuit against Jackson and the university, alleging a lack of proper supervision and team leadership that “permitted violent behaviors.” According to the firm, those behaviors led to their client being attacked by another player, leaving him “catastrophically injured.”

According to the lawsuit, the player was inside the locker room preparing for practice back on Nov. 19, 2025, when he was confronted by his teammate over an Instagram post. The law firm claims the teammate placed their client in a chokehold, causing him to lose consciousness and drop to the floor.

According to the firm, their client suffered severe injuries, including multiple fractures to his jaw, a deep chin laceration, a severed tongue ligament and irreparable damage to at least a dozen teeth. The firm states their client underwent several surgeries and will need more dental and oral surgeries.

Sources told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark that Jackson, the head football coach of Delaware State University, was on the field for practice and was not in the locker room at the time of the alleged incident.

Jackson also responded to the lawsuit and the allegations in a statement on Thursday, April 23.

“I take the safety, wellbeing, and development of every student-athlete in the Delaware State University football program seriously. I have never fostered or encouraged hazing, bullying, or any violent environment, and that has never been the culture I have worked to build,” Jackson wrote. “Because this matter is the subject to pending litigation, I will not comment further. My focus has always been on creating a positive, respectful place for student-athletes to train, compete, grow, and pursue their college dreams.”

The lawsuit accuses Jackson of not disciplining the player involved in the attack. The lawsuit claims the player was allowed to play in a football game only three days after the alleged assault and that he remains associated with the team.

“Our lawsuit alleges that the Delaware State University and its staff failed in their responsibility to adequately supervise these student athletes and failed to properly discipline violent behaviors. By dismissing violent assaults as mere ‘horseplay,’ the University and coach DeSean Jackson allegedly fostered a toxic culture of bullying and hazing in the locker room,” Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Georgia Pham wrote in a statement. “Our client came to this University to play the game he loved. Instead, he’s leaving with catastrophic injuries that may be career ending and have permanently derailed his life. These alleged systemic failures led to this predictable and preventable tragedy that ripped away the life he had always dreamed of.”

NBC10 is working to confirm if a police report was ever filed in connection to the alleged incident.

A Delaware State University spokesperson said the school doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

Delaware State University is a historically Black university located in Dover, Delaware, with two satellite campuses in Wilmington and Georgetown.

Jackson was named the head football coach of the Delaware State University Hornets back on Dec. 27, 2024. He led the team to an 8-4 record in his first season after the team only won two games over the previous two seasons.

Prior to his college coaching career, Jackson was a wide receiver and punt returner in the NFL from 2008 to 2022. His career included two stints with the Philadelphia Eagles, three Pro Bowl selections and several memorable highlights, including a game-winning 65-yard punt return against the New York Giants during the “Miracle at the New Meadowlands” in 2010.