Longtime NFL player and former East Texas A&M University defensive line coach Jimmy Wilkerson passed away on Friday, December 13, 2024, in Oklahoma City at the age of 43. Wilkerson, a Mount Pleasant native, died from a reported heart attack, leaving behind his wife and four children.
Wilkerson’s football journey began at Paul Pewitt High School in Omaha, Texas, before he earned a spot with the University of Oklahoma. There, he became a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection and played in the 2001 Orange Bowl, which the Sooners won. His performance at Oklahoma earned him a sixth-round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
During his four seasons with the Chiefs, Wilkerson played as a reserve defensive lineman and contributed to special teams. He went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008, where he started every game in 2009. He later played for the New Orleans Saints in 2010 and the Seattle Seahawks in 2011, retiring as a player after a successful career in the NFL.
After retiring, Wilkerson turned to coaching, contributing to both high school and college football. In 2017, he joined East Texas A&M University, where he coached the defensive line and helped guide the team to an NCAA Division II national championship. He was most recently an assistant coach at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Oklahoma, where his son, Maddox Wilkerson, plays football. Maddox and his team honored his late father after winning the Oklahoma state championship this past Saturday.
In a tribute posted on Instagram, Maddox wrote, "You were the best dad and also my best friend … I love you so much, Dad. Life won’t ever be the same without you here by my side."
