Tarvaris Jackson, the Seahawks' backup QB the last three seasons, has been arrested for pointing a loaded gun at a woman reported to be his wife.
Tarvaris Jackson, the Seahawks’ backup quarterback the past three seasons but currently a free agent, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly pulling a gun on a woman reported to be his wife early Friday morning during a vacation at a resort in Kissimmee, Fla. The charge is a third-degree felony.
The accusations were detailed in a police report from the Osceola (Fla). County Sheriff’s office, initially reported by WESH 2 News in Orlando, Fla.
According to the police report, which also was made available to The Seattle Times, Jackson was intoxicated and pointed a loaded gun at the woman, saying, “I’ll kill you.” It also said a witness in the house grabbed hold of Jackson to stop him from shooting the woman (her name is redacted in the report, and she is not identified as his wife).
Jackson was visiting family in Florida. The police report stated his children were sleeping in another room during the incident.
The police report stated the incident began when Jackson returned after having reportedly been drinking and tried to kick in a bedroom door, then stated he was leaving and began to pack. She was then reported to have reached for a knife, saying she was in fear. She later put down the knife. But the argument escalated according to the report, and it said he pulled a gun out of a bag, loaded it and pointed it at his wife from “about 10 feet,” saying “I’ll kill you (expletive), I’ll kill you.” The woman is reported to have then grabbed a clothing iron as defense.
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The report stated that upon being arrested Jackson initially denied having a gun. But a Black Ruger SR9C 9mm gun was found and seized, and Jackson later changed his story, stating he never withdrew his firearm from the bag but did say he should shoot her. The report states the woman then replied: “You better be accurate because you ain’t accurate on the field.”
Police also seized marijuana.
Jackson was booked into Osceola County Jail without incident before posting bond Friday.
Jackson originally came to Seattle in 2011, when he was the team’s starting quarterback as the Seahawks went 7-9 in the second season under Pete Carroll. Jackson started all but one game that season after signing as a free agent.
He lost the job in 2012, when Russell Wilson was drafted and became the starter. Jackson was traded to Buffalo in August 2012 but did not take a snap that season. After being released the next spring, Jackson returned to Seattle in June 2013 to serve as Wilson’s backup.
He has been Seattle’s backup since, playing under one-year contracts. He has played sparingly the past three seasons, completing 15 of 20 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown.
Jackson, who turned 33 in April, became an unrestricted free agent following the 2015 season and has not signed with a team for the 2016 season.
Seattle signed undrafted rookie free agent Trevone Boykin and former Skyline High School star Jake Heaps to compete as backups behind Wilson for the 2016 season. Boykin has worked with the No. 2 offense throughout the offseason.
Carroll had said on several occasions in the offseason that the Seahawks would be happy to have Jackson back.
But in May, Carroll also said the team might be satisfied with Boykin, who plays a similar style to Wilson.
“Tarvaris has been a fantastic kid for us over the years, but they’re not in the same style,” Carroll said. “I love Tarvaris and would love to have him back if that’s the way we go in time. But I think Boykin is really special in that regard because he’s so unique, and he’s unique in how we like to play our quarterback.”
Jackson, a graduate of Alabama State, spent the 2006-10 seasons with Minnesota.
The Seahawks also brought in former Oregon and Eastern Washington star Vernon Adams for a tryout during their rookie minicamp in May. But Adams was not signed by Seattle and has since signed to play with Montreal in the Canadian Football League. Adams is a backup for Montreal, which played its first regular-season game Friday night.
Correction: Information in this article, originally published June 24, 2016, was corrected June 25, 2016. A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Tarvaris Jackson reached for a knife during the incident. The police report says the woman reached for the knife.