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Former Kansas City Chiefs player Jimmy Wilkerson dies at 43; high school honours late assistant coach with teary win

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Former Kansas City Chiefs player Jimmy Wilkerson dies at 43; high school honours late assistant coach with teary win


Former Kansas City Chiefs draft pick and longtime NFL defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson sadly passed away earlier this week on December 13 in Oklahoma City. He was 43 years old.

Longtime NFL player Jimmy Wilkerson, 43, passed away on December 13 in Oklahoma — a day before the final game of his son Maddox’s senior season. (Instagram (maddoxwilkerson45))

Before his unfortunate demise, Wilkerson was employed as an assistant coach at Carl Albert High School. According to The Oklahoman, the Titans were scheduled to have their final practice before the Saturday game. A few hours before the planned schedule, the former OU standout was at home when a call went out to paramedics for an emergency. Wilkerson, however, was reportedly no longer with us before the officials arrived. A heart attack is believed to be the cause of his untimely death.

Also read | Ex-Georgia football player Gleaton Jones, 21, dies after Dec 10 car crash

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More about the NFL star’s pro career. His son is also a football player

Throughout his NFL career, the Oklahoma athlete played with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2003-07. Eventually, he switched over to Tampa Bay for two seasons before joining the New Orleans Saints roster in 2010. His NFL path culminated with Seattle in 2011.

The late assistant coach’s son, senior tight-end Maddox Wilkerson, followed in his father’s footsteps, playing alongside his teammates for Carl Albert. With barely a day elapsed between his dad breathing his last breath and his school’s showdown against Guthrie, the #45 athlete (the same number his dad wore while playing at the collegiate level) still stepped up to the occasion and participated in the crucial match, which ultimately paved the way for a historic victory.

Jimmy Wilkerson’s memory honoured by historic Carl Albert victory

Despite reeling from the older Wilkerson’s death, the Carl Albert team defeated Guthrie 30-6 at the Class 5A state championship football game at the Chad Richison Stadium in Edmond, Oklahoma, on Saturday, December 14. It marked the school’s third consecutive Class 5A title and the program’s 19th overall. Nevertheless, the post-game visuals stung with the abject pain of loss.

With tears in his eyes, Carl Albert coach Mike Dunn praised the student-athletes for rising above the prevailing hardship, saying, “Proud of all of our guys. Different circumstances today. … I don’t know that we’ve ever dealt with adversity like that.”

Maddox’s mother, Jamie, reportedly offered him the option to sit out the game. Yet he did more than show up for the team. “We were trying really hard to get him in” the end zone, Dunn said of the young player. “But he’s made plays all year long, and so I know his dad would be proud of him.”

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He added, “You talk about hard. That kid dealt with a lot. … He’s a great kid, great family and he’s gonna have a bunch of coaches, we’ll never be his dad, but we’ll always be there for him.”

“Everybody earned this…but this one’s going home tonight with Maddox Wilkerson.”

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Maddox Wilkerson’s teammates stand by him

Carl Albert Captain Caden Davis said of the late NFL player, “You can’t replace a guy like Coach Wilkerson. He’s so selfless and gives everything he has to everybody.”

Alluding to the example set by Maddox, he added, “That guy is so tough. Maddox is such a strong guy.”

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Similarly, linebacker and OU signee Marcus James noted, “He came out and handled business like he was supposed to. … It was great for him to come out and be able to take the field and be able to play after a time like that.”

On Friday, the deceased NFL talent’s son paid a tribute to his father on Instagram. “You were the best dad and also my best friend,” he wrote on social media. “I love you so much, Dad. Life won’t ever be the same without you here by my side.”

According to social media receipts, Jimmy Wilkerson is survived by his wife, Jamie, and four kids, Tyson, Maddox, Jax, and Emilia.

On Friday, Maddox Wilkerson honoured his late father by posting a slideshow of their shared memories on Instagram.
On Friday, Maddox Wilkerson honoured his late father by posting a slideshow of their shared memories on Instagram.



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Woman seriously injured Tuesday in western Kansas crash

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Woman seriously injured Tuesday in western Kansas crash


OAKLKEY, Kan. (WIBW) – A woman suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Thomas County in western Kansas, officials said.

The collision was reported at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday on K-25 highway just south of County Road D. The location was about 15 miles northwest of Oakley.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol’s online crash log, a 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan was northbound on K-25 when it left the roadway to the right — or east — side and overcorrected back onto the roadway.

A woman suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Thomas County in western Kansas, officials said.(Source: MGN)

The vehicle then began sliding sideways into the east ditch, where it rolled once.

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The minivan then came to rest upright facing southeast in a field.

The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle, Terri Threlkeld, 50, of Page City, was transported to Logan County Hospital in Oakley with serious injuries. The patrol said Threlkeld wasn’t wearing her seat belt.



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Where to watch Iowa State vs. Kansas today: College basketball free stream

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Where to watch Iowa State vs. Kansas today: College basketball free stream


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The Kansas Jayhawks hosts No. 2 Iowa State Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. The Cyclones are 16-0 this season, but the Jayhawks won’t be an easy out at home, led by star freshman Darryn Peterson.

Iowa State vs. Kansas will air on ESPN, and streams live on DIRECTV (free trial).

What: Men’s college basketball regular season

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Who: No. 2 Iowa Cyclones vs. Kansas Jayhawks

When: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026

Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas

Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

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Live stream: DIRECTV (free trial), fuboTV (free trial)

Here’s a recent college basketball story via the Associated Press:

WACO, Texas (AP) — Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures for No. 7 Houston, which overcame two extended shooting slumps before halftime in a 77-55 win at Baylor on Saturday. The Cougars set a school record with their 16th consecutive road win.

Joseph Tugler had 12 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double in a row for defending Big 12 champion and national runner-up Houston (15-1, 3-0 Big 12). Isiah Harwell also had 12 points, while true freshmen Chris Cenac had 11 and Kingston Flemings 10.

The Cougars haven’t lost a true road game since at No. 8 Kansas on Feb. 3, 2024. That road winning streak is the longest active run in the country, with all of them Big 12 games for a league record.

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Cameron Carr had 18 points for Baylor (10-5, 0-3), and Tounde Yessoufou had 10.

Houston missed 10 shots in a row over a 5 1/2-minute span early, then had another 0-for-10 span in the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half. But the Cougars took control of the game with a 23-3 run in the six minutes between those droughts.

Sharp and Harwell both had two 3-pointers in that big spurt. The Cougars trailed 14-6 before Sharp ignited that run, and a 3 by Harwell put them ahead to stay. The lead was 29-17 after Tugler’s dunk off a Baylor turnover with 6:34 left. That was their last field goal of the half, when they still led 33-26 before a 13-3 run to start the second half.

The Cougars shot 39.2% overall (29 of 74) from the field, with only five turnovers and 23 offensive rebounds. They scored 31 points off 16 turnovers by Baylor, which got 33 fewer shots.

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Houston: Home Tuesday against West Virginia.

Baylor: At Oklahoma State on Tuesday.

Can I bet on the game?

Yes, you can bet on the game from your phone in New York State, and we’ve compiled some of the best introductory offers to help navigate your first bets from BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, Bet365 and more.



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Kansas Bird Flu Tops Nation

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Kansas Bird Flu Tops Nation


Kansas is suffering from the worst outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the country, with nearly 414,000 birds affected, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

HPAI, an umbrella term for avian influenza that includes highly contagious strains such as H5 and H7, is considered a low public health risk, although it can pass to humans through birds and dairy products from infected cattle, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with sporadic human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers,” according to CDC.

As of Friday, there are four affected commercial flocks and six affected backyard flocks reported in Kansas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Avian influenza kills almost 100% of the birds it infects.

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The bulk of the infected birds, about 380,000, in Kansas were reported to be in a commercial operation in Pottawatomie County, USDA reports said.

In a map highlighting outbreaks across the nation, Kansas is the only state showing the most severe reports during the past 30 days. It is followed by Indiana, with about 87,000 birds affected, including two commercial flocks and five backyard flocks.

Kansas has not had a reported instance of avian bird flu in a human, according to CDC records. Since 2024, there have been 74 reported bird flu cases in humans and two deaths.

This year’s outbreak is similar to those during the last few years, said a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

“December and January have been the months when we have seen the highest number of positive cases since this outbreak began in 2022,” said Heather Lansdowne. “The winter of 2023-2024 was more active than this year, both in total cases and in number of birds affected. We are hoping this year follows the trajectory of those years and we begin to see a decline in cases moving forward.”

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This year’s outbreak has spread primarily from migrating wild waterfowl, she said. The agency has encouraged poultry farmers and others to protect their birds from contact with migratory birds and their habitats.

“We have been promoting these actions to poultry owners from the start of the outbreak, both in public information and directly through veterinarians, extension agents, 4-H and FFA programs, to poultry owners we have through our systems, etc.,” Lansdowne said.

When the state discovers birds positive for avian flu, they work directly with the business owner to develop a response plan that includes a quarantine and long-term recovery plan, she said.

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Story via Kansas Reflector 

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