Former Covington football player, Jackson Hughey, dies after 7-year cancer battle

Jackson Hughey, a former football player and student at Covington High School, died on Sunday evening. He was 20.  

Hughey had been battling neuroblastoma cancer since July 2017. Despite his ongoing battle, he never let the disease define him.  

“He showed kids that no matter what you’re going through, there’s still ways to have a good time in life,” his dad Jason said.  

Hughey was the recipient of The Commercial Appeal’s Courage Award in 2021.  

Football was everything for Jackson. 

He held off his chemotherapy treatments when his cancer returned in 2019 so he could go to the Cotton Bowl and watch Memphis football play Penn State.  

And he also took the final snap in victory formation with Covington in what would be their last game of the season in 2020.  

“You look back on that year and his senior year and him being out there for the last play with the 2020 team, that’s God,” Covington football coach J.R. Kirby said. “That’s his plan and his resilience and beating it. And graduating, getting to walk across that stage. He’s a special kid.” 

His battle with cancer sparked the Covington community to stand behind him.  

“He’s a great kid, great family,” Kirby said. “He loves the Chargers, that’s for sure.” 

Funeral service for Hughey will be Wednesday at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Covington. The wake will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the service to follow.  

Kirby added, while nothing has been decided yet, there are plans for the team and school to honor Hughey’s legacy.

“There will never be another Jackson Hughey,” Kirby said. “Not only what he means to the football program, me personally and a lot of people in this community.”