DeSean Jackson’s ‘tough guy’ mentality led to locker room assault at Delaware State, lawsuit says
“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 said on Instagram.
DeSean Jackson, the former star wide receiver for the Eagles who is now the head football coach at Delaware State University, is facing a lawsuit over his handling of an alleged assault in the college team’s locker room.
Jackson and his coaching staff instilled a “tough guy” mentality in the student athletes that promoted violence, such as the alleged November assault of freshman safety Malachi Biggs by fellow defensive back Anthony Hebert, the lawsuit contends.
The coaching stuff created the unsafe environment “by permitting and utilizing gang related language,” the suit says, and dismissing violent bullying as “horseplay.”
And after the alleged assault, which required Biggs to undergo multiple surgeries, the coaching staff did not take disciplinary action against Hebert, according to the suit.
“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,” Georgia Pham, a Morgan & Morgan attorney representing Biggs, said in a statement.
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The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Delaware Superior Court, names Jackson, Hebert, Delaware State University, and other Hornets officials as defendants.
A spokesperson for the school declined to comment on the active litigation.
Jackson, 39, responded to the lawsuit in an Instagram post, in which he said he takes the safety, well-being, and development of all players in the Hornets’ 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 said. “My focus has always been on creating a positive, respectful place for student athletes to train, compete, grow, and pursue their college dreams.”
The alleged assault took place the morning of Nov. 19. Hebert was angry at Biggs and another team member because they referred to him as “buddy” in an Instagram post, the lawsuit says.
Shortly after Biggs arrived in the locker room, Hebert confronted the other player, the suit says. Hebert turned to Biggs, grabbed him, and placed him in a chokehold, according to the complaint.
Hebert ignored Biggs’ attempts to free himself and only dropped him to the ground “head or face first” after Biggs became unconscious, the suit says.
As a result of the alleged attack, Biggs suffered multiple jaw fractures, a deep chin laceration that required surgery, and damage to at least a dozen teeth, the complaint says.
Biggs went the emergency room, and when physicians recommended surgery he flew home to North Carolina to undergo treatment close to his parents, according to the complaint.
“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,” Pham said. No criminal charges have been filed in the case, according to the law firm.
Jackson joined the Hornets in January 2025, and led the team to an 8-4 record in his first year as a college coach, the most wins for the team in a season since 2007. Delaware State has extended Jackson’s contract through the 2028 season. Jackson spent eight of his 15 seasons in the NFL with the Eagles, and was named to three Pro Bowls with Philly.
