Former Battlehawks player dies in Florida car crash

ST. LOUIS – Chris Payton-Jones, a former member of the St. Louis Battlehawks, was killed late Saturday evening in a head-on collision just outside Gainesville, Florida. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash happened around 11:45 p.m. in the westbound lanes of State Road 24 at Northeast 53rd Terrace. Payton-Jones was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes when his vehicle struck a pickup truck. Payton-Jones’ vehicle caught fire and the pickup truck overturned. Payton-Jones was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 30. The driver of the pickup truck and two passengers suffered minor injuries, the Florida Highway Patrol said. Payton-Jones played four years at cornerback for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, starting 26 games for the Cornhuskers. He signed with the Detroit Lions in 2018 as an undrafted free agent. He bounced around the NFL for the next four years. In November 2022, Payton-Jones was drafted by the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL. When the XFL folded, the Battlehawks picked Payton-Jones in the 2024 UFL dispersal draft. He was placed on injured reserve in May 2025. In a statement posted to social media, the UFL called Payton-Jones “a beloved teammate and leader in the locker room,” and “a bright soul who everyone throughout the league enjoyed spending time with.”