April 24, 2026
Delaware State and Football Coach DeSean Jackson Sued By Ex-Player For Injuries Caused By Teammate
Jackson's response on Instagram: "I have never fostered or encouraged hazing, bullying, or any violent environment, and that has never been the culture I have worked to build."
In a lawsuit, former Delaware State University (DSU) football player Malachi Biggs alleges that he suffered serious injuries after a locker-room altercation last November.
According to Delaware Online, the paperwork was filed on April 23 in Delaware Superior Court.
The suit places blame on DSU head coach DeSeanJackson and the school for an attack by Biggs’ teammate, Anthony Hebert, in the school’s locker room on November 19, 2025.
Hebert, assistant coach Travis Clark, and director of football operations Jane Hicks are also named in the lawsuit.
Biggs claims that Hebert placed him in a chokehold, where he became unconscious before he was dropped face-first to the ground. Biggs said his teammate ignored his pleas to be released. The reason for the attack, according to the lawsuit, was an Instagram post.
The lawsuit accuses DSU of improperly supervising its players and failing to investigate the matter and hand out discipline. Biggs is seeking compensatory damages for medical costs, pain and suffering, emotional distress, lost tuition, room and board, and educational opportunities, future lost wages and earning capacity, and punitive damages.
Biggs has not returned to the team since the incident.
He said that he “suffered severe and permanent injuries to his head, face, mouth, tongue, and teeth, including, but not limited to, multiple fractures to his jaw, a deep laceration to his chin requiring surgery, and irreparable damage to at least a dozen teeth requiring extraction, root canals, and additional invasive dental treatments.”
Athletic trainers tended to Biggs when he regained consciousness, and then he was transported to Bayhealth Hospital’s Dover facility for further treatment. After being released the next day, further examination revealed that he needed surgery for facial fractures. He received the surgery in his hometown of North Carolina. According to the suit, nine of his teeth were broken, and he suffered a severed ligament under his tongue and had to have his jaw wired shut. He will need further medical care.
The football player’s attorneys, Morgan & Morgan’s John Morgan and attorney Georgia Pham, released a statement:
“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. 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. Our client came to this University to play the game he loved. Instead, he’s leaving with catastrophic injuries that may be career-ending and have permanently derailed his life. These alleged systemic failures led to this predictable and preventable tragedy that ripped away the life he had always dreamed of.”
Jackson responded to the lawsuit via his social media page:
“I take the safety, well-being, and development of every student-athlete in the Delaware State University football 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. Because this matter is the subject to pending litigation, I will not comment further. My focus has always been on creating a positive, respectful place for student athletes to train, compete, grow, and pursue their college dreams.”
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