Chris Payton-Jones, the former Sandalwood High School football star who built a second career as a Jacksonville mentor and content creator, died in an auto accident Saturday night. He was 30 years old. Family members confirmed his passing.
Payton-Jones was a familiar name in Jacksonville long before he built Flashflix into a local media powerhouse. He graduated from Sandalwood in 2014 as a three-star cornerback prospect and went on to sign with Nebraska, where he spent four seasons in Lincoln and earned his sociology degree in three and a half years.
His path to the pros was anything but smooth. Undrafted in 2018, he signed with the Arizona practice squad and later made the 53-man roster, then moved through five NFL teams between 2018 and 2021. He started six games and appeared in 29 NFL games, later continuing his career in the XFL and UFL. In 2024, the St. Louis Battlehawks selected him in the dispersal draft, and he played for the team until announcing his retirement earlier this year.
What made Payton-Jones stand out in Jacksonville was how visible he remained after football. He was a constant presence on high school sidelines on Friday nights over the past few years, mentoring young athletes and aspiring videographers while working as a photographer, videographer, editor and creator. His YouTube channel drew more than 1.3 million views in a year and a half, a reach that helped turn Flashflix into a locally known brand.
The tributes from former coaches underscored both his work ethic and his reach. Adam Geis called him one of his all-time favorites, saying he never missed a workout or practice and never wanted to come off the field. Pat Clark said Payton-Jones was the hardest working human being he had ever been around, adding that he was not the biggest or fastest player but did things the right way and was destined to make his biggest impact in service, media and helping young athletes. For Sandalwood, he was the only player in his senior class to reach the NFL. For Jacksonville, he was proof that the impact of a football career can outlast the game itself.
