Longtime football writer Jay Morrison, who covers the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, took to social media to announce some tragic news about his wife, Nicki.
“For the first time in 14 years, I watched a Bengals game with my wife Nicki yesterday,” Jay wrote via X on Monday, December 22. “It will be her last. What should have been a routine medical procedure on Friday turned catastrophic.”
Jay continued, “She has been on life support since, waiting on organ recipient matches, her final gift in a magnificently beautiful and selfless life. We will be saying our final goodbyes and removing her from the machines.”
“My heart is shattered, and my world is obliterated,” Jay wrote.
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Jay, who currently writes about the Bengals for Sports Illustrated, said he’d be stepping away from work for “an indefinite period of time.”
“For those of you who know me personally and may want to pay respects, there will not be a funeral,” Jay said. “It’s something we talked about a lot a few months ago when my mom passed.”
Jay concluded, “Instead, there will be celebration of life once my daughter, son and I can compose ourselves enough to plan a party worthy enough of the most beautiful, caring, bad-ass rocker chick I’ve been proud to share a life with for 37 years.”
Jay Morrison and Nicki Heiligenberg Morrison Courtesy of Jay Morrison/Instagram
Nicki and Jay share daughter Veda, who got married in May, and son Braden.
Veda married her wife, Bethany, on May 24, three weeks after her parents’ wedding anniversary.
“It was one of the happiest and proudest days of Nicki’s life,” Jay exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, December 23.
Jay celebrated his and Nicki’s 32nd wedding anniversary on social media in May, calling his wife “impossibly patient and tolerant.”
“There’s no way I could have known exactly what this life would be like when we found each other, but there was never a sliver of doubt that whatever awaited would rock with you by my side,” he wrote via Facebook.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor closed his press conference on Monday with a message for Jay and his family.
“Jay, as you all know, is one of the greatest guys in this business,” Taylor, 42, said. “Thoughts and prayers with him and his family and I hate that he’s got to go through that. I know we’re all here for him, so I just wanted to make sure that he knows that and his family knows that.”
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Jay also received an outpouring of support from his colleagues from around the National Football League.
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Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Kelsey Conway wrote via X, “We are all so sad for you and your family. You and Nicki are the epitome of a great couple. Sending you and your family prayers and strength at this incredibly difficult time. 🙏.”
“Nicki’s smile, laugh, and game-for-anything personality lit up a room,” Bengals radio announcer Dan Hoard shared via X. “My heart goes out to you and your kids.”
CBS Sports reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala added via X, “My family and I send our love, our hugs and all our strongest hopes your way, Jay. May you and your children somehow find some strength in the moments – big and small – you all had together. 💔.”