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'Beloved Teammate': Former NFL Player Chris Payton-Jones Dies At 30

✇Yahoo! Sports - News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

Chris Payton-Jones, a 30-year-old former NFL cornerback and videographer, died Saturday in a car accident. 

Payton-Jones was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Florida’s State Road 24 when his car collided with a pick-up truck, according to USA Today, which cited First Coast News. Payton-Jones’ vehicle was reportedly engulfed in flames, and he was pronounced dead on the scene. 

Payton-Jones played college football for the University of Nebraska and went on to play for multiple NFL teams, including the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans. He most recently played for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the United Football League prior to retiring from the sport this past January.

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Chris Payton-Jones posed for a portrait as a member of the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2024.
Chris Payton-Jones posed for a portrait as a member of the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2024. UFL via Getty Images

The Jacksonville native was also known for his videography. He built the YouTube channel, Flashflix, which focused on sports content. He described his videos as “bringing the cinematic vibes to YouTube,” and his efforts garnered more than 1.3 million views. Payton-Jones was also known for mentoring younger videographers. 

“Chris was a beloved teammate and leader in the locker room, who demonstrated the importance of hard work, determination, and resilience throughout his career,” the UFL said in a statement. “As importantly, Chris was always a bright soul who everyone throughout the league enjoyed spending time with off-the-field during his three-year tenure.”

“I’ve trained him and worked with him,” James Coleman, a former fullback at Florida State, told News4JAX. “I’ve never been around a more genuine guy who has a big heart for kids in this community. Just a positive role model in action, not choice.”

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YouTube 90-second unskippable ads on TVs spotted

✇Search Engine Land
By:Anu Adegbola
YouTube AI citations

YouTube is pushing further into traditional TV-style advertising, signaling a shift that could reshape the viewing experience — and attract bigger brand budgets.

What’s happening. Some TV viewers are being shown ads up to 90 seconds long before they can skip, a significant jump from the 30-second unskippable formats introduced recently.

How it works. The longer ad blocks appear primarily on TV devices and may exceed 90 seconds in total length, with the skip option only becoming available after that initial window.

Why we care. YouTube is creating more premium, TV-like ad inventory that allows for longer, more impactful storytelling on the big screen. This opens the door for brand advertisers to run campaigns similar to traditional TV but with digital targeting and measurement. As Google pushes further into connected TV, budgets may increasingly shift toward YouTube as a core channel for reach and brand awareness.

Zoom in. Early reports suggest the format is not tied to video length, appearing on both short and long content, and is currently limited to TV audiences rather than mobile or desktop.

User reaction. Feedback so far has been largely negative, with viewers criticizing the longer interruptions and exploring alternatives like ad blockers or third-party clients.

Context. The test follows recent efforts to monetize more aggressively, including new ad formats and the rollout of a lighter subscription tier offering reduced ads.

What to watch. Whether YouTube expands the format beyond TV and how it balances ad load with user retention.

Bottom line. YouTube is leaning into its role as a TV platform — and longer, less skippable ads may be part of the tradeoff.

What Google are saying. Google released a statement on X saying that they do not have a 90 second ad format.

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