Jacksonville, Fla. ? Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier was shot and critically wounded outside an apartment building early Tuesday as he and a former teammate waited for two women they had met at a nightclub, police said.

Collier, 26, and former Jaguars defensive end Kenneth Pettway were waiting in a Cadillac Escalade when a gunman fired into the vehicle, said Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ken Jefferson. Collier was shot several times, but it wasn’t clear where he was hit.

Collier was in critical condition at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said early Tuesday. Later, spokesman Chris Turner said the hospital was no longer giving updates on Collier’s condition. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said Collier’s family had requested privacy.

Several Jaguars, including running back Maurice Jones-Drew, offensive tackle Khalif Barnes and linebackers Mike Peterson and Clint Ingram, gathered at the hospital. Others convened at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

“The guys are in shock,” running back Fred Taylor said.

The motive behind the attack was unknown, and the sheriff’s office was investigating. Pettway, who was released in final cuts Saturday, was not injured.

The shooting happened around 2:45 a.m. in a middle- to upper middle-class neighborhood just west of downtown Jacksonville and blocks from the St. Johns River. The players had gone to the apartment complex so the women could drop off their car, authorities said.

Collier is the third NFL player to be shot in the past 18 months. Washington star Sean Taylor was fatally shot during what police said was a botched burglary attempt at his Miami-area home in November. Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed when his rented limousine was sprayed with bullets minutes after leaving a New Year’s party at a club in 2007.