Thomas Jackson (football player)
Jackson at the 2010 NFL Draft
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| No. 57 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: |
April 4, 1951 Cleveland, Ohio |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Cleveland (OH) Adams | ||||||||
| College: | Louisville | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1973 / Round: 4 / Pick: 88 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Sacks: | 13 |
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| Interceptions: | 20 |
| Touchdowns: | 3 |
| Player stats at NFL.com | |
Thomas Louie Jackson, also referred to as "TJ" or "Tommy", (born April 4, 1951) is a former NFL linebacker for the Denver Broncos, where he was part of the "Orange Crush Defense". Jackson was a major component in the defense which led the Broncos to Super Bowl XXI against the New York Giants. After his playing career ended, he enjoyed a successful 29-year run as an NFL analyst for ESPN. He was given the Pete Rozelle Award for excellence in broadcasting by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Jackson attended John Adams High School (Cleveland, Ohio), where he played football as a star defensive back, baseball, and also was a wrestler. He was a fan of the Cleveland Browns and he and his father attended many games. Jackson credited his wrestling coach with developing his mental toughness and character. "He was a 140-pound guy named John Bianchi, the toughest little Italian man I ever knew. He drove us unbelievably and probably drove me more than he drove the rest of my teammates. I look back very fondly on his help building of my character." Jackson's mother died when he was a teenager.
Jackson dreamed of attending Ohio State, but the Buckeyes had little interest in the undersized Jackson. He was recruited by University of Louisville head coach, however, and current college football analyst Lee Corso. He attended Louisville and played football for three seasons from 1970 to 1972.
During his college career, he was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference player of the year selection in 1970 and 1972. Playing linebacker, he led the Cardinals in tackles all three years and led the team to an overall record of 23-7-2.
His number 50 was retired by the Cardinals in 1999.
Jackson was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL Draft. He enjoyed a 14-year career in Denver where he was a three-time Pro Bowl selection, a four-time All-Pro selection, and was voted Denver's Most Inspirational Player six times by his teammates. He also assisted the team to championship appearances in Super Bowl XII and Super Bowl XXI.
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