DeSean Jackson
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DeSean William Jackson (born December 1, 1986) is an
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
wide receiver for the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American in 2006 and 2007. He was drafted by the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and has also played for the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, and Los Angeles Rams. Jackson has been selected to the
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
three times, and was the first player selected to the Pro Bowl at two different positions in the same year when he was named to the
2010 Pro Bowl The 2010 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2009 season. It took place at 8:00 PM EST on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host sit ...
as a wide receiver and
return specialist A return specialist or kick returner is a player on the special teams unit of a gridiron football team who specializes in returning punts and kickoffs. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another position ...
.


Early life

Jackson was born in
Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, and grew up in the Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles. He attended
Long Beach Polytechnic High School Long Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a four-year public high school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States. The school serves portions of Long Beach, including Bixby ...
, the same high school as future Philadelphia Eagles teammate Winston Justice and many other current NFL players. He became one of the top wide receiver recruits in the nation, with many collegiate football programs pursuing his services. He was named the 2004
Glenn Davis Award The Glenn Davis Award is given annually since 1987 by the ''Los Angeles Times'' to the best high school football player in the Los Angeles area. It is named after Glenn Davis, the 1946 Heisman Trophy winner, who prepped at Bonita High School in L ...
winner by the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' as Southern California's player of the year. He also ran track and played baseball and was scouted by both the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
and Philadelphia Phillies in his senior year. In track, he was timed at 10.5 seconds in the
100 meters The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contes ...
. Jackson caught 60 passes for 1,075 yards for 15 touchdowns his senior year, leading the Jackrabbits to a CIF Southern Section championship. He was pressed into service last minute as a defensive back in the section title game against
Los Alamitos High School Los Alamitos High School (also known as Los Al) is a public school for grades 9 to 12 located in Los Alamitos, California, and also serving the city of Seal Beach and the community of Rossmoor. It is the only traditional high school in the Los ...
, responding with two interceptions, one which he returned 68 yards for a touchdown to help fuel Long Beach Poly's 21–6 victory. To cap off his high school career, Jackson was voted the Most Valuable Player at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in
San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...
, where he caught seven passes for 141 yards and passed for a 45-yard touchdown in leading the West to a 35–3 victory in a game that featured 80 of the nation's top players. However, he was also involved in an embarrassing play when he attempted to somersault from the five-yard line for a touchdown, but landed on the one-yard line, leaving the football there. ''
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s Tom Lemming rated him as the number four wide receiver in the country, ''
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Magazine'' named him an All-American and a member of its Dream Team Top 100 players, and Calhisports.com voted him the 2004 Mr. Football State Player of the Year. He committed to the football program at the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
under Coach
Jeff Tedford Jeffrey Raye Tedford (born November 2, 1961) is an American football coach and former player who is currently serving as the head coach at Fresno State, a position which he also previously held from 2017 to 2019. From 2002 to 2012, Tedford was t ...
, making his announcement on Southern California's FSN West. Jackson waited until the deadline to choose between scholarship offers for California and the
University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...
.


College career

Jackson attended the
University of California The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Franci ...
, where he played for the California Golden Bears football team from 2005 to 2007. Wearing the number 1, in his first collegiate game against
Sacramento State California State University, Sacramento (CSUS, Sacramento State, or informally Sac State) is a public university in Sacramento, California. Founded in 1947 as Sacramento State College, it is the eleventh oldest school in the 23-campus California ...
in 2005, he scored both an offensive and special teams touchdown, returning a punt 49 yards for a score. Throughout his freshman season, Jackson picked up 38 receptions for 601 yards along with seven touchdowns, eclipsing the 100-yard mark three times. In the 2005 Las Vegas Bowl game against
BYU Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day S ...
, Jackson tallied 130 yards and two scores. Jackson was also expected to play for Cal's baseball team but, due to the success of his freshman football season, he chose to focus exclusively on football. Coming into his sophomore year with high expectations, Jackson displayed more of his talent and playmaking ability, tallying 1,060 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Jackson also returned four punts for touchdowns. He earned first-team All- Pac-10 honors as both a punt returner and a wide receiver. Jackson garnered national recognition with selections to first-team
All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
by the ''
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'',
Walter Camp Football Foundation The Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The organization also presents various awards. It is named in honor of foo ...
, the Football Writers Association of America, the '' Sporting News'', and ''
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'' as a punt returner. Jackson also captured the inaugural Randy Moss Award as the top returner in the nation. In one of only two California losses in Pac-10 play, Jackson had a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown against
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
. Jackson entered his junior season being considered a Heisman Trophy candidate. His season began promisingly, with a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown against
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
in the opening game of the season. Against eleventh-ranked
Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...
, he caught 11 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bears to their first victory in Autzen Stadium since 1987. Jackson finished the 2007 season with 65 catches for 762 yards, and scored six touchdowns as a receiver. Jackson was named an All-American as a return specialist. Jackson suffered several minor injuries that limited his effectiveness at times during the season, along with a right
thigh In human anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip ( pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb. The single bone in the thigh is called the femur. This bone is very thick and strong (due to the high proportion of ...
injury that forced him to miss most of the game against
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
and the Big Game against Stanford. He also missed the first quarter of the
2007 Armed Forces Bowl The 2007 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the California Golden Bears and the Air Force Falcons played on December 31, 2007, at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. T ...
for violating undisclosed team rules. Jackson left Cal following the 2007 season and declared for the 2008 NFL Draft. He departed holding Pac-10 records for punts returned for a touchdown both in a season (four) and in a career (six). Jackson ranks third all-time at California for receiving yards with 2,423 and receiving touchdowns with 22. He is sixth in receptions (162). Jackson finished with 52 career plays of 20 yards or more, making up 23 percent of his 226 touches.


Professional career

Going to the 2008 NFL Draft, Jackson was considered one of the top 10 wide receivers available in a draft class with many talented wide outs. The only knock on Jackson was his small frame, being measured at 5'9¾ " and just over 170 pounds. During the pre-draft period, Hall of Fame wide receiver
Jerry Rice Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three championsh ...
was quoted saying that Jackson "has all the talent in the world. There's no reason he can't be everything he wants to be at the next level." At the 2008
NFL Combine The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Foo ...
, Jackson had an impressive showing, running an official 4.35 40-yard dash. He performed well in positional drills, running routes fluidly, and catching passes very well displaying his well-known agility and quickness. He also posted a standing broad jump of 10 feet.


Philadelphia Eagles


2008 season

On April 26, 2008, Jackson was drafted in the second round (49th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft by the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
. He was the seventh wide receiver taken, the first time no wide receivers were drafted in the first round. On July 20, he agreed to terms on a four-year contract with the team. Jackson had a good preseason performance, which included a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown against the New England Patriots in the third preseason game. After the Eagles' roster was cut to its maximum 53-man limit for the season, he was listed as the starting punt returner and as a second-string wide receiver. Due to injuries sustained by
Kevin Curtis Kevin Devon Curtis (born July 17, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah State and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. ...
and Reggie Brown, Jackson was the first rookie to start opening day for head coach
Andy Reid Andrew Walter Reid (born March 19, 1958) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Reid was previously head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 to 2012. From 200 ...
. On September 7, Jackson collected six catches for 106 yards in a 38–3 win over the
St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arr ...
. He also returned eight punts for a total of 97 yards, including a 60-yard punt return to set up a field goal. He had over 200 all-purpose yards, a record for a rookie wide receiver. During a ''
Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, A ...
'' game against the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
on September 15, Jackson celebrated prematurely before running into the end zone by flipping the football behind him at the one-yard line. This led to what would have otherwise been his first NFL touchdown to be challenged and overturned, with
Brian Westbrook Brian Collins Westbrook (born September 2, 1979) is a former American football running back who played for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft af ...
running in for a touchdown from the one-yard line on the next play. The Eagles lost the game to Dallas 41-37. Jackson finished the game with 110 yards on six receptions, becoming the only receiver in NFL history to have over 100 yards receiving in each of his first two games besides the Eagles'
Don Looney John Don Looney (September 2, 1916 – April 5, 2015) was a professional American football end in the National Football League (NFL). He was born in Sulphur Springs, Texas. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1940 NFL Draft. He played three ...
in
1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * Januar ...
. On September 28, Jackson recorded his first offensive touchdown against the Chicago Bears. During this game, he also fumbled a punt return that set up the Bears' go ahead score. The following week against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
on October 5, Jackson returned his first punt return for a touchdown 68 yards. Jackson scored his first rushing touchdown on November 9 on a direct snap in the
wildcat formation Wildcat formation describes a formation for the offense in football in which the ball is snapped not to the quarterback but directly to a player of another position lined up at the quarterback position. (In most systems, this is a running back, b ...
with a nine-yard run against the New York Giants. A rematch against the Giants on December 7 which resulted in a 20-14 upset of the defending Super Bowl champions marked the first time in the season that Jackson did not have a reception. The following week, Jackson rebounded, recording 77 yards on five catches in a 30–10 victory over the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
. In the playoffs, Jackson recorded just 1 catch for 34 yards in the Eagles' wildcard victory over Minnesota, and four catches for 81 yards in a win over the New York Giants. Jackson's final touchdown of the season came in the NFC Championship game on January 18, 2009 against the Arizona Cardinals, when he managed to haul in a 62-yard touchdown to cap a six-catch, 92-yard game. Jackson narrowly finished second to Curtis in postseason receiving yards with 207 to Curtis's 211. Jackson finished a successful rookie season with two receiving touchdowns and a team-leading 62 receptions (the most by an Eagles rookie wide-receiver, second only to
tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Lik ...
Keith Jackson's 81 in 1988, and joining Jackson and Don Looney as the only Eagles to lead the team in receptions their rookie seasons). His 912 receiving yards surpassed Keith Jackson's rookie record of 869. He also led the NFL with 50 punt returns (an Eagles' rookie record and 3rd all time) for 440 yards (third in the NFL, fifth ever by an Eagle, and an Eagles' rookie record).


2009 season

In Week 1 against the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
, Jackson had his second punt return for an 85-yard touchdown, the second longest in Eagles history. The following week,
Kevin Kolb Kevin Benjamin Kolb (; born August 24, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills ...
threw his first career touchdown pass to Jackson against the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
for 71 yards. Jackson had 149 receiving yards against the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...
on September 27 which included a 64-yard touchdown reception. Against the Oakland Raiders on October 17 he caught six receptions for 94 yards, including a 51-yard diving fingertips catch, in a 13–9 loss. Jackson caught a 57-yard touchdown pass from Donovan McNabb that gave McNabb his 200th career touchdown and 30,000th career passing yards on October 26 against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
on ''
Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, A ...
''. He also scored his first rushing touchdown of the season on a 67-yard reverse. Jackson injured his right foot during the game and had an x-ray during halftime, but returned to play during the third quarter. He was later named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts. In a Week 11 matchup on '' Sunday Night Football'' against the Chicago Bears, Jackson caught eight passes for 107 yards and a touchdown as the Eagles won a close game, 24-20. On November 29 against the Redskins, Jackson had to leave the game after sustaining a concussion after a helmet-to-helmet hit by
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
London Fletcher London Levi Fletcher-Baker (born May 19, 1975) is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the St. Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Redskins. He played college football ...
. Jackson recorded two receptions, including a 35-yard touchdown. Jackson missed the next game due to his concussion, but returned on December 13 against the New York Giants. Jackson had a career day, as he caught six passes for 178 yards including a 60-yard touchdown pass from McNabb and a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown (combined for 261 all purpose yards). The game would also put him at eight touchdowns of over 50 yards in a single season, tying an NFL record shared only by
Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Elroy Leon "Crazylegs" Hirsch (June 17, 1923 – January 28, 2004) was an American professional football player, sport executive and actor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1 ...
and
Devin Hester Devin Devorris Hester Sr. (born November 4, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely regarded as the greatest return specialist i ...
. For his performance against the Giants, Jackson was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. The following week against the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
, Jackson went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season with 140 receiving yards, including a 19-yard touchdown reception as the Eagles clinched a playoff berth. On December 27, he had four catches for 33 yards and a two-yard touchdown, his shortest touchdown of the season, in a win against the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
. Jackson was nearly shut down by the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
in the regular season finale, with only two passes for 36 yards in a 24–0 rout of the Eagles. In a rematch the following week on January 3, 2010 against the Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card Game, he was held by Dallas to three catches for 14 yards, including a six-yard touchdown pass in the 34–14 loss. Jackson ended the season as the Eagles' leading receiver with 1,167 yards. He was selected to the
2010 Pro Bowl The 2010 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2009 season. It took place at 8:00 PM EST on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host sit ...
as a starting wide receiver and a kick returner, the first time in Pro Bowl history that a player was selected at two different positions. At the Pro Bowl, Jackson caught six passes for a team-high 101 yards and two touchdowns, including a 58-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass from McNabb. He was selected to the ''Sporting News
All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...
team as a punt returner for the 2009 season, averaging 15.2 yards per punt return in 2009 as the league leader.


2010 season

After skipping voluntary camp in the spring, Jackson reported to training camp earlier than most veterans. However, he was not speaking to the media and was said to be frustrated about how the Eagles are unwilling to negotiate a contract extension with him. Jackson was carted off the field after he suffered a back injury during the second full team workout of training camp on July 31, but the injury was not serious. In a 35–32 victory over the Detroit Lions, Jackson had 135 receiving yards and a 45-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass. The following week against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
, Jackson caught a 61-yard touchdown and finished the game with five receptions for 153 yards. However, on October 3 and 10, Jackson caught only five passes for 43 total yards. He scored a pair of touchdowns on October 17 against the Atlanta Falcons, one on a 31-yard run and the second on a 34-yard reception from
Kevin Kolb Kevin Benjamin Kolb (; born August 24, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills ...
. During the game, he sustained a severe concussion after a collision with Atlanta cornerback
Dunta Robinson Willie Dunta Robinson ( ; born April 11, 1982) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at South Carolina and was drafted by the Houston Texans with the 10th overall selection in the 2004 NFL Draft. Robinson also pl ...
, with both players assisted from the field. Jackson returned to play on November 7 against the Indianapolis Colts. On November 15, after an altercation with
LaRon Landry LaRon Louis Landry (born October 14, 1984) is a former American football safety (American football position), safety. He played college football for LSU Tigers football, Louisiana State University (LSU), and earned consensus All-American honors ...
, Jackson caught a then career long 88-yard touchdown pass from
Michael Vick Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is a former American football quarterback. Regarded as having transformed the quarterback position with his rushing abilities, he is the NFL leader in quarterback rushing yards and was the league's firs ...
on the first play from scrimmage while Landry was covering him in 59-28 a ''
Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, A ...
'' victory against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. He surpassed this on December 12 when he had a 91-yard touchdown against the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
and also finished the game with a personal best 210 receiving yards. Jackson again ended the regular season as the team's leading receiver with 1,056 yards. He was ranked 29th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2011 The NFL Top 100 Players of 2011 was the first season of the series. It ended with reigning NFL MVP Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the Nati ...
.


=Miracle at the New Meadowlands

= On December 19, 2010, Jackson returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown to lead the Eagles to a win against the New York Giants in the final 14 seconds of the game. The Eagles had trailed 31-10 with under eight minutes to play but had come back with three unanswered touchdowns. With 14 seconds left, the game was tied at 31-31 and Jackson received the punt. He fumbled at first, but then picked it up and ran 65 yards for the score, running parallel to the goal line when he reached it in order to wind out the time. This punt return is the first and only game-winning punt return on the final play from scrimmage in the history of the NFL.


2011 season

On July 28, 2011, Jackson failed to report to Eagles' training camp at
Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU) is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and was originally affiliated with the Epi ...
in
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Bethlehem is a city in Northampton and Lehigh Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bethlehem had a total population of 75,781. Of this, 55,639 were in Northampton County and 19, ...
as required in his contract. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, offered no immediate explanation for his absence. Jackson faced fines of $30,000-a-day until he reported to camp. His deadline to report was August 9 or he would have lost a year of service time toward free agency. Jackson's holdout ended on August 8 when he reported to training camp. On November 13, in a game against the Arizona Cardinals, Jackson was deactivated for missing a
special teams In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
meeting. The following week in a matchup against the New York Giants, Jackson flipped the ball at New York defensive coordinator
Perry Fewell Perry Fewell (born September 7, 1962) is an American football coach. He currently serves as the senior vice president of officiating administration for the National Football League's officiating department. Previously, he served as the defensive ...
after making a 50-yard reception and was flagged for taunting, drawing a $10,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct. In a November 27 loss to the New England Patriots, he was benched for the entire fourth quarter after a performance that included drops of two potential touchdown passes. Jackson ended the season as the Eagles' leading receiver with 961 yards. He also had the lowest total punt return yards of his career with 114 and did not return a punt for a touchdown during the 2011 season. He was ranked 71st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.


2012 season

Jackson received the Eagles'
franchise tag In the National Football League (NFL), the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. Each team has on ...
on March 1, 2012. He was re-signed to a five-year contract worth up to $51 million on March 14. He had more than 100 yards receiving against Baltimore and New Orleans before fracturing his ribs in Week 12 against the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
. In 11 games, he had 45 receptions for 700 yards; his 77-yard touchdown catch against New Orleans was the longest by an Eagles player that season.


2013 season

Jackson began the 2013 season with 104 yards against Washington, and followed this with career-bests in receptions yards (nine and 193) against San Diego. After a 132-yard game 5 (for which he won offensive player-of-the-week honors), he had his first career multiple-receiving-touchdown game against Tampa Bay. In week 14 against Minnesota, he again set new career marks with 10 receptions for 195 yards. On the year, he led the team with 82 receptions for 1,332 yards (4th and 2nd most by an Eagle in a season). Though this was statistically the best season of his career, and led to his third Pro Bowl selection, Jackson was released by the Eagles on March 28, 2014. He left the Eagles with the franchise's 4th most receiving yards (6,117), 8th most receptions (356), 9th most receiving touchdowns (32), and tied for the 3rd most 100+ receiving-yard games (20). He was ranked 63rd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014.


Washington Redskins


2014 season

On April 2, 2014, Jackson signed with the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
to a reported three-year, $24 million contract with $16 million guaranteed. On September 14, 2014, Jackson suffered a bruised left shoulder against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
and was forced to leave the game in the first half. Despite the injury, he would play the following week against Eagles in his return to Philadelphia. In the game, he scored an 81-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Kirk Cousins Kirk Daniel Cousins (born August 19, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan State and was drafted by the team then known as the Washington ...
. The jersey that Jackson wore in that game would be featured at the Pro Football Hall of Fame after he became the third player in NFL history to record an 80-yard touchdown both for and against a team. On October 17, 2014, Jackson was fined $16,537 for a horse-collar tackle on Arizona Cardinals safety Rashad Johnson in Week 6. Jackson broke 100-yards receiving in six games that season, and ended with 56 receptions for a team-leading 1,169 and six touchdowns, and led the NFL for the second time in his career with 20.9 yards per catch. He was ranked 50th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.


2015 season

On August 6, Jackson suffered a shoulder injury that kept him sidelined for most of pre-season training, and then injured a hamstring in the first quarter of the season opener against Miami. Jackson did not return until November 8, and even then saw limited duty over the remaining 10 games of the season. While injured, Jackson's home in
Tarzana, California Tarzana is a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Tarzana is on the site of a former ranch owned by author Edgar Rice Burroughs. It is named after Burroughs' fictional jungle hero, Tarzan. Histo ...
was reportedly attacked and violently defended by guests while he was away. On December 20, Jackson caught a 77-yard touchdown pass from Cousins as part of his only 100 yard game of the season (6 catches for 153 yards). The next week, Jackson was booed by the Philadelphia crowd as he contributed to the Redskins' 38-24 division-clinching victory. He ended the season with 30 catches for 528 yards (career lows) and 4 touchdowns.


2016 season

Jackson appeared to return to form with 6 catches for 102 yards in a season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He caught at least one pass in each of the 16 games that season, though production was lower during the season's middle. In week 4, he was fined for wearing police caution tape on his shoes to protest the role of race in the American criminal justice system. He went over 100 yards in four-out-of-five games late in the season, including 3 catches for 102 yards, and a go-ahead 80-yard touchdown against his former team on December 11 in Philadelphia. Following a 7-reception, 111-yard effort the next week, Jackson was fined a second time in the season for the color of his cleats. Both he and teammate
Pierre Garçon Pierre Andre Garçon (; born August 8, 1986) is a former American Football wide receiver. He played college football at Norwich University and Mount Union College, and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Dra ...
reached 1,000 yards receiving in a season-finale loss to the Giants, becoming the first Redskins tandem since 1999 to achieve this feat, and also becoming the 7th and 8th Redskins in history with multiple 1,000 yard receiving seasons. He ended the year with 56 receptions for 1,005 yards and 4 touchdowns, leading the NFL for the third time with 17.9 yards per catch.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers


2017 season

On March 9, 2017, Jackson signed a three-year, $33.5 million contract with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
. On September 24, Jackson caught his first touchdown as a Buccaneer against the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
. On October 5, Jackson caught five passes for 106 yards in a 19-14 loss against the New England Patriots. Overall, in the 2017 season, he recorded 50 receptions for 668 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.


2018 season

On September 9, 2018, Jackson caught five passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the season-opening 48-40 win over defending NFC South champions
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
. The performance was his second career game with two receiving touchdowns (58 and 36 yards), despite leaving the game with a concussion. His 58-yard touchdown reception was his 27th-career touchdown over 50 yards, which tied him for third most in NFL history, behind
Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee ...
(29) &
Jerry Rice Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three championsh ...
(37). He also surpassed 100 yards in Week 2 against the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
(129 yards and a touchdown) and Week 4 against the Chicago Bears (112 yards), to enter Tampa Bay's bye-week seventh in the NFL in receiving yards and first in yards-per-reception at 24.9. His output significantly declined from this point, however. Over the next seven games, he averaged three receptions for 47 yards per game, and had only one touchdown reception (though he added a rushing touchdown in Week 7 against the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
), before an Achilles tendon injury sidelined him for all but one reception over the last five weeks of the season. The one receiving touchdown, a 60-yard reception in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals, was Jackson's record-setting 24th NFL receiving touchdown of 60 yards or more, breaking a tie with
Jerry Rice Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three championsh ...
. The record came a week after Jackson became the 47th NFL player to reach 10,000 receiving yards. The 32-year-old Jackson ended the 2018 season with enough receptions (41 for 774 yards) to qualify as the league-leader in yards-per-reception (18.9) for the fourth time in his career.


Philadelphia Eagles (second stint)


2019 season

On March 13, 2019, Jackson and a 2020 seventh-round selection were traded to the Eagles in exchange for a
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
sixth-round compensatory selection (Pick #208, used to draft
Scotty Miller Scott Thomas Miller (born July 31, 1997) is an American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Bowling Green and was drafted by the Buccaneers in the sixth round ...
). Jackson made his return to the Eagles in Week 1 against another former team, the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. In the game, Jackson caught eight passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles won 32-27. Both touchdowns were long, putting him at 31 career touchdowns receptions over 50 yards, passing Randy Moss (29) for second in NFL history. He underwent core muscle surgery on November 5, and was subsequently placed on injured reserve.


2020 season

In the first three weeks of the 2020 season, Jackson caught 10 passes for 121 yards before missing the next three games due to a hamstring injury. He returned in Week 7, but suffered a lower body injury in the game and was placed on injured reserve on October 26, 2020. He was activated on December 26, 2020. In Week 16 against the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
, Jackson caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from
Jalen Hurts Jalen Alexander Hurts (born August 7, 1998) is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played his first three seasons of college football at Alabama, where he was part of the team ...
during the 37–17 loss. The touchdown was his record-extending 25th of 60 or more yards and his record-tying 5th of 80 or more yards, joining
Jerry Rice Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three championsh ...
,
Lance Alworth Lance Dwight Alworth (born August 3, 1940), nicknamed “Bambi”, is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) an ...
,
Bob Hayes Robert Lee Hayes (December 20, 1942 – September 18, 2002), nicknamed "Bullet Bob", was an Olympic gold medalist sprinter who then became an American football split end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys (for 11 seasons). ...
and Derrick Alexander. He finished the 2020 season with 14 receptions for 236 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in five games. Jackson was released on February 19, 2021.


Los Angeles Rams

Jackson signed with the Los Angeles Rams on March 21, 2021. Jackson recorded his first touchdown with the Rams in their Week 3 win against the
Buccaneers Buccaneers were a kind of privateers or free sailors particular to the Caribbean Sea during the 17th and 18th centuries. First established on northern Hispaniola as early as 1625, their heyday was from the Restoration in 1660 until about 1688 ...
, on a 75-yard pass from
Matthew Stafford John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia, where he was a first-team All-American, and was selected ...
. On November 2, Jackson was released by the Rams upon request. With the Rams winning Super Bowl LVI, Jackson was awarded his first Super Bowl ring.


Las Vegas Raiders

On November 8, 2021, Jackson signed with the
Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West div ...
. In Week 12, against the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
, he had three receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown in the 36–33 victory. In the 2021 season, Jackson had 20 receptions for 454 yards and two touchdowns.


Baltimore Ravens

On October 18, 2022, Jackson was signed to the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...
' practice squad. He appeared for the first time in Week 9, and in Week 12 he caught a 62-yard pass to set up the go-ahead touchdown late in the 4th quarter against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
. He was signed to the active roster just after Week 13's game on December 5, 2022.


NFL career statistics


Regular season


Personal life

Jackson is the son of Bill and Gayle Jackson, and his oldest brother, Byron, is a former
San Jose State San José State University (San Jose State or SJSU) is a public university in San Jose, California. Established in 1857, SJSU is the oldest public university on the West Coast and the founding campus of the California State University (CSU) sy ...
wide receiver who spent two seasons on the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...
' practice squad. His father was hospitalized with pancreatic cancer during the Eagles run in the 2009 playoffs, and died on May 14, 2009. Jackson currently resides in
Moorestown, New Jersey Moorestown is a township in Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an eastern suburb of Philadelphia and geographically part of the South Jersey region of the state. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township's population was ...
. Jackson was featured on the cover of the PlayStation 2 version of '' NCAA Football 09''. Jackson took part and won a competition of '' Hole in the Wall'' in April 2011. Jackson has also received media attention for plays that critics say show poor judgement on his part, and in particular, multiple premature celebrations which have resulted in lost touchdowns. In the movie
Silver Linings Playbook ''Silver Linings Playbook'' is a 2012 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by David O. Russell. The film was based on Matthew Quick’s 2008 novel '' The Silver Linings Playbook''. It stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Law ...
, an otherwise-conservative psychotherapist encourages the protagonist (played by
Bradley Cooper Bradley Charles Cooper (born January 5, 1975) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and two Grammy Awards, in addition to nominations for nine Academy Awards, si ...
) to wear Jackson's jersey.


Antisemitism

In July 2020, Jackson posted an Instagram story featuring a quote falsely attributed to
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
, espousing
Black Hebrew Israelite Black Hebrew Israelites (also called Hebrew Israelites, Black Hebrews, Black Israelites, and African Hebrew Israelites) are groups of African Americans who believe that they are the descendants of the ancient Israelites. Some sub-groups belie ...
ideology, that read: "because the white Jews knows 'sic''that the Negroes are the real Children of Israel and to keep Americas 'sic''secret the Jews will blackmail America. They will extort America, their plan for world domination won't work if the Negroes know who they were." The post also read "Hitler was right." Jackson posted several quotes from
Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan (; born Louis Eugene Walcott, May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader, Black supremacy, black supremacist, Racism, anti-white and Antisemitism, antisemitic Conspiracy theory, conspiracy theorist, and former singer who hea ...
on his Instagram account in which Farrakhan accused
Dr. Anthony Fauci Anthony Stephen Fauci (; born December 24, 1940) is an American physician-scientist and immunologist serving as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the chief medical advisor to the president ...
and
Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...
of desiring to "depopulate the Earth" with a
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
vaccine. Farrakhan has been labeled an antisemitic extremist by the
Southern Poverty Law Center The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, it is known for its legal cases against white s ...
. Jackson later deleted the posts in question and apologized for his statements. After the incident, Jackson spoke with leading Philadelphia Jews including Rabbi Doniel Grodnitzky of
Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic grou ...
Young Philly, Philadelphia 76ers co-owner, Michael G. Rubin, and David J. Adelman, Chairman of the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation. Jackson also talked with a Holocaust survivor
Edward Mosberg Edward Mosberg (January 6, 1926 – September 21, 2022) was a Polish-American Holocaust survivor, educator, and philanthropist. During the Holocaust, he was held by the Nazis from 14 years of age in Kraków Ghetto, Kraków-Płaszów concentratio ...
and agreed to visit the
Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum ( pl, Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau) is a museum on the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp in Oświęcim (German: ''Auschwitz''), Poland. The site includes the main concentration camp at Auschwi ...
, a museum on the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp.


References


External links

*
California Golden Bears bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Desean 1986 births Living people People from Crenshaw, Los Angeles Players of American football from Long Beach, California Players of American football from Los Angeles African-American players of American football American football return specialists American football wide receivers California Golden Bears football players All-American college football players Washington Redskins players Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Philadelphia Eagles players Los Angeles Rams players Las Vegas Raiders players Baltimore Ravens players National Conference Pro Bowl players Unconferenced Pro Bowl players 21st-century African-American sportspeople 20th-century African-American people 10,000 receiving yards club African American–Jewish relations