No. 32, 22, 42, 38 | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||
Born: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | April 22, 1996||||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||
Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||
High school: | Glenbard North (Carol Stream, Illinois) | ||||||||||||||
College: | Northwestern (2014–2017) | ||||||||||||||
NFL draft: | 2018 / round: 7 / pick: 251 | ||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
|
Justin Joseph Jackson (born April 22, 1996) is an American former professional football running back. He played college football at Northwestern.
Jackson was born to Phil Jackson Sr. and the late Denise Jackson in Carol Stream, Illinois on April 22, 1996. Jackson was the youngest of three siblings. However, when Jackson was three years old, his mother, Denise, died from breast cancer. Jackson's father did remarry, and his stepmother is Veronica Jackson. [1]
Jackson started playing football in second grade with the Carol Stream Youth Football Association Panthers because of Phil Jackson Jr., Justin's older brother, who began at the same time but in fourth grade. Phil Jackson Jr. ended up going to Northwest Missouri State, winning three Division II national championships. According to his father, Jackson dominated on the field in his youth. [2]
Jackson attended Glenbard North High School, where he played high school football alongside his brother during sophomore year. [3] Jackson did well in school, and in sports. He was a three-sport high school athlete with a nearly 5.0 grade point average. [4] Jackson played football, basketball, and track in high school. Jackson holds the Glenbard North record for career rushing yards and ranks sixth all-time in IHSA history for career rushing yards (6,531 yards) and seventh all-time in rushing touchdowns with 85. [5] As a junior in 2012, Jackson competed in the state finals against Mount Carmel high school. In that game he returned an interception over 79 yards for a touchdown; but was held to 65 yards rushing on 26 carries. Mount Carmel won the game 28–14. As a senior in 2013, Jackson recorded 42 carries for 405 yards and five touchdowns in a 40–34 win over eventual 8A state champion No. 15 Naperville Central. He finished the 2013 season with 3,171 rushing yards in 11 games, the second most in a single season in IHSA history; the 3-seeded Panthers were upset in the second round of the playoffs by 6-seed and eventual 8A semifinalist Stevenson High School (Lincolnshire, Illinois), [6] otherwise Jackson would have had up to three more games to rush for 155 yards for the Illinois single-season record. Jackson was also a member of the Honor Roll and French Honors Society. He was ranked No. 5 overall prospect out of Illinois by Scout.com and the No. 4 all-purpose running back in the nation by 247Sports.com. [7] He was the winner of the Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year award for the state of Illinois for the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons. [8]
After being one of the most successful high school running backs in Illinois history, Jackson joined the Northwestern Wildcats football team in 2014. [9] Jackson has also set many records in his collegiate career. In his freshman year, he started five of 12 games which he led the Wildcats in rushing each week, finishing with 1,187 yards and 10 touchdowns on 245 carries (22 catches, 201 yards, one touchdown receiving). [10] Jackson was a second-team All-Big Ten Conference pick in 2015, racking up 1,418 yards and five scores on 312 carries (ranked third in the Football Bowl Subdivision), along with 21 catches and 162 yards as a receiver. [11] [12] [13] In 2016, Jackson still carried the ball 226 times for 1,300 yards and 12 scores – and caught 33 passes for 210 yards – in an all-conference junior season by coaches. [14] [15] He finished off the year with a 224-yard, three-touchdown effort against the Pitt Panthers in the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl where he showed off his quickness, vision, and efficient running style. [16] Jackson became the leading rusher in Northwestern history and became the ninth player in NCAA history to have four years with 1,000 yards. [17] [18] He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection with 287 carries for 1,311 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing along with 44 catches for 276 receiving yards. [19] [20]
YEAR | ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | 245 | 1,187 | 4.8 | 68 | 10 |
2015 | 312 | 1,418 | 4.5 | 62 | 5 |
2016 | 298 | 1,524 | 5.1 | 68 | 15 |
2017 | 255 | 1,154 | 4.5 | 79 | 9 |
Career | 1,110 | 5,283 | 4.8 | 79 | 39 |
YEAR | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | 22 | 201 | 9.1 | 35 | 1 |
2015 | 21 | 162 | 7.7 | 28 | 0 |
2016 | 35 | 219 | 6.3 | 37 | 0 |
2017 | 43 | 266 | 6.2 | 24 | 0 |
Career | 121 | 848 | 7 | 37 | 1 |
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 ft 11+5⁄8 in (1.82 m) | 199 lb (90 kg) | 30+5⁄8 in (0.78 m) | 9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) | 4.52 s | 1.57 s | 2.62 s | 4.07 s | 6.81 s | 38.5 in (0.98 m) | 10 ft 2 in (3.10 m) | 13 reps | |
All values from NFL Combine [22] [23] [24] |
Jackson was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the seventh round (251st overall) of the 2018 NFL draft. [25] He was waived on September 3, 2018, and was signed to the practice squad the next day. [26] [27] He was promoted to the active roster on September 24, 2018. [28] He made his professional debut in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers. [29] In a Week 6 game against the Cleveland Browns, he recorded his first three professional carries, which went for four yards. [30] In Week 13, against the Pittsburgh Steelers on NBC Sunday Night Football, he had eight carries for 63 yards and his first professional rushing touchdown. [31] The following week against the Kansas City Chiefs, Jackson made his first career start following injuries to Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler, rushing for 58 yards on 16 carries and scoring a touchdown. [32] Overall, he finished the 2018 season with 206 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with 15 receptions for 135 receiving yards. [33] He made his postseason debut with two carries for five rushing yards in the 23–17 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round. [34] He had three receptions for 22 yards in the 41–28 loss to the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round. [35]
In the 2019 season, Jackson finished with 29 carries for 200 rushing yards in seven games. [36]
Jackson entered the 2020 season as the No. 2 running back to Austin Ekeler. He suffered a knee injury in Week 9 and was placed on injured reserve on November 14, 2020. [37] He was activated on December 12, 2020. [38] In Week 17 against the Chiefs, Jackson recorded 104 yards from scrimmage during the 38–21 win. [39] Jackson finished the 2020 season with 59 carries for 270 rushing yards to go along with 19 receptions for 173 receiving yards. [40]
In Week 8 of the 2021 season, against the Patriots, Jackson had a career-long 75-yard run. [41] In Week 15, against the Chiefs, Jackson led the Chargers in carries with 13 for 86 yards rushing and a 13-yard reception, totaling 99 yards from scrimmage. [42] In the 2021 season overall, Jackson had 542 all-purpose yards, 364 rushing and 178 receiving, which is the highest total of his career so far. [43]
On August 1, 2022, Jackson signed with the Detroit Lions. [44] He was released on August 30, 2022, and signed to the practice squad the next day. [45] [46] He was promoted to the active roster on September 14. [47] He finished the 2022 season with 42 carries for 170 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown to go along with 12 receptions for 101 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in 16 games. [48]
On July 22, 2023, Jackson re-signed with the Detroit Lions. [49] On August 10, 2023, he announced his retirement from professional football. [50]
Jackson is an outspoken advocate for left-wing politics. [51] He endorsed Bernie Sanders in his second presidential run in 2020. He is the host of The Takeover with Justin Jackson and has appeared on several left-wing channels including Chapo Trap House , the Jimmy Dore Show, Krystal Ball's segment of Rising on The Hill , and the Michael Brooks Show . On Twitter, Jackson exchanged comments with Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden after he critiqued an email of hers which insinuated that the United States of America should take Libya's oil to help mitigate the U.S. deficit. [52] Jackson has also criticized Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and many other progressive Democrats in Congress for refusing to withhold their votes for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House of Representatives until Pelosi agreed to bring Medicare for All to a floor vote. [53] In February 2021, Jackson started The Takeover with Justin Jackson, a progressive commentary show on YouTube. [54] Jackson is good friends with fellow activist and commentator Kyle Kulinski who in Jackson's own words has influenced him, and has assisted in his political journey. [55]
Rex Burkhead is a former American football running back. He played college football at Nebraska and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft. After four seasons with the Bengals, Burkhead spent his next four seasons with the New England Patriots, where he appeared in consecutive Super Bowls and won Super Bowl LIII. Burkhead joined the Houston Texans in 2021, spending two seasons with them before retiring in 2024.
Cordarrelle Patterson, nicknamed "Flash", is an American professional football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). A versatile utility player, he plays running back, wide receiver, kickoff returner, and occasionally on defense. Patterson played college football for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and the Atlanta Falcons.
Spencer Raleigh Ware III is an American former professional football running back. He played college football at LSU, and played in the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft, with whom he won Super Bowl XLVIII as a rookie.
Theo Riddick is a former American football running back of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also played for the Denver Broncos.
Kerwynn Arthur Logan Williams is a former American football running back. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL draft. He played college football at Utah State.
Melvin Gordon III is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers, earning unanimous All-American honors and winning the Doak Walker Award as the top college running back in 2014. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft with the 15th overall pick.
Ty Anthony Montgomery II is an American former professional football running back. He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, earning consensus All-American honors in 2013. Montgomery was selected as a wide receiver by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft. In 2016, he changed positions to running back.
Michael Burton is an American professional football fullback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rutgers, and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He has also played for the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins, and Kansas City Chiefs.
Zachary Zenner is a former American football running back. He played college football at South Dakota State. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions in 2015. Zenner also played for the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, and Miami Dolphins.
Sony Michel is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. During his first three seasons with the Patriots, he was a member of the team that won Super Bowl LIII. Michel spent his next season with Los Angeles Rams in 2021, winning Super Bowl LVI, and his final season with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Justin Patrick Herbert is an American professional football quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, where he won the 2019 Pac-12 Championship, and was selected by the Chargers as the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
Kalen Ballage is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft. He also played for the New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Los Angeles Chargers.
Austin Ekeler is an American professional football running back and kickoff returner for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Colorado Mountaineers, finishing as their all-time leader in rushing yards before signing with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2017. With the Chargers, Ekeler led the NFL in touchdowns for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Phillip Lindsay is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He was born in Denver, Colorado, grew up in Aurora, Colorado, and attended South High School in Denver where he became the school's all-time leading rusher with 4,587 yards. He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes and set the school record in all-purpose yards (5,760) and yards from scrimmage (4,683). He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos in 2018. Lindsay became the first undrafted offensive rookie to make the Pro Bowl. He is the only NFL player since 1950 to record 700 or more career touches without a fumble.
Augustus Edwards is a Liberian professional American football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami (FL) before transferring to Rutgers and signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Edwards' nickname is "Gus the Bus"; he is known for his large size and "bruising" running style.
Joshua Cordell Jacobs is an American professional football running back for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft. Jacobs rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, while being named to NFL All-Rookie Team in 2019 and to his first Pro Bowl in 2020. In 2022, he led the league in rushing yards with 1,653 and became the first Raider since 1985 to surpass 2,000 scrimmage yards. After five years with the Raiders, Jacobs signed with the Packers in 2024.
James Robinson is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Illinois State Redbirds and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2020, and was traded to the New York Jets in 2022. In 2020, Robinson broke the National Football League (NFL) record for most scrimmage yards of any undrafted rookie.
Jaret Patterson is an American professional football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Buffalo before signing with the Washington Commanders, then known as the Washington Football Team, as an undrafted free agent in 2021. Alongside Howard Griffith, Patterson holds the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision record for most rushing touchdowns in a single game with eight.
Jahmyr Gibbs is an American professional football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Alabama Crimson Tide, and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. In his first NFL season, Gibbs was named to the All-Rookie Team and voted to the Pro Bowl.
Dameon Pierce is an American professional football running back and kickoff returner for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida and was drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Los Angeles Chargers running back Justin Jackson's shifty 75-yard run requires all the gas in his tank
Jackson carried the ball 13 times for 86 yards and also caught his lone target for 13 yards in Thursday's 34-28 loss to the Chiefs.