.jpg) Jackson with theOttawa Rough Riders in 1969 | |
| No. 12 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1936-07-28)July 28, 1936 (age 89) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| University | McMaster |
| CFL draft | 1958: 1st round, 6th overall pick |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1958–1969 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
Coaching | |
| 1975–1976 | Toronto Argonauts (HC) |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Canadian Football Hall of Fame (Class of 1973) | |
Russell Stanley JacksonOC (born July 28, 1936) is a Canadian former professionalfootball player.[1] Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with theOttawa Rough Riders of theCanadian Football League (CFL). He is a member of theOrder of Canada, theCanadian Football Hall of Fame, andCanada's Sports Hall of Fame, and has been described as the best Canadian-born quarterback to play in the CFL.[2] In 2006, Jackson was voted one of the CFL'sTop 50 players (#8) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports networkTSN, the highest-ranked Canadian-born player on the list.[2]
Jackson went toWestdale Secondary School inHamilton, Ontario. After a stellar college career as both abasketball and football player, he graduated fromMcMaster University in 1958 with aBachelor of Science degree inMathematics. He was the McMaster nominee for aRhodes Scholarship, but did not pursue an interview for the scholarship, deciding to play professionally.[2][3]
Jackson was drafted in the first round, sixth overall, by theOttawa Rough Riders in the1958 CFL draft as ahalfback.[4] In his rookie year, he also playedquarterback and eventually became the starter and led the Rough Riders to threeGrey Cup victories (48th,56th, and57th Grey Cups).[3]
Jackson was the dominant CFL quarterback of the 1960s. Referred to as the "Y. A. Tittle of the North", he was honoured many times during his CFL career.[5] He won theCFL's Most Outstanding Player Award in the1963,1966, and1969 seasons. He was also a four-time winner of theCFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award (1959, 1963, 1966, 1969). He was a six-timeEastern Conference All-Star quarterback (1962, 1963, 1966–1969) and the CFL All-Star quarterback in the 1966,1968, and 1969 seasons.
Russ Jackson was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 1973.[6] Many consider him one of the best Canadian-born players to play in the CFL, while most consider him to be the best Canadian to play thequarterback position.[2] In November 2006, Jackson was voted one of the CFL's top 50 players (No. 8) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports networkTSN.,[2] the only Canadian-born player in the Top 10.
Jackson ended his career with 24,593 passing yards, with 1,356 completions on 2,530 attempts (53.6%), 124 interceptions, 185 touchdowns, and an efficiency rating of 91.2. He was also a mobile quarterback, gaining 5,045 yards on the ground on 738 rushes, with 54 touchdowns. Among the few Canadian-born quarterbacks to play in the CFL, Jackson is the one of two to pass for over 10,000 yards, as he was joined byNathan Rourke in 2025.[7]
He holds the record for throwing the most passing touchdowns in a Grey Cup game with four (set in the1969 game) and highest careerpasser rating in Grey Cup games with 118.4.[7]
Ottawa Journal sports editorEddie MacCabe wrote a biography for Jackson's career in Ottawa, titledProfile of a Pro: The Russ Jackson Story and first published in 1969.[8][9]
| Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Games | Att | Comp | Pct | Yards | TD | Int | Rating | Att | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | ||||
| 1958 | OTT | 14 | 112 | 61 | 54.5 | 858 | 3 | 6 | 66.0 | 66 | 357 | 5.4 | 51 | 5 | ||||
| 1959 | OTT | 14 | 89 | 45 | 50.6 | 1,009 | 7 | 7 | 84.8 | 69 | 385 | 5.6 | 30 | 3 | ||||
| 1960 | OTT | 12 | 52 | 20 | 38.5 | 322 | 2 | 3 | 40.7 | 52 | 381 | 7.3 | 25 | 6 | ||||
| 1961 | OTT | 14 | 117 | 59 | 50.4 | 1,048 | 8 | 7 | 79.3 | 67 | 472 | 7.0 | 24 | 6 | ||||
| 1962 | OTT | 14 | 157 | 78 | 49.7 | 1,427 | 10 | 13 | 68.1 | 71 | 512 | 7.2 | 26 | 8 | ||||
| 1963 | OTT | 14 | 259 | 152 | 58.7 | 2,910 | 19 | 8 | 109.4 | 64 | 384 | 6.0 | 42 | 5 | ||||
| 1964 | OTT | 14 | 230 | 116 | 50.4 | 2,156 | 18 | 16 | 80.3 | 81 | 588 | 7.3 | 33 | 3 | ||||
| 1965 | OTT | 14 | 252 | 130 | 51.6 | 2,303 | 18 | 13 | 85.5 | 24 | 129 | 5.4 | 26 | 2 | ||||
| 1966 | OTT | 14 | 276 | 142 | 51.4 | 2,400 | 17 | 15 | 79.1 | 65 | 396 | 6.1 | 26 | 3 | ||||
| 1967 | OTT | 14 | 323 | 189 | 58.5 | 3,332 | 25 | 9 | 108.0 | 61 | 329 | 5.4 | 23 | 4 | ||||
| 1968 | OTT | 14 | 305 | 171 | 56.1 | 3,187 | 25 | 16 | 97.8 | 54 | 534 | 9.9 | 73 | 6 | ||||
| 1969 | OTT | 14 | 358 | 193 | 53.9 | 3,641 | 33 | 12 | 106.1 | 64 | 578 | 9.0 | 49 | 3 | ||||
| CFL totals | 166 | 2,530 | 1,356 | 53.6 | 24,593 | 185 | 125 | 91.0 | 738 | 5,045 | 6.8 | 73 | 54 | |||||
After retiring from football, Jackson returned to teaching, having been a mathematics teacher from 1959 to 1961 and head of the Department of Mathematics atRideau High School inOttawa,Ontario from 1961 to 1966. He was the principal of Canterbury High School in Ottawa from 1973[10] to 1975. He later became a vice-principal and principal at secondary schools in Ottawa andMississauga. He also became principal at Brampton Centennial Secondary School, John Fraser and T.L. Kennedy secondary schools.
Jackson served as colour commentator for theCFL on CBC broadcasts from 1971 to 1973 and again from 1977 to 1980. From 1996 to 2001, Jackson was the colour commentatorCHML-AM's coverage of theHamilton Tiger-Cats.
Jackson briefly left teaching in 1975, spending two years as head coach of theToronto Argonauts. Jackson compiled a 12–18–2 regular season record in two seasons as the Argos' head coach, not reaching the playoffs in either season. Jackson was replaced byLeo Cahill, in his second tenure as the Argos' head coach, prior to the1977 CFL season.
Jackson is an Officer of theOrder of Canada[11] and was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in law byMcMaster University in 1989. He was added toCanada's Walk of Fame in 2012.[12]
In 1986, theRuss Jackson Award was created in his honour to recognize theuniversity football player who best exhibits athletic ability, academic achievement, and devoted citizenship.[6]
Russ Jackson was inducted into theOntario Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.[13]
