 Jackson with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 32, 22, 42, 38 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1996-04-22)April 22, 1996 (age 29) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| 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: 7th round, 251st overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Justin Joseph Jackson (born April 22, 1996) is an American former professionalfootball player who was arunning back in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theNorthwestern Wildcats.
Jackson was born to Phil Jackson Sr. and the late Denise Jackson inCarol 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 toNorthwest Missouri State, winning three Division II national championships. According to his father, Jackson dominated on the field in his youth.[2]
Jackson attendedGlenbard North High School, where he playedhigh 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 inIHSA history for career rushing yards (6,531 yards) and seventh all-time in rushingtouchdowns with 85.[5] As a junior in 2012, Jackson competed in the state finals against Mount Carmel high school. In that game he returned aninterception over 79 yards for a touchdown; but was held to 65 yards rushing on 26carries. 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. 15Naperville Central. He finished the 2013 season with 3,171 rushing yards in 11 games, the second most in a single season inIHSA history; the 3-seeded Panthers were upset in the second round of the playoffs by 6-seed and eventual 8A semifinalistStevenson 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 byScout.com and the No. 4 all-purposerunning back in the nation by247Sports.com.[7] He was the winner of theGatorade 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 theNorthwestern 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-teamAll-Big Ten Conference pick in 2015, racking up 1,418 yards and five scores on 312 carries (ranked third in theFootball 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 thePitt Panthers in the2016 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 inNCAA 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 | GP | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2014 | 12 | 245 | 1,187 | 4.8 | 68 | 10 | 22 | 201 | 9.1 | 35 | 1 |
| 2015 | 13 | 312 | 1,418 | 4.5 | 62 | 5 | 21 | 162 | 7.7 | 28 | 0 |
| 2016 | 13 | 298 | 1,524 | 5.1 | 68 | 15 | 35 | 219 | 6.3 | 37 | 0 |
| 2017 | 13 | 287 | 1,311 | 4.6 | 79 | 11 | 44 | 276 | 6.3 | 24 | 0 |
| Career | 51 | 1,142 | 5,440 | 4.8 | 79 | 41 | 121 | 848 | 7.0 | 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 ft11+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 fromNFL Combine[22][23][24] | ||||||||||||
Jackson was selected by theLos Angeles Chargers in the seventh round (251st overall) of the2018 NFL draft.[25] He was waived on September 3, 2018, and was signed to thepractice 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 theSan Francisco 49ers.[29] In a Week 6 game against theCleveland Browns, he recorded his first three professional carries, which went for four yards.[30] In Week 13, against thePittsburgh Steelers onNBC Sunday Night Football, he had eight carries for 63 yards and his first professional rushing touchdown.[31] The following week against theKansas City Chiefs, Jackson made his first career start following injuries toMelvin Gordon andAustin 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 15receptions for 135 receiving yards.[33] He made his postseason debut with two carries for five rushing yards in the 23–17 victory over theBaltimore Ravens in theWild Card Round.[34] He had three receptions for 22 yards in the 41–28 loss to theNew England Patriots in theDivisional 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 oninjured 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 Week 16, against the Texans, he recorded a career-high 162 scrimmage yards and 8 receptions to go along with his only two rushing touchdowns of the season in the 41-29 loss. In the 2021 season overall, Jackson finished with 68 carries for 364 rushing to go along with 22 receptions for 178 receiving yards in 14 games, all career-highs.[43]
On August 1, 2022, Jackson signed with theDetroit 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 theDetroit Lions.[49] On August 10, 2023, he announced his retirement from professional football.[50]
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2018 | LAC | 13 | 1 | 50 | 206 | 4.1 | 20 | 2 | 15 | 135 | 9.0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | LAC | 7 | 0 | 29 | 200 | 6.9 | 40 | 0 | 9 | 22 | 2.4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | LAC | 9 | 4 | 59 | 270 | 4.6 | 36 | 0 | 19 | 173 | 9.1 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | LAC | 14 | 2 | 68 | 364 | 5.4 | 75 | 2 | 22 | 178 | 8.1 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 | DET | 16 | 0 | 42 | 170 | 4.0 | 27 | 1 | 12 | 101 | 8.4 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 59 | 7 | 248 | 1,210 | 4.9 | 75 | 5 | 77 | 609 | 7.9 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2018 | LAC | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Jackson is an outspoken advocate forleft-wing politics.[51] He endorsedBernie Sanders in hissecond presidential run in 2020. He is the host of The Takeover with Justin Jackson and has appeared on several left-wing channels includingChapo Trap House,theJimmy Dore Show, Krystal Ball's segment ofRising onThe Hill, andthe Michael Brooks Show. OnTwitter, Jackson exchanged comments withCenter for American Progress PresidentNeera Tanden after he critiqued an email of hers which insinuated that theUnited States of America should takeLibya's oil to help mitigate the U.S. deficit.[52] Jackson has also criticized RepresentativeAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez and many other progressive Democrats in Congress for refusing to withhold their votes forNancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House of Representatives until Pelosi agreed to bringMedicare for All to a floor vote.[53] In February 2021, Jackson startedThe Takeover with Justin Jackson, a progressive commentary show on YouTube.[54] Jackson is good friends with fellow activist and commentatorKyle Kulinski who in Jackson's own words has influenced him, and has assisted in his political journey.[55]
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.