Kenny Jackson

This article is about the football player. For the cricketer, see Kenny Jackson (cricketer).
Kenny Jackson
No. 81, 83, 84
Position: Wide receiver
Personal information
Date of birth: (1962-02-15) February 15, 1962
Place of birth: Neptune, New Jersey
Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight: 180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school: South River (NJ)
College: Penn State
NFL draft: 1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Kenny Jackson (born February 15, 1962 in Neptune, New Jersey) is a former professional American football player. He played wide receiver for eight seasons in the National Football League with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Oilers and was twice named a collegiate All-American at Penn State University (1982 and 1983).

Early years

Jackson grew up in South River, New Jersey and was a highly recruited athlete out of South River High School, where he excelled in football, basketball, baseball, and track.[1] The school retired his #21 football jersey in October 1994. Jackson was inducted into the New Jersey Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame in 1996.[2]

College career

Jackson was Penn State's first All-American wide receiver. By his senior year in 1983, he held 27 school records. He still ranks second in career receiving yards among Nittany Lions with 2,006. He enjoyed his best season in 1982 when he hauled in 41 passes for 697 yards and seven touchdowns en route to Penn State's first National Championship.

Professional career

Jackson was the first round pick (#4 overall) of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1984 NFL Draft. He enjoyed an eight-year career in the NFL with the Eagles and Houston Oilers. He finished his pro career with 126 receptions for 2,170 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Coaching career

Jackson served on the coaching staff at his alma mater for eight seasons, coaching Penn State's wide receivers from 1993 to 2000. There he helped develop future NFL players Bobby Engram, Freddie Scott, and Joe Jurevicius. He served as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2001 to 2003.

Broadcasting

Jackson is currently a sideline reporter for the Big Ten Network.[4]

Personal

Jackson and former NFL running back Blair Thomas are partners in chain of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-area sports bars called KoKoMos.[5]

In April 2008, Jackson and seven other former NFL players traveled to the Middle East to visit with troops and coach them in the USO's Operation Gridiron: Huddle with the Troops, a flag football tournament for service personnel serving overseas.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Staff. "THESE NITTANY LIONS GET HIS VOTE KENNY JACKSON SAYS THE COACH AND OFFENSE LOOK BETTER THAN THEY DID IN THE NATIONAL TITLE YEAR OF 1982.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 11, 1994. Accessed March 20, 2011. "Jackson, from South River, NJ, was State's first all-America receiver and remains the university's career leader in receiving yards (2006) and TDs (25)."
  2. ↑ "Nittany Lion Football All-Americans". The Pennsylvania State University Department of Athletic Communications. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  3. ↑ http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/kenny-jackson-4.html
  4. ↑ "Former Nittany Lion Standout Brady Joins Big Ten Network Pre-Game Show". Penn State Department of Sports Information. 2009-09-10.
  5. ↑ "On the Rail Dan Steinberg loses his shirt at the Preakness". The Washington Post. 2007-05-20. pp. E12. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  6. ↑ "Former Penn State football players on USO tour to Middle East". The Pennsylvania State University Department of Public Information. 2008-03-31. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
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