Earnest Jackson
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Earnest Jackson (born December 18, 1959) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL).[1][2] He was named to the Pro Bowl twice.[1]
Early life and college
Born in Needville, Texas, Jackson graduated from Lamar Consolidated High School before going to Texas A&M University in 1979. In four seasons with the Aggies, Jackson had over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 5 touchdowns. He led the Southwest Conference in rushing yards per attempt in 1981 with 5.8 yards per carry.
Professional career
Jackson played a total of six seasons in the NFL.[citation needed] He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1983 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers.[1] He played with the Chargers in 1983 and 1984, when he led the American Football Conference in rushing, with 1,179 yards for the year.[3][1] He earned a starting role in the 1985 Pro Bowl.[1][4] In 1985, he had another 1,000 yard-plus season, this time with the Philadelphia Eagles for 1,028 yards.[3]
His last three NFL seasons were from 1986 to 1988 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1986, he was once again a Pro Bowler running for 910 yards and 5 touchdowns. Earnest Jackson ended his career with 4,167 yards on 1059 carries along with 22 touchdowns. He also caught the ball for 695 yards on 87 receptions and 2 touchdowns.
Jackson wore number 43 in Pittsburgh, where it is now unofficially retired for Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu.
NFL career statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1983 | SDG | 12 | 0 | 11 | 39 | 3.5 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 42 | 8.4 | 10 | 0 |
| 1984 | SDG | 16 | 14 | 296 | 1,179 | 4.0 | 32 | 8 | 39 | 222 | 5.7 | 21 | 1 |
| 1985 | PHI | 16 | 11 | 282 | 1,028 | 3.6 | 59 | 5 | 10 | 126 | 12.6 | 25 | 1 |
| 1986 | PIT | 13 | 13 | 216 | 910 | 4.2 | 31 | 5 | 17 | 169 | 9.9 | 28 | 0 |
| 1987 | PIT | 12 | 9 | 180 | 696 | 3.9 | 39 | 1 | 7 | 52 | 7.4 | 23 | 0 |
| 1988 | PIT | 12 | 6 | 74 | 315 | 4.3 | 29 | 3 | 9 | 84 | 9.3 | 24 | 0 |
| 81 | 53 | 1,059 | 4,167 | 3.9 | 59 | 22 | 87 | 695 | 8.0 | 28 | 2 | ||
References
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- ^ a b c d e Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Earnest Jackson—RB 43". Pittsburgh Steelers 1987 Media Guide. August 1987. pp. 32–33.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Eckel, Mark (July 26, 1986). "Jackson wants to prove his value as a top rusher". The Times. Trenton, New Jersey. Retrieved June 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Weisberger, Jed (December 12, 1986). "Earnest's importance appreciated". The Times. Trenton, New Jersey. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."GAME SUMMARY" (PDF). Library Pro Football Hall of Fame. National Football League. January 27, 1985. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
