Harold Jackson (American football) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Harold Jackson

Jackson in 1972
No. 48, 29, 89
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1946-01-06) January 6, 1946 (age 79) Hattiesburg, Mississippi, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High school:	Rowan
College:	Jackson State (1965–1967)
NFL Draft:	1968 / Round: 12 / Pick: 323
Career history
As player:
Los Angeles Rams (1968) Philadelphia Eagles (1969) Los Angeles Rams (1973) New England Patriots (1978) Minnesota Vikings (1982) Seattle Seahawks (1983)
As coach:
New England Patriots (1985) Wide receivers coach North Carolina Central (1990) Assistant coach New Orleans Night (1991) Offensive coordinator Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1992) Wide receivers coach Virginia Union (1994) Assistant coach Benedict (1995–1996) Head coach New Orleans Saints (1997) Wide receivers coach Kentucky (2001–2002) Wide receivers coach Baylor (2003–2006) Wide receivers coach Hartford Colonials (2010) Assistant coach Sacramento Mountain Lions (2012) Assistant coach Jackson State (2014–2015) Head coach
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-Pro (1973) 2× Second-team All-Pro (1972, 1977) 5× Pro Bowl (1969, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977) NFL receptions leader (1972) 2× NFL receiving yards leader (1969, 1972) NFL receiving touchdowns leader (1973)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 579 Receiving yards: 10,372 Receiving touchdowns: 76
Head coaching record
Career:	12–23 (.343)
Player stats at PFR

Harold Leon Jackson, born on January 6, 1946, is a famous American football player and coach. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for many years. His career lasted from 1968 to 1983. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Jackson State Tigers.

Jackson was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1968 NFL draft. Even though he was picked in a later round, he became a very successful player. He played professionally for over a decade. Jackson was named a first-team All-Pro in 1973. He was also a second-team All-Pro in two other seasons. He played in five Pro Bowl games, which are special games for the best players. He led the NFL in receiving yards twice. By the end of his career, he had over 10,000 receiving yards and 76 touchdowns. He played in more than 200 games.

College Football Journey

Harold Jackson went to Jackson State College in Jackson, Mississippi. He studied secondary education and earned his degree in 1968. Besides playing football, Jackson was also a champion in sprinting. He was very fast, running the 100-yard dash in just 9.3 seconds.

Playing in the NFL

Harold Jackson's professional football career began in 1968.

Early Career with the Eagles

Jackson played only two games in his first year with the Los Angeles Rams. On July 7, 1969, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. He quickly became one of the best receivers in the NFL. In 1969, he caught 65 passes for 1,116 yards, which was the most in the league. He also scored 9 touchdowns that year. During his time with the Eagles, Jackson led the NFL in receptions in 1972. He also led the league in receiving yards in both 1969 and 1972.

Return to the Rams

Before the 1973 NFL season, the Eagles traded Jackson back to the Rams. This trade was for quarterback Roman Gabriel. In 1973, Jackson led the NFL with 13 receiving touchdowns. He helped the Rams improve their record from 6 wins to 12 wins. This win streak helped them win their first of seven straight NFC West Division Championships. One of his best games was on October 14, 1973, against Dallas. He caught 7 passes for 238 yards and scored 4 touchdowns.

Pro Bowl Selections and Honors

During his career, Jackson was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl five times. In 1972, he was named a second-team All-Pro. In 1973, he was a first-team All-Pro. He was recognized as one of the top players in the league.

Time with the Patriots and Later Years

In 1978, Jackson was traded to the New England Patriots. He and Stanley Morgan formed a strong wide receiver team. Jackson became the NFL's active leader in receiving yards after Fred Biletnikoff retired in 1978. He held this title for his last five seasons. At one point, he was ranked second all-time in career receiving yards.

In 1979, Jackson had another great season with 1,013 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. He finished his playing career with the Minnesota Vikings in 1982 and the Seattle Seahawks in 1983.

Career Achievements

Throughout his career, Jackson had 29 games where he gained over 100 receiving yards. He also had three seasons where he gained over 1,000 receiving yards. When he retired, only Don Maynard had more career receiving yards than him. For the 1970s decade, Jackson was first in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Even with these amazing stats, he was not chosen for the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1970s. He has also not yet been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 2011, he was named to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class.

Coaching Career

After his playing days, Harold Jackson became a coach. He coached wide receivers for 10 years in the NFL. He worked for the New England Patriots (1985–1989), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1992–1993), and New Orleans Saints (1997–1999). In his first year as an NFL coach, the Patriots won the AFC Championship. They even played in Super Bowl XX. Jackson also coached at Baylor University. On January 13, 2014, he became the head coach at Jackson State University. He coached there until October 6, 2015.

Head Coaching Record