Jarious Jackson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jarious Jackson

Jackson with the Edmonton Elks in 2023
Born:	(1977-05-03) May 3, 1977 (age 48) Tupelo, Mississippi, U.S.
Career information
CFL status	International
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	232 lb (105 kg)
College	Notre Dame
High school	Tupelo (MS)
NFL draft	2000 / Round: 7 / Pick: 214
Drafted by	Denver Broncos
Hand	Right
Career history
As coach
2013	BC Lions (QB coach)
2014–2015	Edmonton Eskimos (QB coach/Passing Game Coordinator/Player Development)
2016–2017	Saskatchewan Roughriders (QB coach/Passing Game Coordinator/Player Development)
2018–2019	BC Lions (Offensive coordinator/QB coach)
2020–2021	Toronto Argonauts (Offensive coordinator/QB coach)
2022–2023	Edmonton Elks (Passing Game Coordinator/QB coach)
2023–2024	Edmonton Elks (Offensive Coordinator/QB coach)
2024	Edmonton Elks (Head coach - Interim)
As player
2000	Denver Broncos
2001	Barcelona Dragons
2001–2003	Denver Broncos
2004–2011	BC Lions
2012	Toronto Argonauts
Career highlights and awards
4× Grey Cup champion (2006, 2011, 2012, 2015)
Career stats
Playing stats at CFL.ca (archive) Playing stats at NFL.com

Jarious K. Jackson (born May 3, 1977) is an American football coach and former player. He used to be the head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach for the Edmonton Elks in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Jarious has also coached for the Toronto Argonauts, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and BC Lions.

As a player, Jackson was a quarterback in the CFL for eight seasons with the BC Lions and one year with the Toronto Argonauts. He won three Grey Cup championships during his playing career. He also played for the Denver Broncos in the NFL and the Barcelona Dragons in NFL Europe. Jackson played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Early Life and High School Football

Jarious Jackson grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi. He went to Tupelo High School where he was a talented athlete. He played football, basketball, and ran track. In high school football, he was recognized as a SuperPrep All-America player, which means he was one of the best high school players in the country.

College Football Career

After high school, Jackson went to the University of Notre Dame. He became the starting quarterback for two years. In his senior year (1999), he set new school records for passing yards (2,753), completions (184), and attempts (316). He broke the old yardage record held by the famous player Joe Theismann.

Jackson also threw 17 touchdowns in his senior year. He was also good at running with the ball, gaining 464 yards and scoring 7 touchdowns. Later, another Notre Dame quarterback, Brady Quinn, broke all of Jackson's passing records.

Professional Playing Career

Jarious Jackson played professional football for several teams in different leagues.

Playing for the Denver Broncos

In the 2000 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos picked Jackson in the seventh round. Experts thought he could become a good NFL quarterback. However, he mostly played as a backup for four seasons with the Broncos. He only played in five games, completing 11 passes for 114 yards.

Playing in NFL Europe

In 2001, Jackson played one season for the Barcelona Dragons in NFL Europe. This league helped players develop their skills. He even played in the 2001 World Bowl with the Dragons.

Jackson in 2009.

Playing for the BC Lions

In 2004, Jackson joined the BC Lions in the CFL. He started on the practice squad. In 2005, he became an active player when other quarterbacks got injured. He played in 2 games, completing 3 passes for 30 yards and rushing for 35 yards.

The 2006 season saw Jackson start as the third-string quarterback. But because of injuries to the main players, he played in almost every game. The 2007 was his big year. He became the starting quarterback and led the team to 9 wins out of 11 games. He threw for 2,553 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Jackson signed a new contract with the Lions in 2008. He was a backup but started some games. He was released by the Lions in 2012.

Playing for the Toronto Argonauts

On February 22, 2012, Jackson signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Argonauts. He played in all 18 games and started four of them. He was part of the team that won the 100th Grey Cup. He even threw a touchdown pass in that championship game!

Jackson was released by the Argonauts in 2013. Soon after, he signed a special one-day contract with the BC Lions. This allowed him to officially retire as a BC Lion.

Coaching Career

Right after he stopped playing, Jarious Jackson started his coaching career.

Early Coaching Roles

He became the quarterbacks coach for the BC Lions in 2013. After one year, he moved to the Edmonton Eskimos and then the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He coached quarterbacks and helped with the passing game for both teams.

Offensive Coordinator Roles

In 2018, Jackson became the Offensive Coordinator for the BC Lions. This means he was in charge of planning the team's offensive plays. He stayed in this role for the 2019 BC Lions season.

On February 6, 2020, Jackson joined the Toronto Argonauts as their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The 2020 CFL season was cancelled, but he coached the Argonauts in 2021. The team finished first in their division that year.

Coaching for the Edmonton Elks

On January 4, 2022, Jackson joined the Edmonton Elks as their pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He kept this job at the start of the 2023 season. However, after the team had a tough start (0 wins and 8 losses), Jackson was promoted to offensive coordinator on July 31, 2023.

On July 15, 2024, the Elks' head coach was let go. Jackson was then named the interim head coach, meaning he was temporarily in charge of the team. He also continued to call the offensive plays. Under his leadership, the Elks won 7 games and lost 6 in the rest of the season. However, they did not make it to the playoffs. Jackson was not chosen to be the permanent head coach for the 2025 season.

CFL Coaching Record

Here is a summary of Jarious Jackson's record as a head coach in the CFL: