Kenny Jackson facts for kids
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | February 15, 1962 Neptune, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| 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 | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Kenneth Jackson (born February 15, 1962) is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Kenny played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Oilers for eight seasons. He was also named an All-American college player twice while at Penn State University.
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Early Life and High School
Kenny Jackson grew up in South River, New Jersey. He was a very talented athlete at South River High School. He was excellent in football, basketball, baseball, and track.
In October 1994, his #21 football jersey was retired by the school. This means no other player can wear that number. In 1996, Jackson was added to the New Jersey Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.
College Football Career
Kenny Jackson became Penn State's first All-American wide receiver. An All-American is a player chosen as one of the best in the country. By his senior year in 1983, he held 27 school records. He is still second in career receiving yards for the Nittany Lions with 2,006 yards.
His best season was in 1982. That year, he caught 41 passes for 697 yards and scored seven touchdowns. This helped Penn State win their first National Championship.
Here are some of his college stats:
- 1980: 21 catches for 386 yards and 5 touchdowns.
- 1981: 19 catches for 440 yards and 6 touchdowns.
- 1982: 41 catches for 697 yards and 7 touchdowns.
- 1983: 28 catches for 483 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Professional Football Career
The Philadelphia Eagles chose Kenny Jackson as their first round pick in the 1984 NFL draft. He was the 4th player picked overall. He played for eight years in the NFL. He played for the Eagles and the Houston Oilers.
He finished his professional career with 126 receptions. He gained 2,170 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. After the 1987 season, Jackson announced he was retiring. He planned to run a deli called Kenny's Korner in Camden, New Jersey. However, he re-signed with the Eagles during the 1988 season.
After Playing Football
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Jackson became a coach. He coached the wide receivers at his old college, Penn State. He was there for eight seasons, from 1993 to 2000. During this time, he helped train future NFL players like Bobby Engram and Joe Jurevicius. From 2001 to 2003, he was an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Broadcasting Work
Kenny Jackson also works as a sideline reporter for the Big Ten Network. He reports from the side of the field during games.
Personal Life
Kenny Jackson and former NFL running back Blair Thomas are business partners. They own a chain of sports bars called KoKoMos in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area.
In April 2008, Jackson joined seven other former NFL players on a trip to the Middle East. They visited troops and coached them in a flag football tournament. This event was part of the USO's Operation Gridiron: Huddle with the Troops.
