Lamar Jackson (cornerback) facts for kids

Lamar Jackson (born April 13, 1998) is an American professional football player. He plays as a cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football at Nebraska. He started his NFL journey in 2020 with the New York Jets.

Early Life and High School Football

Lamar Jackson grew up in Elk Grove, California. When he was in high school, he played for Franklin High School. He was a very versatile player, meaning he could play many different positions. He played as a quarterback, a cornerback, and a safety.

After his senior year, Lamar was chosen to play in the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game. This is a special game for the best high school football players in the country. On February 3, 2016, he decided to play college football at the University of Nebraska. He chose Nebraska over other big schools like California and UCLA.

College Football Career at Nebraska

Lamar Jackson played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 2016 to 2019. During his time there, he became a key player on their defense.

In his final year, he had 40 tackles and made three interceptions. An interception is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player. Because of his great performance, he was named Nebraska's Defensive MVP. He was also recognized as a Second-team All-Big Ten player. This means he was one of the best defensive players in the Big Ten Conference.

Professional Football Journey

Lamar Jackson started his professional career in 2020. Even though he wasn't picked in the 2020 NFL draft, he still got a chance to play in the NFL.

Starting with the New York Jets

After the draft, Lamar signed with the New York Jets on May 6, 2020. He spent some time on the team's practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but aren't on the main roster. Players from the practice squad can be called up to play in games if needed. Lamar was called up for a few games in 2020 and later joined the active roster. He stayed with the Jets until August 2021.

Moving to Other Teams

After leaving the Jets, Lamar Jackson continued his NFL journey with several other teams:

• Chicago Bears: He signed with the Chicago Bears in January 2022. He played in five games for them before being waived in November 2022.
• Denver Broncos: Just two days later, he joined the practice squad of the Denver Broncos. He was later promoted to their active roster in December 2022. He was waived by the Broncos in March 2023.
• Kansas City Chiefs: In May 2023, Lamar signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was waived by them in August 2023.
• Carolina Panthers: He then joined the Carolina Panthers practice squad in September 2023. He signed a future contract with them in January 2024 but was later waived.
• Atlanta Falcons: Most recently, in November 2024, Lamar Jackson signed with the practice squad of the Atlanta Falcons. He signed a reserve/future contract with them in January 2025.

Personal Life

Lamar Jackson became a father in March 2019 when his son was born.