Malik Jackson (linebacker) facts for kids

Malik Jackson (born June 10, 1985) is a former professional American and Canadian football player. He played as a linebacker, which is a defensive position in football. Malik Jackson played for several teams, including the Oakland Raiders, Albany Firebirds, Calgary Stampeders, and Ottawa Redblacks.

Malik Jackson's Early Life and High School Football

Malik Jackson was born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 10, 1985. He grew up and went to Dunwoody High School in Georgia for four years. During his final year of high school, he was a strong player. He made 93 tackles, which means he stopped the opposing team's players many times. He also caused four fumbles, where the other team dropped the ball. In high school, Malik played as a defensive back.

Malik Jackson's College Football Career

Malik Jackson played college football for the Louisville Cardinals. He showed great skill throughout his time there.

Freshman Year at Louisville (2004)

In 2004, as a freshman, Malik played in 11 games. He mostly played on special teams, which are units used for kickoffs and punts. He recorded eight tackles during this season. He made a career-high three tackles against Army.

Sophomore Year at Louisville (2005)

During his second year in 2005, Malik played in all 12 games. He had a career-high 30 tackles that season. He made four tackles in his first game as a starter against North Carolina. He later had seven tackles against Oregon State, which became his new career high.

Junior Year at Louisville (2006)

In 2006, as a junior, Malik played in all 13 of the Cardinals' games. This included a big game called the Orange Bowl. He was third on his team with 57 tackles. He was also second in the Big East for sacks and tackles for a loss. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback. A tackle for a loss means stopping an opponent behind their starting line.

Malik led Louisville with nine sacks and 16 tackles for a loss. In the Orange Bowl, he had four tackles and two tackles for a loss. He also recorded a sack and recovered a fumble. This fumble recovery was his first for Louisville. After this impressive season, he was named to the second-team All-Big East team.

Malik Jackson's Professional Football Journey

Time with the Oakland Raiders

Malik Jackson started his professional career with the Oakland Raiders. He signed with them on April 28, 2008, as an undrafted free agent. This means he wasn't chosen in the main player draft but was signed afterward. He played as a linebacker for the Raiders. However, he was released by the team on August 12, 2008.

Playing for the Albany Firebirds

In 2009, Malik Jackson signed with the Albany Firebirds. He made his debut with the team on May 9. In that game, he had four tackles and broke up three passes. While playing for Albany, Malik played both defensive back and linebacker.

Years with the Calgary Stampeders

Malik Jackson joined the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on May 13, 2009. He was released briefly but re-signed the next day to their practice team. In his first game of the 2009 Calgary Stampeders season, he made one tackle on special teams.

In a big 44–9 win against the Toronto Argonauts, Malik was almost named the league's defensive player of the week. He had six tackles, two sacks, and forced a fumble in that game. Malik Jackson played for the Stampeders for five seasons, from 2009 to 2013. During his time there, he made 214 tackles and 26 special teams tackles. He also had 11 sacks, 2 interceptions, and recovered 7 fumbles. He even scored 2 defensive touchdowns.

In the 2013 CFL season, Malik suffered a broken arm. This injury meant he could only play in two games that season. After the season, he became a free agent on February 11, 2014, meaning he was free to sign with any team.

Joining the Ottawa Redblacks

On February 12, 2014, Malik Jackson signed with the Ottawa Redblacks. This team is also part of the Canadian Football League.