Tarvaris Jackson facts for kids
Jackson with the Seattle Seahawks in 2011
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||
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| Born: | April 21, 1983 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Died: | April 12, 2020 (aged 36) Pike Road, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Sidney Lanier (Montgomery, Alabama) |
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| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 64 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Tarvaris D'Andre Jackson (born April 21, 1983 – died April 12, 2020) was an American football quarterback. He played in the National Football League (NFL). Jackson played college football for both Alabama State and Arkansas. He later played professionally for the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, and Buffalo Bills.
The Vikings picked Jackson in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played for them from 2006 to 2010. Jackson was mostly a backup quarterback for the Vikings. He became the starting quarterback for the 2007 season and part of the 2008 season. In 2011, Jackson joined the Seahawks and was their starting quarterback for that season. He was later traded to the Bills in 2012 but did not play any games for them. Jackson returned to the Seahawks in 2013. He was the backup quarterback for Russell Wilson when they won Super Bowl XLVIII.
Contents
Early Life and College Football Journey
Jackson was born and grew up in Montgomery, Alabama. He graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery in 2001. After high school, Jackson went to the University of Arkansas. He played three games for the Razorbacks as a freshman. However, he got an injury that ended his season early. He then received a medical redshirt, meaning he could play another year later.
In 2001, Jackson completed 3 of 9 passes for 53 yards. He also had one interception. He rushed for 14 yards on seven carries. In 2002, Jackson played in 8 games. He completed 14 of 39 passes for 143 yards. He threw one touchdown and two interceptions. He rushed for -16 yards on 14 carries.
In 2003, Jackson moved to Alabama State University. He led the Hornets to an 8–5 record. They won the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Eastern Division title. They also reached the SWAC Championship Game. He completed 160 of 316 passes for 2,342 yards. He threw 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also rushed for 444 yards and five touchdowns.
As a junior in 2004, Jackson won the SWAC Championship MVP award. This was Alabama State's second time winning 10 games in a season. He started 11 of 12 games. He passed for 2,556 yards, 20 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 215 yards and three touchdowns. In his senior year in 2005, Jackson was named team captain. He was also a second-team All-SWAC player. He threw for 2,655 yards, 25 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He rushed for 271 yards and two touchdowns.
College Statistics Overview
| Year | Team | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2001 | Arkansas | 3 | 9 | 33.3 | 53 | 5.9 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 2.0 | 0 |
| 2002 | Arkansas | 14 | 39 | 35.9 | 143 | 3.7 | 1 | 2 | 14 | -16 | -1.1 | 0 |
| 2003 | ASU | 135 | 261 | 51.7 | 1,984 | 7.6 | 18 | 9 | 92 | 454 | 4.9 | 5 |
| 2004 | ASU | 183 | 350 | 52.3 | 2,562 | 7.3 | 20 | 9 | 67 | 215 | 3.2 | 3 |
| 2005 | ASU | 181 | 296 | 61.1 | 2,655 | 9.0 | 25 | 5 | 95 | 271 | 2.9 | 3 |
| Total | 516 | 955 | 54 | 7,397 | 6.7 | 64 | 26 | 275 | 938 | 3.14 | 11 | |
Professional Football Career
Joining the NFL: 2006 Draft
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
226 lb (103 kg) |
31 in (0.79 m) |
9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
4.69 s | 1.63 s | 2.78 s | 4.38 s | 7.40 s | 31+1⁄2 in (0.80 m) |
8 ft 11 in (2.72 m) |
22 reps | 19 |
| All values were taken at the NFL Scouting Combine, except bench press, arm span, hand span, and Wonderlic that were taken at Alabama State Pro Day; see also . | ||||||||||||
The Minnesota Vikings picked Tarvaris Jackson in the 2006 NFL Draft. He was the 64th player chosen overall. This was a surprise to many, as he was expected to be picked much later. The Vikings traded two third-round picks to get the second-round pick they used for Jackson. They were worried he might be chosen by another team sooner.
Jackson was the fifth quarterback taken in the draft. He was also the first player from Division I-AA picked that year. Even Jackson was surprised by the pick. He said he thought he might be drafted in the third round, or even later. On July 26, 2006, Jackson signed a four-year deal with Minnesota. It included a $1 million signing bonus.
Vikings coach Brad Childress was looking for a "developmental guy." He wanted a quarterback with raw talent that he could teach. Childress believed Jackson had all the skills they were looking for. He thought Jackson had a great throwing motion and was athletic.
Time with the Minnesota Vikings
2006 Season: Rookie Year
Jackson had a good pre-season in 2006. His passer rating was 106.1, which was 15th best in the league. He also showed great scrambling skills, averaging 11.3 yards per rush. His performance helped him move up the team's depth chart.
In Week 13, Jackson played his first NFL game against the Chicago Bears. He came in during the fourth quarter. He completed three of his four passes. In Week 15, Jackson threw his first touchdown pass to Mewelde Moore against the New York Jets.
Jackson became the starting quarterback for Minnesota at the end of his rookie season. His first start was in Week 16 against the Green Bay Packers. The Vikings lost the game 9–7. The offense struggled, getting only three first downs all game.
2007 Season: Starter's Challenges
Jackson was the starting quarterback for most of the 2007 season. He finished with 8 wins and 4 losses as a starter. However, he threw nine touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Vikings had the second-worst passing offense in the NFL. His 70.8 passer rating was 28th among NFL quarterbacks.
Jackson missed three games due to injuries. These included a strained groin, a concussion, and a fractured finger. The Vikings did not make the playoffs that year. Many thought the team's success came from their strong running game.
2008 Season: Ups and Downs
There was a lot of talk about Jackson before the 2008 season. The Vikings had many talented players. Some thought better quarterback play was all they needed to be a top team. Coach Brad Childress decided to keep Jackson as the starting quarterback. He brought in Gus Frerotte as a backup.
Jackson had another good pre-season. But he injured his knee again in the second pre-season game. This kept him from playing the last two pre-season games. In the first two regular season games, the Vikings lost. Jackson's performance was not strong. Childress then decided to bench Jackson for the rest of the year.
Jackson returned to play in Week 14 against Detroit. He played the entire second half after Gus Frerotte got injured. Jackson helped the Vikings win that game. The next week, Jackson started against the Arizona Cardinals. He played one of the best games of his career. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 163 yards. He also threw four touchdown passes with no interceptions. Jackson won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award for this game.
The Vikings lost to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. But Jackson played well, throwing for 233 yards and two touchdowns. In Week 17, the Vikings needed to win against the New York Giants to make the playoffs. Jackson led the team to a game-winning field goal drive. The Vikings won 20–19 and earned the NFC North title. Their season ended in the playoffs with a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
2009 and 2010 Seasons: Backup Role
In 2009, Jackson competed for the starting job. However, Brett Favre decided to join the Vikings. Jackson then became the primary backup quarterback to Favre. He played in a few games when Favre was injured or when the game was already decided.
The Vikings re-signed Jackson in 2010. He continued to back up Favre. Jackson took over for an injured Favre in Week 8 and Week 13. In Week 13, he threw two touchdown passes in a win against the Buffalo Bills. Jackson started on December 13, but he got a toe injury and missed the rest of the season. In March 2011, the Vikings did not offer Jackson a new contract. He became a free agent.
Seattle Seahawks: First Time
Jackson signed a two-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks on July 29, 2011. He was named the starting quarterback soon after. In Seattle, he reunited with his former coach Darrell Bevell and receiver Sidney Rice. Jackson had the best year of his career in 2011. He finished with 3,091 passing yards. He threw 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. After this season, the Seahawks brought in Matt Flynn and drafted Russell Wilson. They would compete for the starting quarterback spot in 2012.
Buffalo Bills: Short Stay
On August 26, 2012, Jackson was traded to the Buffalo Bills. He was the third-string quarterback for the season. Jackson did not play in any games in 2012. The Bills re-signed him for one year in February 2013. However, they released him in June 2013.
Seattle Seahawks: Second Time and Super Bowl Win
On June 13, 2013, Jackson signed a one-year deal to return to the Seattle Seahawks. He competed for the backup quarterback spot behind Russell Wilson. Jackson became the official backup quarterback. He played in three games during the 2013 regular season. He had 151 passing yards and one touchdown.
During Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos, Jackson played in the fourth quarter. This was the first time in 13 years a backup quarterback played in a Super Bowl. The Seahawks won their first Super Bowl in team history, defeating the Broncos 43–8. After the season, Jackson signed another one-year deal with the Seahawks. The Seahawks reached Super Bowl XLIX the next year. However, they lost to the New England Patriots 28–24.
After the 2015 season, Jackson became a free agent. The Seahawks coach, Pete Carroll, said they wanted to re-sign Jackson. But they chose to have a rookie, Trevone Boykin, as their backup quarterback instead.
NFL Career Statistics Summary
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacked | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2006 | MIN | 4 | 2 | 47 | 81 | 58.1 | 475 | 5.9 | 2 | 4 | 62.5 | 15 | 77 | 5.1 | 1 | 8 | 37 | 4 | 1 |
| 2007 | MIN | 12 | 12 | 171 | 294 | 58.2 | 1,911 | 6.5 | 9 | 12 | 70.8 | 54 | 260 | 4.8 | 3 | 19 | 70 | 5 | 3 |
| 2008 | MIN | 9 | 5 | 88 | 149 | 59.1 | 1,056 | 7.1 | 9 | 2 | 95.4 | 26 | 145 | 5.6 | 0 | 14 | 97 | 5 | 3 |
| 2009 | MIN | 8 | 0 | 14 | 21 | 66.7 | 201 | 9.6 | 1 | 0 | 113.4 | 17 | -10 | -0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | MIN | 3 | 1 | 34 | 58 | 58.6 | 341 | 5.9 | 3 | 4 | 63.9 | 7 | 63 | 9.0 | 0 | 6 | 43 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | SEA | 15 | 14 | 271 | 450 | 60.2 | 3,091 | 6.9 | 14 | 13 | 79.2 | 40 | 108 | 2.7 | 1 | 42 | 293 | 9 | 5 |
| 2012 | BUF | 0 | 0 | DNP | |||||||||||||||
| 2013 | SEA | 3 | 0 | 10 | 13 | 76.9 | 151 | 11.6 | 1 | 0 | 140.2 | 4 | 1 | 0.3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | SEA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | SEA | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 66.7 | 37 | 6.2 | 0 | 0 | 83.3 | 8 | -8 | -1.0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 59 | 34 | 640 | 1,073 | 59.6 | 7,263 | 6.8 | 39 | 35 | 78.5 | 171 | 638 | 3.7 | 6 | 90 | 546 | 24 | 12 | |
Coaching Career After Playing
In 2018, Jackson became a graduate assistant coach at Alabama State. This was his old college. In 2019, Jackson was named the quarterbacks coach for Tennessee State.
Personal Life and Passing
Tarvaris Jackson was married and had three children.
On April 12, 2020, Jackson died in a car accident. He was 36 years old. The accident happened in Pike Road, Alabama.
