Rickey Jackson finally inducted in NFL Hall of Fame
There is an optimist in Rickey Jackson and his glass is always half full. 15 years after the cornerstone of the New Orleans Saints’ legendary ‘Dome Patrol,’ linebacker Jackson has finally been inducted into the National Football League’s Hall of Fame.
While Saints fans have made no effort to mask their displeasure with the delay in Jackson’s induction, Jackson’s own perspective is rather different. Jackson wasn’t held back by modesty when he said that in his opinion, the best linebacker in the National Football League wasn’t in the Hall of Fame until Saturday. “But I look back at it,” Jackson went on, “and say if I would have gone in (earlier), there would have been probably other stuff overshadowing me going in.”
According to experts, that opinion is right. If Jackson had been inducted earlier, the event wouldn’t have been in the spotlight like it was now. But that doesn’t mean that Jackson’s induction 15 years after retirement was right. But as they say, better late than never.
The optimist in him, however, wasn’t done just yet. He went on to say that the timing had to be viewed as divinely ordained. Jackson had been going through some tough times and was facing difficulties in his private life. In 2007, he owed $160,000 in unpaid child support dues. Since then, Rickey took care of that and said that he has been more committed to his children, his family and his faith.
Jackson thanked God for getting all of his troubles out of the way and granting the Saints the World Championship before he was inducted in the Hall of Fame this Saturday.
True to his style, Jackson winged his acceptance speech. Coming without a speech or even notes prepared to the most important event one would ever attend in a lifetime is something one would only expect from Rickey Jackson. Jackson might not be the most elegant speaker but his words were honest. Right from the start, he began speaking of his home town and things he loved about it. He went on to mention his friends, family and in particular his elementary coach. As the acknowledgments continued, his college and Saints coaches also got a mention.
There is of course a downside to not preparing a speech. Jackson did not mention his teammates in the 8 minute speech he delivered on the occasion. Those who know Jackson won’t hold that against him. His teammates know that he stands by them and they stand by Jackson.
Former member of the ‘Dome Patrol,’ New Orleans linebacker and teammate Pat Swilling said that he and his Saints teammates always knew that Jackson would have a place in the Hall of Fame. “When the Saints made this (Super Bowl) run, it put pressure on voters around the country to give us our due.” He chimed in with the plethora of fans and athletes who believed that Jackson’s induction was long overdue. “The timing is finally right for him and I'm excited,” he said adding that all the Saints were as excited about it as Jackson was.
His induction has an added significance for the Saints fans in particular. Jackson played 13 of his 15-season NFL career with the New Orleans. This marks the first time a player who spent the majority of his career with the Saints is being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Jackson’s career started off a little bumpy. He was the 51st overall draft pick and was under appreciated at first. But one can’t but appreciate a player like Jackson who missed only two games in a 15 year brutal NFL career because of injuries and even those injuries were not sustained on the field. There was no one tougher than Jackson. “Rickey Jackson wasn’t the fastest guy out on the field and he wasn’t the most athletic guy on the field but I tell you what, he separated himself with his toughness,” veteran Saints coach Joe Vitt said.
His Hall of Fame worthy career included 128 career sacks. He made six Pro Bowl teams and won his only Super Bowl with the 49ers in 1995.
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