379:
where he played football for legendary coach Felix James. He showed outstanding skills and determination as a 210-pound defensive end and also ended up running track when one of the school's sprinters beat him in a 100-yard foot race. He spent the entire school year working on his speed. When track
421:
The
Broncos switched him to defensive end and Jackson showed the quickness that was to become his trademark in professional football. He played for the AFL Denver Broncos from 1967 through 1969, with 10 sacks in ‘68 and a career high 11 in ‘69. Jackson racked up another 10 Sacks in 1970 as the AFL
404:
After college, Jackson went undrafted and signed with the AFL Oakland
Raiders as a free agent in 1965 and he played five games at Linebacker in 1966 for Oakland. The Broncos acquired him at the beginning of training camp in 1967 when Broncos head coach
490:
Jackson's career was cut short by a severe knee injury midway through the 1971 season. He finished with an unofficial total of 43 sacks, 31 of which came during the three-season period of 1968 to 1970. Despite the shortened career,
422:
and NFL merged. Jackson was the first Bronco to be named to the All-NFL first team in 1970 and was a starter in the Pro Bowl that year. By all reckoning, he started 52 of 67 games in 5.5 years with the
Broncos from 1967-72.
380:
season came around, Jackson bested that sprinter in a rematch and earned a spot on the track team. He threw the discus, javelin and shot, as well as anchoring relay teams and running the 220-yard dash.
502:, said that Tombstone Jackson was perhaps the finest overall defensive end and pass rusher he ever saw, a surefire Hall of Famer if he would have had a longer playing career, in a bigger media market.
425:
During his time in the NFL, Jackson's nickname was "Tombstone," and he became famous for moves such as the "head slap" and the "halo spinner" which he used to subdue opposing offensive linemen. In
391:. In college, he was a standout end on both sides of the ball, lettered in track and also won the NAIA Shot-Put competition in 1962. His 58'1" heave in 1964 is still a Louisiana collegiate record.
429:'s book "Mile High" he recalled Jackson as the toughest man he'd ever met, and told the story of Jackson breaking the helmet of Green Bay Packers offensive tackle
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from 1967 through 1969, remaining with the
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Jackson wore number 87 with the
Broncos and was part of the inaugural class of inductees into the Denver Broncos' "
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Jackson recorded 10 sacks in both 1968 and 1970 and posted a career-high total of 11 in 1969. He was named
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and another player to the
Raiders in exchange for Jackson and two other players.
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680:"Professional Researchers Association Hall of Very Good Class of 2015"
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810:
760:
406:
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216:
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562:"Denver Bronco Legends: Rich "Tombstone" Jackson | Bronco Planet"
356:
197:
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532:
named
Jackson to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2015.
731:
610:"MHR's Forgotten Broncos -- Rich "Tombstone" Jackson"
454:
at the conclusion of the 1968 season and by the AP,
383:Upon graduating from Landry, Jackson enrolled at
362:
1473:
371:on July 22, 1941. He grew up in a rough area in
1276:
1537:Players of American football from New Orleans
1262:
1017:
717:
585:"Toughest Bronco there ever was: "Tombstone""
530:Professional Football Researchers Association
509:". He was inducted in 1984 along with safety
1034:Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team (2009)
1269:
1255:
1024:
1010:
724:
710:
623:Network, Sports History (March 30, 2021).
1532:American Football League All-Star players
21:For other people with similar names, see
542:List of American Football League players
622:
582:
1474:
734:American Football League All-Time Team
315:", is an American former professional
1250:
1005:
705:
583:Hochman, Benjamin (August 31, 2014).
1527:American Conference Pro Bowl players
625:"Paul Zimmerman's All-Time NFL List"
16:American football player (born 1941)
13:
399:
14:
1553:
1522:Southern Jaguars football players
416:
311:(born July 22, 1941), nicknamed "
89:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
1542:American Football League players
1492:American football defensive ends
480:1st Team All-NFL choice in 1970
343:. Jackson played for the AFL's
672:
650:"Colorado Sports Hall of Fame"
642:
616:
602:
576:
554:
363:Early years and college career
355:in 1972. Jackson was named an
189:Career highlights and awards
1:
1497:American football linebackers
547:
394:
1507:Denver Broncos (AFL) players
523:Colorado Sports Hall of Fame
7:
1279:Denver Broncos Ring of Fame
535:
409:sent All-Pro wide receiver
240:Denver Broncos Ring of Fame
10:
1558:
478:. He was also a unanimous
20:
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106:
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97:255 lb (116 kg)
93:
85:
62:
57:
43:
38:
1502:Cleveland Browns players
333:National Football League
329:American Football League
235:AFL All-Time second-team
30:American football player
1517:Oakland Raiders players
377:L.B. Landry High School
1512:Denver Broncos players
654:www.coloradosports.org
629:Sports History Network
572:on September 12, 2014.
521:. He was voted to the
476:end of the 1969 season
369:New Orleans, Louisiana
309:Richard Samuel Jackson
79:New Orleans, Louisiana
252:Career NFL statistics
517:, and wide receiver
373:Algiers, New Orleans
367:Jackson was born in
58:Personal information
498:s football expert,
466:Pro Football Weekly
461:New York Daily News
447:Pro Football Weekly
385:Southern University
35:
494:Sports Illustrated
433:with a head slap.
359:in 1969 and 1970.
269:Fumbles recovered:
102:Career information
33:
1469:
1468:
1244:
1243:
999:
998:
474:, and UPI at the
471:The Sporting News
335:(NFL). He played
319:player who was a
306:
305:
284:
283:
1549:
1366:Karl Mecklenburg
1280:
1271:
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1248:
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786:Charlie Hennigan
776:Cookie Gilchrist
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696:
695:
693:
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686:on June 22, 2017
682:. Archived from
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669:
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660:on March 1, 2007
656:. Archived from
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574:
573:
568:. Archived from
566:broncoplanet.com
558:
438:1st Team All-AFL
353:Cleveland Browns
341:Southern Jaguars
337:college football
293:Player stats at
258:
257:
172:Cleveland Browns
140:Career history
115:
76:
72:
70:
36:
32:
1557:
1556:
1552:
1551:
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1346:Charley Johnson
1331:Randy Gradishar
1326:Goose Gonsoulin
1282:
1278:
1275:
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1240:
1205:
1124:
1037:
1033:
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976:Goose Gonsoulin
966:Johnny Robinson
916:Nick Buoniconti
896:Houston Antwine
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612:. May 21, 2008.
608:
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589:The Denver Post
581:
577:
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513:, running back
511:Goose Gonsoulin
488:
419:
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400:Oakland Raiders
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345:Oakland Raiders
148:Oakland Raiders
113:
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68:
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31:
26:
23:Richard Jackson
17:
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1441:Frank Tripucka
1438:
1436:Billy Thompson
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500:Paul Zimmerman
487:
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196:3× First-team
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158:Denver Broncos
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1488:
1487:Living people
1485:
1483:
1480:
1479:
1477:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1451:Rick Upchurch
1449:
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1431:Lionel Taylor
1429:
1427:
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1406:Mike Shanahan
1404:
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1396:Gerald Phipps
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1306:Terrell Davis
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1291:Steve Atwater
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1210:Special teams
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971:George Saimes
969:
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941:Mike Stratton
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906:Buck Buchanan
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881:Gerry Philbin
879:
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871:Bob Scarpitto
869:
867:
866:Jerrel Wilson
864:
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859:
857:
856:George Blanda
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832:
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801:Dave Kocourek
799:
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769:
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766:Lance Alworth
764:
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681:
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655:
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645:
634:September 24,
630:
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619:
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594:September 24,
590:
586:
579:
571:
567:
563:
557:
553:
543:
540:
539:
533:
531:
528:In 2015, the
526:
524:
520:
519:Lionel Taylor
516:
512:
508:
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501:
497:
495:
483:
481:
477:
473:
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467:
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462:
457:
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439:
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432:
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423:
414:
412:
411:Lionel Taylor
408:
392:
390:
386:
381:
378:
375:and attended
374:
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360:
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354:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
321:defensive end
318:
314:
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301:
298:
297:
291:
287:
279:
277:Games played:
275:
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159:
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138:
135:
132:
128:
125:
122:
118:
114:(New Orleans)
112:
109:
105:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
75:(age 83)
73:July 22, 1941
65:
61:
56:
53:
49:
48:Defensive end
46:
42:
37:
28:
24:
19:
1456:Louis Wright
1416:Dennis Smith
1381:Craig Morton
1351:Floyd Little
1336:Rich Jackson
1335:
1296:Champ Bailey
1143:
981:Kenny Graham
951:Dave Grayson
946:Willie Brown
886:Rich Jackson
885:
841:Bob Talamini
836:Walt Sweeney
816:Winston Hill
796:Fred Arbanas
781:Abner Haynes
756:Clem Daniels
690:November 10,
688:. Retrieved
684:the original
674:
662:. Retrieved
658:the original
653:
644:
632:. Retrieved
628:
618:
604:
592:. Retrieved
588:
578:
570:the original
565:
556:
527:
515:Floyd Little
507:Ring of Fame
504:
492:
489:
469:
465:
459:
445:
435:
424:
420:
403:
382:
366:
347:in 1966 and
312:
308:
307:
294:
107:High school:
34:Rich Jackson
27:
18:
1482:1941 births
1386:Haven Moses
1341:Tom Jackson
1165:Mecklenburg
991:Sid Gillman
986:Weeb Ewbank
961:Miller Farr
931:Dan Conners
911:Tom Keating
821:Stew Barber
771:Don Maynard
664:January 12,
431:Bill Hayhoe
427:Lyle Alzado
389:Baton Rouge
111:L.B. Landry
1476:Categories
1446:Jim Turner
1421:Paul Smith
1401:Dan Reeves
1376:Gene Mingo
1371:Red Miller
1356:John Lynch
1316:John Elway
1311:Jason Elam
1301:Pat Bowlen
1175:T. Jackson
1144:R. Jackson
956:Butch Byrd
921:Bobby Bell
901:Tom Sestak
891:Ron McDole
876:Jerry Mays
861:Jim Turner
851:Jon Morris
831:Billy Shaw
791:Art Powell
751:Len Dawson
746:Joe Namath
548:References
395:Pro career
387:in nearby
331:(AFL) and
325:linebacker
130:Undrafted:
69:1941-07-22
52:Linebacker
39:No. 32, 87
1426:Rod Smith
1391:Tom Nalen
1170:Gradishar
1112:Schlereth
1099:Zimmerman
1073:McCaffrey
811:Jim Tyrer
761:Paul Lowe
525:in 1975.
407:Lou Saban
313:Tombstone
44:Position:
1236:Upchurch
1139:Fletcher
846:Jim Otto
826:Ed Budde
536:See also
339:for the
317:football
217:Pro Bowl
124:Southern
120:College:
1196:Atwater
1129:Defense
1042:Offense
806:Ron Mix
440:by the
357:All-Pro
327:in the
198:All-Pro
94:Weight:
86:Height:
1188:Wright
1183:Bailey
1157:Carter
1107:Bishop
1094:Lepsis
1086:Sharpe
1065:Little
486:Legacy
450:, and
323:and a
261:Sacks:
81:, U.S.
1228:Rouen
1201:Smith
1152:Pryce
1120:Nalen
1078:Smith
1060:Davis
1052:Elway
63:Born:
1220:Elam
692:2016
666:2022
636:2022
596:2022
264:45.0
229:1970
225:1969
221:1968
210:1970
206:1969
202:1968
176:1972
166:1972
162:1967
152:1966
134:1966
456:NEA
452:UPI
296:PFR
215:3×
1478::
1232:RS
1179:CB
1161:LB
1148:DT
1135:DE
1082:TE
1069:WR
1056:RB
1048:QB
652:.
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468:,
464:,
458:,
444:,
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280:82
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725:e
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694:.
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164:–
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