Quick Facts
Vincent Jackson picked a fine time to shine for the San Diego Chargers. After grinding through a regular season in which he caught just 41 passes for 623 yards and three touchdowns, Jackson burst onto the scene in the NFL Playoffs, leading the league with 300 postseason receiving yards. He had at least 93 yards receiving in all three of the Chargers’ playoff games, including his first career 100-yard game when he recorded 114 yards and a touchdown in the Bolts’ Wild Card Playoff win over the Tennessee Titans. Throughout the postseason, Jackson routinely made huge catches on third down, tying for the league lead with eight third-down catches, good for 152 yards (19.0 avg) and a touchdown.
At 6-5, 241 pounds, Jackson possess a rare blend of size and speed that often draws comparisons to receivers such as Dallas’ Terrell Owens. Even with the high praise though, Jackson remains humble. He had to work for everything that he earned in life. As a high schooler, “Jax” worked several odd jobs, including cleaning rooms in a Super 8 Motel and selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door. And despite oustanding grades, a solid prep football career and jobs throughout high school, Jackson was unable to attract attention from the state’s two biggest schools, Colorado or Colorado State. That is how he ended up at Northern Colorado.
As a collegian at NCU, Jackson became a two-sport standout, excelling in football and basketball. He rewrote most of the school’s football records; was a two-time All-America, and became the highest NFL draft choice in school history. On the hardwood, Jackson played two seasons for the Bears and earned All-Independent League honors as a junior when he led the team in points and assists.
Jackson is happy to call San Diego home after spending much of his childhood in Louisiana. His father, Terence, was an Army medic and the family moved often. Jackson’s family also lived in Phoenix, Arizona and Grafenwoher, Germany before settling in Colorado Springs.
2008 (CHARGERS): Jackson had the first 1,000-yard season of his career and the first by a Chargers wide receiver since 2001. He led the team with 1,098 yards, highlighted by a career-best 148-yard performance in a Dec. 4 win over Oakland that helped the Chargers end a three-game losing streak. For the 2008 calendar year, including the ’07 playoffs, Jackson caught 77 passes for 1,398 yards and scored nine touchdowns.15-yard touchdown reception in fourth quarter in week one vs Oakland. Recorded his second best receiving day of his career in week two with 141 yards including a 35 yard touchdown catch against the Ravens. Against the Dolphins in week 3, Jackson lead in receiving with 120 yards for his first-career consecutive 100-yard games. Earned himself a game ball from Norv Turner against Miami...Recorded third touchdown of the season, week 6 at home against the Broncos. Finished the contest with four receptions for 46 yards and one touchdown. Week 7, posts a franchise record 142 receiving yards in the first half, including a 10-yard touchdown reception. In week eight, recorded 103 yards receiving, his fourth 100-yard game of the season and second week in a row including a five catch for 59 yards on his touchdown drive. It is the second time this season that Jackson has had back-to-back 100 yard outings. The last Chargers player to four 100-yard games in a season was Curtis Conway in 2001. Jackson's four 100-yard efforts in seven games is the best since Jeff Graham in 1999. Caught five passes for 58 yards with two touchdowns including a game winning 18-yard touchdown reception with 21 seconds left to play against the Giants in week 9. Marked a career best 4th straight game with a touchdown reception. Led the team in receiving in week 11 with 4 receptions for 56 yards. Finished week 14 contest with seven receptions for 120 yards agains the Dallas Cowboys. Had a pair of touchdown receptions of 21 and 34 yards from QB Philip Rivers in week 15 against the Bengals. Ended the day with five receptions for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns which put him over the 1000-yard recieving mark for the season. Inactive week 17 due to a foot injury.
2007: Set career highs with six catches and 98 yards, while catching first touchdown pass of season (27 yards) from Philip Rivers Week 3 at Green Bay…came up just two yards shy of first-career 100-yard game…touchdown versus Packers came on Bolts’ opening possession of game to give team 7-0 lead…was also team’s first first-half touchdown of season…helped set up first-quarter touchdown against Kansas City Sept. 30 with 39-yard catch…was third-longest catch of his career and Bolts longest pass completion of season…made three big second-half catches to help put away hometown Denver Broncos Oct. 7 at Invesco Field…on third play of third quarter, caught 24-yard pass to kick-start scoring drive…then after penalties found Bolts facing second-and-33 on same drive, Jackson beat linebacker Ian Gold on seam route, picking up 45 yards and huge first down…four plays later, Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates hooked up on nine-yard touchdown play and Bolts took 27-3 lead…one series later after Marlon McCree interception, Jackson capped 79-yard drive with 15-yard touchdown catch in back corner of end zone as San Diego took 34-3 lead…19-yard catch on third-and-10 play in second quarter Week 9 vs. Indianapolis helped keep alive touchdown drive that gave Bolts 23-0 lead over defending Super Bowl Champion Colts…20-yard catch on opening play of third quarter Nov. 18 at Jacksonville helped kick start touchdown drive…13-yard catch on third-and-nine play helped set up Chargers’ first TD vs. Baltimore Nov. 25…38-yard touchdown catch Dec. 2 at Kansas City helped Bolts even game at 10-10…12-yard catch and run in overtime Dec. 9 at Tennessee set up LaDainian Tomlinson’s game-winning touchdown run on following play…11-yard catch on third-and-eight play helped sustain TD drive on opening series of third quarter vs. Detroit Dec. 16…also drew pass interference penalty on third-and-nine play in first quarter that led to touchdown and 17-0 lead on very next play…28-yard catch on third-and-11 play against Denver Dec. 24 on ESPN MNF helped set up late second-quarter field goal…racked up first-career 100-yard game and first playoff touchdown with 114 yards and go-ahead score in Jan. 6 AFC Wild Card Playoff Game vs. Tennessee…went over 100-yard mark on 25-yard touchdown catch with 2:35 remaining in third quarter that Bolts up 10-6 for first lead of game…he and Chris Chambers (121 yards) teamed to give Bolts first pair of receivers to both go over 100 yards in playoff game since 1983…monster day included 32-yard catch on third-and-12 play in second quarter during drive that ended with missed field goal and 34-yard catch on third-and-nine play during third quarter which ended with made field goal…racked huge effort in Jan. 13 AFC Divisional Playoff game at Indianapolis, leading team with career-high seven catches for 93 yards and touchdown…out-jumped two defenders in back of end zone on 14-yard touchdown catch to give Chargers their first points of game in second quarter…TD grab came on third-and-eight play to cap drive he helped sustain with nice nine-yard grab on earlier third-and-five play…helped Chargers take 14-10 lead on opening drive of third quarter with catches of 17 and 13 yards on consecutive plays…led team with 93 yards receiving on six catches in Jan. 20 AFC Championship Game at New England…helped set up second-quarter field goal that cut Chargers’ deficit to 7-6 with catches of 15, 17 and 21 yards on drive…added two more catches for 17 and six yards on Chargers’ field goal drive to open third quarter.
2006: Caught first-career touchdown pass of 12 yards from Philip Rivers to give Chargers 33-0 lead over Tennessee in fourth quarter of Sept. 17 game at Qualcomm Stadium...caught 33-yard touchdown pass in second quarter to give Bolts 21-10 lead at San Francisco Oct. 15...lone catch against Cleveland Nov. 5 was key as hauled in 11-yard pass on third-and-eight play during fourth-quarter touchdown drive...two plays after catch, LT scored on seven-yard run to give Bolts’ 24-15 lead...on Bolts’ next drive, he helped extend lead to 32-18 by catching two-point conversion on fade pattern...helped Chargers overcome 17-point deficit and take 28-27 lead in fourth quarter of 35-27 win at Denver Nov. 19 with acrobatic five-yard touchdown catch along back line of end zone at Invesco Field...caught TD pass with 6:45 remaining in fourth quarter...early in Denver game had 26-yard catch during Chargers’ first TD drive...had key 13-yard catch on fourth-and-two play during Bolts’ game-tying fourth-quarter touchdown drive in 21-14 win over Oakland Nov. 26...three plays later, drew pass interference penalty on third-and-eight play and Bolts scored touchdown two plays later to tie game at 14-14...came up just five yards shy of his first career 100-yard game Dec. 10 against Denver...effort included career-long 55-yard catch on first play of fourth quarter that helped set up field goal by Nate Kaeding for 31-20 lead over Broncos...Chargers Alumni Player of Week after leading team with three catches and 66 yards against K.C. Dec. 17, including 46-yard catch to eight-yard line in fourth quarter that helped set up field goal for 20-9 lead...caught game-winning 37-yard touchdown pass with 29 seconds remaining in fourth quarter of Chargers’ Dec. 24 win at Qwest Field in Seattle...was his career-best second touchdown catch of day...also had nine-yard touchdown catch in second quarter...set season-highs with 97 yards and five catches against Seahawks...14-yard touchdown catch in Dec. 31 season finale against Arizona gave Chargers 17-7 lead in second quarter...31-yard catch to three-yard line set up fourth quarter touchdown to give Chargers 21-13 lead in AFC Divisional Playoff game against New England.
2005: Inactive Weeks 1-5, 7, 10 & 12... saw first action of career at Oakland Oct. 16 primarily on special teams... caught first-career pass good for 18 yards during second quarter touchdown drive in Chargers 31-26 win over New York Jets Nov. 6... set up second-quarter field goal at Indianapolis Dec. 18 with 21-yard catch to four-yard line... field goal gave Bolts 13-0 first-half lead... also caught 20-yard pass on third-and-eight play during opening drive of game.
College: Set school records with 177 catches, 3,548 receiving yards 37 touchdown catches, 1,024 punt return yards and 5,810 all-purpose yards... had four 200-yard receiving games and 12 100-yard games during career... first-team All-America by NFL Draft Report and second-team by Sports Network in 2004... All-Great West Conference Offensive Player of Year in ’04 and first-team all-conference pick... as senior, finalist for Walter Payton Award for nation’s best player in NCAA Division I-A... school-record 80 catches and 1,952 all-purpose yards in 2004... first-team All-America by Football Gazette and NFL Draft Report as junior after leading team to NCAA national semifinals... second-team All-America by Associated Press and Sports Network... set school records with 1,462 yards receiving and 21 touchdown catches in ’03... honorable mention All-America by D2Football.com as freshman... Division I All-Independent selection during 2003-04 basketball season after leading team with 13.6 points and 3.1 assists per game and ranking second with 5.6 rebounds... scored career-high 25 points and tied career best with seven assists in Senior Night victory over Johnson & Wales Feb. 21, 2004... named UNC’s Student Athlete of Month in December 2003 after averaging 15.0 points, 7.0 boards, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals... final hoops totals from 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons include 517 points (12.3 ppg), 203 rebounds (4.8 rpg), 100 assists, 18 blocks and 40 steals... played in 42 games with 23 starts while shooting .490 from field, .313 from three-point range and .543 from free-throw line... played football for Bears from 2001-04... business major.
Personal: Born Jan. 14, 1983 in Fort Polk, Louisiana... honorable mention all-state from Rocky Mountain News as senior on gridiron at Widefield High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado... added first-team all-conference and all-area accolades... also lettered in basketball.
