Russ Jackson

NFL player
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DateOfBirth=birth date and age|1936|7|28
Birthplace= Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Position=Quarterback
College=McMaster University
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Career Highlights=Y
CFLAllStar=1966, 1968, 1969
Awards=1969 Lou Marsh Trophy 1969 Grey Cup MVP 1969 CFL MOP 1966 CFL MOP 1963 CFL MOP 1969 Most Outstanding Canadian 1966 Most Outstanding Canadian 1963 Most Outstanding Canadian 1959 Most Outstanding Canadian
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years=1958-1969
teams=Ottawa Rough Riders
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CFHOF=24&player=Jackson,%20Russ
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Russell Stanley "Russ" Jackson, (born July 28 1936 in Hamilton, Ontario)cite web| title = McMaster University Alumni| url=http://www.mcmaster.ca/ua/alumni/| accessdate = 2007-01-26] is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. Jackson is a member of the Order of Canada, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, and has been described as the best Canadian-born quarterback to play in the CFL.cite web | url = http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=page&id=54 | accessdate = 2007-05-05 | author = | title = CFL Legends: Russ Jackson | publisher = CFL.ca | date = ] In 2006, Jackson was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players (#8) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.cite web | url = http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/feature/?fid=10867 | accessdate = 2007-05-05 | author = | title = TSN Top 50 CFL Players | publisher = TSN.ca | date = 2006-11-28]

Early life and college career

After a stellar college career as a both a basketball and football player, Jackson graduated from McMaster University in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. He was the McMaster nominee for a Rhodes Scholarship, but did not pursue an interview for the scholarship, instead deciding to sign with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted first overall in the 1958 draft.

Professional football career

Originally signed as a defensive back, Jackson ended up quarterbacking the Rough Riders to three Grey Cup championship victories, in 1960, 1968, and 1969.

Jackson was honoured many times during his CFL career. He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award in 1963, 1966, and 1969. He was also a four-time winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award (1959, 1963, 1966, 1969). He was a 6-time Eastern Conference All-Star quarterback (1962, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969) and the CFL All-Star quarterback in 1966, 1968, and 1969.

Russ Jackson is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in Hamilton, Ontario. Many consider him one of the best Canadian-born players to play in the CFL, while most consider him to be the best Canadian to play the quarterback position.cite web | url = http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=page&id=54 | accessdate = 2007-05-05 | author = | title = CFL Legends: Russ Jackson | publisher = CFL.ca | date = ] In November, 2006, Jackson was voted one of the CFL's top 50 players (#8) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.cite web | url = http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/feature/?fid=10867 | accessdate = 2007-05-05 | author = | title = TSN Top 50 CFL Players | publisher = TSN.ca | date = 2006-11-28]

Jackson ended his career with 24,592 passing yards, on 2,530 attempts with 1,356 completions (53.6%), 125 interceptions, 185 touchdowns and an efficiency rating of 90.83. He was also a mobile quarterback in gaining 5,045 yards on the ground on 738 rushes with 54 touchdowns. Among the few Canadian-born quarterbacks to play in the CFL, Jackson is the only one to pass for over 20,000 yards. In fact he is the only one to exceed 10,000 career yards. Other Canadians such as Don Getty, Frank Cosentino, and Gerry Dattilio are well behind Jackson in statistics. At the time of his retirement following the 1969 Grey Cup he was third all-time among all quarterbacks in the CFL, then behind only Sam Etcheverry and one-time team mate Ron Lancaster.

Post-football playing career

After retiring from football, he returned to teaching, he was a mathematics teacher from 1959-1961 and head of the Department of Math at Rideau High School in Ottawa, Ontario from 1961-1966. He later became a vice-principal and principal at secondary schools in Ottawa and Mississauga.

Jackson has also done sports commentary of the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats with radio station CHML-AM in Hamilton.

Russ is an Officer of the Order of Canada and was awarded an honorary doctor degree in law by McMaster University in 1989.

References

4. CFL Facts, Figures and Records 1987 and 2007.

5. Ronald A. Ferroni, The 2001 Unofficial Canadian Football Encyclopedia, Hamilton 2001.

External links

* [http://www.cshof.ca/accessible/hm_profile.php?i=417 Canada's Sports Hall of Fame Honoured Members: Russ Jackson]
* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0004090 The Canadian Encyclopedia]