Jackson headed for Oregon Sports Hall of Fame

KERRY EGGERS ON SPORTS/PORTLAND TRIBUNE/Beaver legend 18th in NFL all-time rushing yardage; helps retired players, military vets

On Sept. 25 at the Multnomah Athletic Club, Steven Jackson will be among the 2018 induction class for the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.

The Las Vegas native is one of the great running backs in Oregon State history. Jackson ranks fourth on the school career list with 3,625 yards (4.9 average), third in rushing touchdowns with 39 and tied for second in 100-yard games (19) in his three seasons (2001-03), a period in which the Beavers went 24-15 and played in three straight bowl games.

Jackson holds the OSU single-season rushing (1,690) and all-purpose yardage (2,015) records, both as a sophomore in 2002, and was at his best in his final appearance as a Beaver as a junior in 2003. He set a school single-game scoring mark with 30 points (four rushing touchdowns, one receiving TD) while rushing for 149 yards and catching five passes for 51 yards in a 55-14 blowout of New Mexico at the Las Vegas Bowl.

The 6-2, 240-pound Jackson spent the first nine of his 12 NFL seasons with the St. Louis Rams, finishing with two seasons in Atlanta and one in New England. He rushed for 11,438 yards — 18th on the NFL career list — and 69 touchdowns. He is one of six players with eight straight 1,000-yard seasons (2005-12), joining Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Curtis Martin, Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson.

Jackson, the Rams' career leading rusher, was sensational during his third NFL season in 2006. He accounted for 2,334 yards from the line of scrimmage — sixth-best ever — with 1,528 yards and 13 TDs rushing along with 90 receptions for 806 yards and three scores receiving.

The three-time Pro Bowl participant played in only four playoff games — two as a rookie with St. Louis in 2004 and two in his final year after being signed late in the 2015 season by the Patriots.

The Portland Tribune caught up with Jackson, 35, from his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is single with three children — sons Skyler (12) and Kingston (9) and daughter Journey (2).

Tribune: How do you feel about becoming a member of the state of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame?

Jackson: It's humbling. When I got the phone call, I was almost in disbelief. My time (at Oregon State) was so short. I didn't realize the impact I had on the community and the state. But I know the impact it had on me. I loved my three years in Corvallis. Oregon State allowed me to grow up. I make it a point to get back up there once or twice a year.

Tribune: What are your memories from time at OSU?

Jackson: First, I remember watching Oregon State beat Oregon for the right to go to the (2001) Fiesta Bowl. It was part of the reason I decided to go to Oregon State. I was aware of the school's (recent football) history. It wasn't one to be proud of. But I knew if we turned it around like we thought we could, it would mean even more to the die-hards and the alumni. I wanted to be part of something great, and I think we accomplished that.

I remember my first day of training camp my freshman year. To see all those great players — Ken Simonton, Jonathan Smith, all those guys on defense — I realized I was not in high school anymore. I was playing football with men. We were a blue-collar school. We didn't show up with flash or pizazz, but when you played the Beavers, you knew you were in for a battle. I used that for motivation through my pro career.

Tribune: You certainly haven't forgotten your swan song, with the rout of New Mexico in the Las Vegas Bowl, after which you announced your decision to turn pro.

Jackson: I honestly went into that game not knowing if I was going to forego my senior year. Coach (Mike) Riley and I talked about it before the game. I was 50-50 on it. I decided to play the game and see how it worked out. I had one of the greatest performances in the history of that bowl game, and I got to do it at home. Outside of winning a national championship or the Heisman Trophy, I can't think of a better way of saying goodbye.

Tribune: How did your time playing for Riley and Dennis Erickson help prepare you for the NFL?

Jackson: Accountability is a word you learn very quickly with both of them. That carried on for me and had meaning through the rest of my life. I was glad to have two coaches drive home that word, making sure you're accountable not just to the team but to yourself. It's something I've taken great pride in since I left Oregon State. It allowed me to hold myself to a high standard, to be a leader, to perform at a high level.

Both coaches had NFL head-coaching experience. They didn't hold your hand. They treated you like a grown man. If you didn't do your job, they'd find somebody who would. It was a great breeding ground for the NFL.

Trbiune: What are your thoughts about your NFL career?

Jackson: I just think about how fast it went (laughs). I prayed that I would have an 8- to-10-year career, and I got 12. I played on some bad teams, but even with the losses I had to endure, my career was one to cherish, one to be proud of.

Tribune: That 2006 season had to be a highlight.

Jackson: It went under the radar (Tomlinson won the Most Valuable Player award). Maybe it was because it was before social media got big. Maybe it was because (St. Louis) went 8-8. But everything clicked that year. The game slowed down for me. I felt comfortable in my training and knowledge of the game. It's a year I'm very proud of.

Tribune: Do you know you hold the NFL record for most consecutive touches without a fumble (870), from 2011 to the end of you career?

Jackson: My dad (Steve Jackson) and I talked about that recently. My first year playing football, when I was 7 years old, I gained a lot of yards and scored a ton of touchdowns but had a fumbling problem. My dad would get me in the car and recap the game and talk about ball security. He'd always get on me about that. Those last four years of my career, I did not fumble. That's the statistic my dad is probably more proud of than anything I accomplished.

Tribune: Do you have regrets about your career?

Jackson: I do. I regret not having a chance for a run at a Super Bowl until my last season with New England. (The Patriots lost to Denver in the AFC championship game). I wonder what I could have done on a more competitive team in some of those years. How many yards or touchdowns did I leave out there? At the same time, the true football fan respects what I did.

Tribune: How is your health now?

Jackson: It's great. I hope it stays this way. I had only two surgeries through my career — a knee clean-up and one with my back. I feel like I'm in good shape. I'm still at my playing weight. I do a lot of cardio to keep my wind. My back will be a lingering issue through my life, but I'm very active. Hopefully I can keep it up.

Tribune: You demonstrated that in February, when you and former teammate Chris Long were among a group that climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania — at 19,341 feet the tallest mountain in Africa — to raise awareness for clean water on that continent. How was that?

Jackson: It was fun. It took us five days. It was very challenging, but so rewarding once you get to the top. It's unbelievable to walk up above the clouds. It's unreal. And it was for a good cause.

Tribune: Since your retirement, you've helped create Las Vegas Veterans Villages, a nonprofit that provides housing, food and care for military veterans. (Jackson's grandfather served in the Army, and his father served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. His father was diagnosed with stomach cancer and spent time in a Veterans hospital.).

JACKSON: We've been able to house more than 200 veterans. We move them into a fully furnished apartment, with donated clothes and access to a VA doctor if needed. We operate on a month-to-month agreement. These men and women are so prideful, they typically don't stay long. When they get back on their feet, they move on, and we're glad to help them do that.

Tribune: You also serve as Pacific West coordinator for the NFL Legends organization. What does that entail?

Jackson: If you are a retired player who needs help with something — let's say finding out about an annuity or a health-care plan — I'll help you coordinate that and make it as painless and streamlined as possible. It's a way for me to give back. It doesn't always have to be about the dollar bill. I want to make sure my peers are doing OK.

Tribune: Do you think you will make the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Jackson: I go back and forth. My numbers are arguably good enough. My postseason record is light. I just didn't get a chance to participate. It would be nice, but that's out of my hands. I'm very proud of the effort I put forth. For my name to even be in the discussion is rewarding.

Tribune: Your former teammate, Jonathan Smith, is now the head coach at Oregon State.

Jackson: I'm excited for Jon. He'll do a great job molding young men, and I believe he'll return us to our winning ways. I want to see him and his staff at the school for at least a decade. We need that kind of stability to get back to where we were in the early 2000s.

Class of 2018

Here's who will be inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday at Multnomah Athletic Club:

• Steven Jackson, who spent 12 years in the NFL after becoming the fourth-leading all-time rusher for Oregon State

• Dan Jones, a multisport athlete (football, basketball, baseball) at Lewis & Clark College • Jim Joyce, a MLB umpire for 29 seasons

• Jim Joyce, a MLB umpire for 29 seasons

• East Bank Saloon basketball, whose teams won multiple world and national Masters championships

• Columbia Sportswear and Gert and Tim Boyle, who will be inducted for their Special Contribution to Sports as longtime major sponsors and supporters

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@kerryeggers