Rickey Jackson | New Orleans Saints Ring of Honor | NewOrleansSaints.com

SAINTS RING OF HONOR - RICKEY JACKSON

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Jackson was a leader for the entire team during his career.

Rickey Jackson's Career

One of the most productive linebackers in NFL history, Jackson served as the linchpin of one of the most dominant linebacker corps the league has ever seen. Jackson was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010, where he was inducted by Saints Owner Tom Benson.

Jackson was the first Saint to have spent the majority of his career with New Orleans to receive this honor, the sixth overall. He spent 13 years with the Saints and his 195 appearances as a force in the Black and Gold are the second-highest total in franchise history. He missed only two games, out of a possible 229 regular season games in his career. The Pahokee, Fla., native finished his career with 128 sacks (his eight sacks in his rookie season of 1981 are not included since sacks did not become an official statistic until 1982) ranked 10th all-time in NFL history. With 115 as a Saint, he is the club's all-time leader and he led the club in takedowns six times. He is also the franchise's all-time leader in fumble recoveries with 26.

As a show of respect by opposing coaches and players for his dominating pass rush abilities and sideline to sideline play, Jackson was named to the Pro Bowl six times (1983-86, 1992-93) in his career, tied for the second-most by a Saint. He was an All-Pro selection six times (1984-87, 1992-93). After failing to post a winning season in the franchise's first 18 seasons, Jackson's Saints did not have a losing season in his final seven campaigns with the club from 1987-93, qualifying for the playoffs four times during this period.

Rickey Jackson

Rickey Jackson's Awards & Accolades

Jackson was drafted in the second round (51st) overall by the Saints in 1981 out of Pittsburgh. He made an immediate impact, as he led the team with 125 tackles and eight sacks. In his second season, he recorded 4.5 sacks in a nine-game strike shortened campaign as the Saints narrowly missed the postseason. In 1983, Jackson earned a Pro Bowl trip for the first time as he established himself as one of the NFL's top pass rushers, leading the team with 12 sacks, while defending a career-high 21 passes. This would be the first of four consecutive seasons where he would be selected to the Pro Bowl. In 1984, he led NFC linebackers with 12 sacks, while forcing four fumbles and recovering four, as he was named an Associated Press All-Pro selection for the first time.

In the next three seasons, Jackson would post successive sacks totals of 12, 11 and nine as he was named to the Pro Bowl each time. In a contest at Atlanta on Dec. 24, 1986, he set the club record with four sacks.

"The Saints and our fans have been part a huge and very important part of my life since 1981. To be honored by being inducted in the first class with Archie and Willie means the world to me," Jackson said. "We're the first guys but we all know that none of us would be there if it wasn't for the support the organization and our teammates and coaches gave to us. It will be our names up there but I know we proudly represent a lot of people that were key parts of our journeys."

Rickey Jackson Career Stats

Table inside Article
YearGGSTKLSKFFFRINT
198116161258210
198299474.5121
1983 *161610212021
1984 *161612412441
1985 *161610711000
1986 *16161149611
19871212749.5302
19881616927201
19891414477.5300
19901616686470
199116165911.5340
1992 *16166613.5630
1993 *16167911.5430
19941614403.5220
19951615369.5001
Career227224118013640298

* Selected to Pro Bowl, 1994-1995 with the San Francisco 49ers