My Most Memorable Game | Jackson Jeffcoat

Each week a Bombers player visits with Ed Tait of bluebombers.com to reminisce about a particular game, or games, that is most memorable for them in their careers in high school, college or professional careers.

Jackson Jeffcoat background:

• Jeffcoat was a big-time star at the University of Texas. In his senior season he was a Consensus All-American, the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-Big 12. He was also honoured with the Ted Hendricks Award as the top defensive end in college football.
• He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014 and then joined Washington in September of that year. He appeared in nine games, making one start.
• Jeffcoat signed with the Bombers in 2017 after a stint with the Cleveland Browns and has appeared in 40 regugular-season games over the last three seasons, registering 17 sacks, 80 tackles, one interception and five forced fumbles.
• Jeffcoat’s father is Jim Jeffcoat, who played 15 years in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills and still ranks in the Cowboys’ Top 10 list for quarterback sacks.

Jeffcoat:

“One of my favourite games was playing Texas Tech in my senior year. It’s a very similar situation as to what just happened to me in the Grey Cup. Before that game I had come down with something and was feeling really crappy. I’d go to meetings, but I basically tried to sleep it off. I had a good sleep before game day, but I was worried because I hadn’t been feeling well and I was going to be playing a new position called the ‘spinner’ position – it’s like a hybrid linebacker/defensive end.

“When I went into the game it wasn’t like I was sick any more. I went off. Three sacks, tackles everywhere. That was when Baker Mayfield was there at Texas Tech (before he transferred to Oklahoma). They throw the ball a lot and it’s always a pass rusher’s dream to play against Tech. That is one of my favourite games because it reminded me I am resilient and can fight through anything that comes my way – kind of what like is not going on now with not being able to play.

“Another couple games I remember from when I was in the NFL actually occurred back to back. In the first, I was with Washington and I was backing up one of my buddies, Trent Murphy, and he got hurt. I wasn’t really thinking they were going to put me in; I just thought they would move someone over. We were playing against the Eagles and I was rushing against Jason Peters, one of the best in the game, and I ended up sacking Mark Sanchez. (Peters) was mad and said, ‘That’s the quarterback’s fault’ and I said, ‘but I went through you.’ That was about me getting a chance.

“The next week I ended up starting and this was a big one because it was against Dallas – the team that passed up on me (in the draft) and didn’t show me any love, the team that my dad played for and gave his blood sweat and tears. I played well in that game and picked off Tony Romo, who hadn’t thrown a pick since earlier in the year. I was a shoestring tackle away from getting a Pick-6. But that was incredible to go against the team that didn’t show many love and make a big play against them. I had a lot of friends at that game who were Cowboys fans but were pulling for me in that game.

“And then I have to mention the Grey Cup… it was similar to the Texas Tech game in that I came down with some kind of bug before the game. I was feeling bad. Crappy. Thankfully, Willie Jefferson – my roommate – didn’t come down with anything. Then I see the stands pack up before the game, I see my brothers lining up before the game and thought ‘I have to find something inside of me that is going to allow me to give all I have. Then when it’s over I can say I laid it all on the line.’ We had a great gameplan against Hamilton. We had gotten so much better since we played them earlier in the season. That was just a great team for all of us. The way we played, I don’t think anybody would have beat us that day.”