Mark Jackson grew up in a rough part of Chicago as the youngest child of a single mom. He thought ducking when hearing gang gunfire was normal. Playing in the NFL was never a dream, in fact, he quit football for a year when he was at Purdue.
Despite being shorter than most and claiming very little talent, Mark was drafted by the Broncos in the 6th round of the 1986 draft. His career was on the fast track from the beginning: Mark was part of “The Drive” and played in Super Bowl 21 his rookie season. He’d play in two more Super Bowls, and as Broncos fans painfully remember, all three were losses. During his 7 years in Denver, Mark became a fan favorite as a member of “The Three Amigos” with fellow wide receivers Vance Johnson and Ricky Nattiel. When he became a free agent in 1993, he doubled his salary by heading to the NY Giants where he caught a lot of passes, but was cut mid-season in 1994. He was then picked up by the Colts for a bit and missed out on an opportunity to join one of his favorite childhood teams: the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In retirement, Mark’s energy is the same as when he played: 110%. He has many ventures, including Jackson Financial Solutions and the non-profit Recruiting Classroom.
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