Robert Jackson (linebacker)

Robert Lee Jackson (born August 7, 1954), nicknamed "Stonewall",^[1] is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) . He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, then played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns and the Atlanta Falcons between 1977 and 1982.

Robert L. Jackson

No. 56, 62
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1954-08-07) August 7, 1954 (age 71) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:	Houston (TX) M. B. Smiley
College:	Texas A&M
NFL draft:	1977: 1st round, 17th pick
Career history
Cleveland Browns (1977–1981) Atlanta Falcons (1982)
Career highlights and awards
Unanimous All-American (1976) First-team All-SWC (1976) Second-team All-SWC (1975)
Career NFL statistics
Sacks: 6.0 Fumble recoveries: 2 Interceptions: 2 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Football career

Jackson attended Texas A&M University and was a consensus College Football All-America Team linebacker and a Lombardi Award finalist for the Aggies in 1976. He was a first-round selection of the Cleveland Browns in the 1977 NFL draft.^[2]

Jackson missed his entire rookie season after a preseason knee injury.^[3] He suffered another knee injury in the 1978 preseason, but he still appeared in 14 games that season.^[4][5] He was a regular starter for Cleveland in 1980 and 1981, starting 14 games in each season.^[5] In 1981, Cincinnati head coach Forrest Gregg referred to Jackson as the dirtiest player in the NFL.^[1]

In April 1982, Jackson was traded to the Denver Broncos, but he was waived before the regular season. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons that September.^[1] Jackson's career concluded that year with five appearances for the Falcons.^[5]