sport news NFL star who's been fined $1MILLION and suspended twice this season accuses the ... trends now
Denver Broncos suspended safety Kareem Jackson admittedly hasn't learned his lesson after forfeiting nearly $1 million of his salary for a series of illegal hits that have resulted in a pair of ejections, multiple fines and six weeks' worth of lost wages.
That's because the NFL isn't a very good tutor, Jackson said.
The 14-year veteran argues he's being singled out by the league and that the NFL has no adequate answers about how he's supposed to change his hard-hitting playing style to conform to today's game where the league scorns the collisions it once celebrated.
Jackson was granted an audience with Commissioner Roger Goodell two weeks ago following his second suspension and it didn't exactly go as he had hoped.
'I was told that I'm responsible for the offensive guys' protection,' Jackson said Monday night before hosting 50 youth from the Boys & Girls Club of Denver for his annual 'JackaClaus Shopping Spree' at a Walmart in suburban Parker.
Kareem Jackson says the NFL has not properly educated defensive players on hit protocols
'So, I'm not really sure how I protect myself, make plays and protect them, as well. But that's what I was told. And I'm not really sure what I do moving forward as far as playing this game. So, hopefully I'll figure it out.
'At the end of the day,' added Jackson, 'I'm going to go out and I'll play the game as I have since 2010,' Jackson said.
That ought to worry coach Sean Payton and Broncos fans.
He drew his second suspension for the first tackle he made upon his return from his first suspension when he blasted Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs in Week 11.
Thanks largely to the heady, steady play of his replacement, PJ Locke, the first safety in team history to record sacks in three consecutive games, the Broncos (7-6) have won four of the five games Jackson has missed.
Denver is trying to become just the fourth team since the merger to make the playoffs despite starting out 1-5.
The Broncos trail the sliding Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) by just one game in the AFC West, and Jackson is eligible to return to practice next week ahead of the Broncos' Christmas Eve game against New England.
They could sure use their tone-setter down the stretch, providing he doesn't get
