Jamaal Jackson: 'I'm Heartbroken'
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The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Jamaal Jackson: 'I'm Heartbroken'
Daily News staff
Eagles center Jamaal Jackson is out for the season with a knee injury.
“Jamaal Jackson has ACL tear and he’ll be out the remaining part of the season," Andy Reid said in his Monday news conference. "He had an MRI this morning."
Jackson, asked what he might want to say to Eagles fans, texted your Eagletarian: "I'm heartbroken that I can't help my teammates win a divisional title and possibly a Super Bowl. But I thank (the fans) for all the support that they have showed me over the years, and somehow, some way I'll be back on the field in the future!"
Jackson has been the Birds' starting center since Hank Fraley went down midway through the 2005 season -- every game, 71 in a row. Jackson said he would be visiting Dr. James Andrews in Alabama within the next few days.
Reid was asked how big of a loss not having Jackson will be: "He's a good football player. We're fortunate that we have Nick [Cole] here who is a center. He's on the same page as Donovan [McNabb] with the snap counts and everything."
Actually, that was a bit of a problem in Sunday's victory over the Broncos, with Cole, who has been starting at right guard, looking a little rusty on the snaps. He snapped the ball too soon at the Birds' 1, creating a fumble that Donovan McNabb fell on. Another time, Cole dragged the ball on a shotgun snap, causing a false start by Winston Justice.
Reid said those problems will be worked out with Cole getting a full week of practice at center.
This is a terrible break for Jackson, the leader of the Eagles' offensive line and perhaps its most consistent member.
ACL injuries sometimes take a full year to recover from -- just ask Stacy Andrews, who could get another shot at right guard now. That might mean Jackson isn't really himself until the end of next season.
Team sources have said that Andrews, inactive since the Nov. 15 loss at San Diego, has improved with his confidence in his rebuilt ACL and with his technique, which the Birds considered pretty crude when he arrived from Cincinnati last offseason. It will be interesting to see whether Andrews or Max Jean-Gilles takes over at right guard this week, with Cole moving.
"Stacy's in the mix," Reid said.
Reid also reiterated Monday that having Macho Harris play nearly ever snap at free safety and return kicks "was probably too much."
To see Marcus Hayes' Talking Points from Sunday's win over Denver and Paul Domowitch's By The Numbers, click here.
Great, wasn't there an article two days ago about how Jackson was the best member of our O-line?— philly200- thanks to jeff mclane for that article on jackons' durability! i've watched the nfl for 30+ years and from the 1975 - 1990 can't remember a key player being lost to knee injury. can you? any team, any year. just post it here. this is garbage!— mosquito killer
- Have never been a great fan of Jackson, but changing centers with only one regular season game left, and that one with the Cowpies in Dallas, is not good news.— hobbit
- OMG! Just when it seemed O-line was perfect, this had to happen!! Good luck to Jackson on his recovery leading to another great season next year....— Seed
- Thats a huge loss. Notice how the offense ran pre and post Jackson yesterday.— birdp00p
Comment removed.- Eagles are doomed, they will get blown out next week— BHite15
- this blows!!— beez1228
bad news for the birds but i think Cole will do fine with another start under his belt. in the NFL you have to move on when someone gets injured ie (westbrook).... fly eagles fly..- Comment removed.
- We didn't block Jay Ratliff in the last game. Of course we were beat up in the last game as well.— breadman
- yea this sucks— whiskeybill
- in the words of Eldrick "this is huge"— barrywil
- i'm sorry to see the team lose such a stalwart, he deserves to play in the post-season. a real loss. Nick Cole will be fine and so will the Birds.— doon
- A bit of bad news for the remainder of the season and next, here's hoping Jackson recovers well, but like the story said it takes at least a year to recover from a torn ACL. Hopefully Cole will knowk the rust off this week and be prepared to do the job against the cowgirls, just sayin'...— DJ
