DeSean Jackson Bio
DeSean William Jackson, born December 1, 1986, in Los Angeles, California, is an American college football coach and former National Football League wide receiver. Recognized as one of the best deep threats in NFL history, Jackson built his reputation on elite speed and the ability to score from anywhere on the field. After a celebrated playing career, he transitioned into coaching and was named head football coach at Delaware State University in December 2024.
During his NFL career, Jackson was selected to three Pro Bowls, earned a Second-Team All-Pro honor in 2009, and was the first player in Pro Bowl history to be selected at two different positions in the same year. He retired as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 and was later named a nominee for the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class.
Early Life and Background
DeSean William Jackson was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in the Crenshaw neighborhood of the city. He is the son of Bill and Gayle Jackson, and his oldest brother, Byron, played wide receiver at San Jose State and spent two seasons on the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad. His father was hospitalized with pancreatic cancer during the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2009 playoff run and passed away on May 14, 2009.
Jackson attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where he became one of the top wide receiver recruits in the nation. He was named the 2004 Glenn Davis Award winner by the Los Angeles Times as Southern California’s player of the year and was voted the Most Valuable Player of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio. In his senior season, he caught 60 passes for 1,075 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the Jackrabbits to a CIF Southern Section championship.
Beyond football, Jackson ran track and played baseball, and was scouted by both the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies in his senior year. He was timed at 10.5 seconds in the 100 meters and was rated the number four wide receiver in the country by ESPN.com’s Tom Lemming. He committed to the University of California, Berkeley, choosing the Golden Bears over the University of Southern California.
Path to the NFL
Jackson enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, where he played for the California Golden Bears from 2005 to 2007. Wearing number 1, he made an immediate impact in his freshman season, finishing with 38 receptions for 601 yards and seven touchdowns. In the 2005 Las Vegas Bowl against BYU, he tallied 130 yards and two scores, establishing himself as one of the most exciting young players in college football.
As a sophomore, Jackson recorded 1,060 receiving yards and nine touchdowns while also returning four punts for touchdowns. He earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors as both a punt returner and a wide receiver, and was named a consensus first-team All-American as a returner. He captured the inaugural Randy Moss Award as the top returner in the nation and was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate entering his junior year.
In his junior season, Jackson finished with 65 catches for 762 yards and six touchdowns, along with an NCAA-leading four punts returned for touchdowns. He departed Cal holding Pac-10 records for punts returned for touchdowns in a season and career, and ranked third all-time at California in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He declared for the 2008 NFL draft after the 2007 season.
DeSean Jackson Career
Early Career (2008-2010)
Jackson was selected in the second round, 49th overall, of the 2008 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the seventh wide receiver taken, marking the first time no wide receivers were drafted in the first round. He became the first rookie to start opening day for head coach Andy Reid and collected six catches for 106 yards in a 38-3 win over the St. Louis Rams in his debut.
His rookie season was a record-breaking one, as he finished with 62 receptions for 912 yards and two receiving touchdowns while leading the NFL with 50 punt returns for 440 yards. In 2009, Jackson recorded 1,167 receiving yards and earned Second-Team All-Pro honors along with his first Pro Bowl selection. In 2010, he was again selected to the Pro Bowl, becoming the first player in league history to be chosen at two different positions in the same year.
Philadelphia Eagles Breakthrough (2008-2013)
Jackson spent his first six NFL seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, quickly becoming one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers. He tied an NFL record with eight touchdowns of over 50 yards in a single season in 2009 and was named the Sporting News’ All-Pro punt returner. On December 19, 2010, he returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown against the New York Giants with 14 seconds remaining, the only game-winning punt return on the final play from scrimmage in NFL history.
After a franchise-tag year in 2012, Jackson signed a five-year contract extension worth up to $51 million in March 2012. In 2013, he delivered his statistically best season, leading the team with 82 receptions for 1,332 yards and earning his third Pro Bowl selection. He left the Eagles as the franchise’s fourth all-time leader in receiving yards with 6,117 yards.
Washington Redskins Era (2014-2016)
On April 2, 2014, Jackson signed a reported three-year, $24 million contract with the Washington Redskins. In his first season, he caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins in his return to Philadelphia, becoming the third player in NFL history to record an 80-yard touchdown both for and against a team. He finished 2014 with 56 receptions for 1,169 yards and six touchdowns, leading the NFL in yards per catch for the second time.
After battling injuries in 2015, Jackson returned to form in 2016, catching at least one pass in all 16 games. He and teammate Pierre Garçon both surpassed 1,000 receiving yards, the first Redskins tandem to achieve the feat since 1999. Jackson finished with 56 receptions for 1,005 yards and led the NFL for the third time in his career with 17.9 yards per catch.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Era (2017-2018)
Jackson signed a three-year, $33.5 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on March 9, 2017. In 2018, he opened the season with five catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints, including a 58-yard reception that tied him for third all-time in NFL history with 27 career touchdowns over 50 yards. A 60-yard reception against the Cincinnati Bengals later that year broke a tie with Jerry Rice for the most receiving touchdowns of 60 or more yards in NFL history.
He ended 2018 with 41 receptions for 774 yards and led the league in yards per reception for the fourth time in his career. Jackson also became the 47th NFL player to reach 10,000 receiving yards during the season.
Second Eagles Stint and Final Years (2019-2022)
Jackson returned to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019 and opened the season with eight catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns against the Washington Redskins. After stints with the Los Angeles Rams, where he received a Super Bowl ring, and the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad in October 2022. He appeared in a game as the oldest active receiver in the NFL before being released in January 2023.
On November 29, 2023, Jackson signed a one-day contract with the Philadelphia Eagles to officially retire as a member of the team. He was later named a nominee for the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class in June 2025.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Jackson’s career highlights is his 65-yard game-winning punt return against the New York Giants in 2010, the only such play in NFL history to win a game on the final play from scrimmage. He also became the only player in Pro Bowl history to be selected at two different positions in the same year and holds the NFL record for most receiving touchdowns of 60 or more yards with 25.
DeSean Jackson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Jackson is the son of Bill and Gayle Jackson. His oldest brother, Byron, played wide receiver at San Jose State University and spent two seasons on the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad. His father Bill was hospitalized with pancreatic cancer during the Eagles’ 2009 playoff run and passed away on May 14, 2009.
Personal Life
Jackson currently resides in Moorestown, New Jersey. He was featured on the cover of the PlayStation 2 version of NCAA Football 09 and appeared in the 2017 film All Eyez on Me. Jackson also took part in and won a competition of Hole in the Wall in April 2011.
2025 Season Performance
DeSean Jackson is in his first season as head football coach at Delaware State University, where he was named to the position on December 27, 2024. In his debut year, he led the Delaware State Hornets to an 8-4 overall record, a strong showing within the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The transition from longtime NFL star to collegiate head coach has been closely watched across the sports world.
Jackson continues to build his coaching identity while drawing on his experiences as one of the NFL’s most prolific deep threats. His program represents an early test of his leadership, and his on-field results suggest a foundation that could grow in the seasons to come. With momentum from an 8-4 inaugural season, expectations for Delaware State will continue to build.