Enshrine Rickey Jackson Into The Pro Football Hall Of Fame!
15 NFL seasons, 227 games played, 128 sacks (plus 8 unofficial in 1981), 8 interceptions, 28 defensive fumble recoveries, 6 time Pro-Bowler, 5 All Pro team selections, 6 seasons with 10 or more sacks, and 1 Superbowl victory. Sound like a Hall of Fame NFL career? Apparently the Hall of Fame Selection Board feels differently. It is the opinion of these petitioners that Rickey Jackson is being unfairly penalized for playing in one of the smallest markets in the NFL and one of the historically most underperforming NFL franchises, the New Orleans Saints. The decreased exposure during his career has left him on the outside of the Hall Of Fame looking in. Jackson has been on the official ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the past 9 years, but has never been voted a finalist. He was a cornerstone of the Saints' famed "Dome Patrol" linebacking corp, which the NFL Network ranked as #1 in NFL history. His 28 defensive fumble recoveries rank 2nd in NFL history behind only Jim Marshall's 29 of the Cleveland Brown's and Minnesota Vikings. His 128 official sacks ranks 10th all-time, 28 sacks ahead of 2008 inductee Andre Tippet by comparison, who played in the same era as Rickey Jackson. He missed only 4 games in his illustrious career, 2 of those due to an auto accident, which left him with a wired jaw. He played the remainder of that season with his jawed wired shut while finishing with 7.5 sacks.
Whether you're a Saints fan or not, if you are a football fan with a sense of football history, what it means to be a good football player, and what it is to be a Hall of Fame player, please show your support for Rickey Jackson by adding your signature to this petition.
15 NFL seasons, 227 games played, 128 sacks (plus 8 unofficial in 1981), 8 interceptions, 28 defensive fumble recoveries, 6 time Pro-Bowler, 5 All Pro team selections, 6 seasons with 10 or more sacks, and 1 Superbowl victory. Sound like a Hall of Fame NFL career? Apparently the Hall of Fame Selection Board feels differently. It is the opinion of these petitioners that Rickey Jackson is being unfairly penalized for playing in one of the smallest markets in the NFL and one of the historically most underperforming NFL franchises, the New Orleans Saints. The decreased exposure during his career has left him on the outside of the Hall Of Fame looking in. Jackson has been on the official ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the past 9 years, but has never been voted a finalist. He was a cornerstone of the Saints' famed "Dome Patrol" linebacking corp, which the NFL Network ranked as #1 in NFL history. His 28 defensive fumble recoveries rank 2nd in NFL history behind only Jim Marshall's 29 of the Cleveland Brown's and Minnesota Vikings. His 128 official sacks ranks 10th all-time, 28 sacks ahead of 2008 inductee Andre Tippet by comparison, who played in the same era as Rickey Jackson. He missed only 4 games in his illustrious career, 2 of those due to an auto accident, which left him with a wired jaw. He played the remainder of that season with his jawed wired shut while finishing with 7.5 sacks.
Whether you're a Saints fan or not, if you are a football fan with a sense of football history, what it means to be a good football player, and what it is to be a Hall of Fame player, please show your support for Rickey Jackson by adding your signature to this petition.
We, the undersigned, encourage you, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Board of Selectors, to select Rickey Jackson to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After 9 years of waiting, we feel you have overlooked one of the premier players at his position and of his era in the National Football League. We ask that you compare his statistics to those of Lawerence Taylor and Andre Tippet, players in the Hall of Fame who played during the same time frame. We are not saying these players do not deserve their Hall of fame status, they truly do, we are only stating that Rickey Jackson does as well.
We thank you for taking the time to consider our petition and the opinions contained within. We, as NFL fans, have the upmost confidence that you will move forward with the process of electing Rickey Jackson, #57, to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
HE DESERVES IT.
His strong work ethic that proved to be the source of success for a linebacking corp and the example of leadership. His accomplishments on and off the field.
Rickey Jackson was the heart and soul of one of the fiercest defenses in football in his era. His stats are top-notch and worthy of HOF consideration. He was tough and intimidating and would have had even greater stats if teams had run in his direction instead of away from him. However, to me his greatest strength was his ability to play game in and game out at a consistently high level. If I'm not mistaken, he missed only 1 game in his Saints career after suffering a bad motorcycle accident. He came back the following week playing with a special helmet to protect the facial injuries he received in the accident. He was one tough mutha!
Rickey was not only a super defensive player, but he inspired the defensive team with his leadership. He was definitely a Super Saint, and certainly does deserve the honor of being drafted into the Football Hall of Fame.
He is, without a doubt, one of the greatest linebackers to ever play the game. His sack total is tenth all time in NFL history and he is second all time in fumble recoveries. If he isn't a candidate for the Hall of Fame, then I don't know who is.
He deserves to be in the hall. His stats alone prove it, and New Orleans has waited long enough.
What a shame in not having RJ in the HOF. Just watch highlights of the Dome Patrol and ask HOF offensive linemen of that era what they thought of RJ. One of the greatest of all time.
#1 linebacking corps ever and not one hall of famer??? Seems odd to me Rickey was the anchor of that group, and was probably the best defensive player to ever walk through the dome
Rickey Jackson has the stats, but the Hall is committed to keeping Saints out.
When he was in the game... The quarterback HAD to be aware of him. He was definately a game changer
Ricky Jackson was the best player on a team that had six straight non-losing seasons without any offense what so ever... And is 10th in sacks all time.
He was a punishing LB missing only one game due to a car wreck. Had his jaw wired shut and a special face mask made so he could play the next week. He made the defense better in New Orleans, along with Sam Mills, Pat Swilling and Vaughn Johnson, aka the "Dome Patrol."
Rickey Jackson was one of the NFL's best defensive players of all time.
The stats speak for themselves. He should have been inducted years ago.
One of the greatest linebackers of all time---Duh! I guess the HOF voters never saw him play.......
If Lawrence Taylor had gone to New Orleans and Rickey Jackson had gone to New York, Rickey Jackson would be Lawrence Taylor.
Rickey has EARNED this.
Ricky Jackson is the forgotten great Linebacker in the history of the NFL. His stats stack up to Lawrence Taylor and in some ways was better. Rickey Jackson was as unblockable as LT. Rickey Jackson was much better than many linebackers in the HOF. He DESERVES to be in the HOF over ANY other player on the list.
If you have to ask why Rickey Jackson should be in the Hall of Fame, you've never seen him play.
Rickey, Was one of the best players ever at his position and his record still stands. The NFL H.O.F should be proud to have Rickey listed for his accomplishments.
Because he great best lb ever
Ricky deserves to be the Hall as he demonstrated tremendous sportmanship on the field while setting the bar for all linebackers
Rickey Jackson was one of the most dominant players at his position in league history. I've watched him virtually single handedly turn a sure loss into a win. He was the heart and soul of the New Orleans Saints in those days, and if he played in a larger market, he would have been inducted long ago.
All u had 2 do was watch him play. He never took a play off. Heart and Soul of the Saints. Geaux Ricky!!!
Ricky Jackson is the best player to ever play for the Saints. He made an impact on the way defense was played. He not ony led the team in sacks, he allowed the other players to get sacks by forcing the quarterbacks to react to his prerssure
Rickey Jackson was the best football player in Saints history. In my opinion, the entire 'Dome Patrol' linebacker corps should be in the hall of fame, but 'City Champ' was the best. He was tough, fast, and furious. I saw him play solid quality football play in and play out, and I saw him rise to the occasion when the game was on the line. He was a big play nightmare to opposing offenses as they tried to mount a late drive to win the game. It was a time in the dome when fans got used to watching their defense win games, and Rickey Jackson was often the catalyst.
besides being my favorite football player of all time he was the ancor of the BEST linebacker core in NFL hostory . This man was in a car accident and shattered his jaw and the next sunday he was playing football. This man deserves to be in the nfl hof. He is a hall of famer limbacker and he has been shunned out of the votes it is his time to recieve that gold jacket and take his place with th other legands and greats
Just look at the numbers! His record with New Orleans and SF speaks volume. Let's not forget about the Dome Patrol "Rickey, Sam, Vaughn and Pat were rated by NFL Network as the #1 linebacker corps of all-times. New Orleans has never had any H.O.F. and to deny Rickey Jackson his place amongst the greats would be an injustice.
His numbers speak for themselves. To say he was a part of the best linebacking crop in NFL history and pass him over is a damn shame.
Rickey Jackson deserves to be in the HOF. He's earned it!
Rickey ranks up there with some of the greatest defensive players of all time.
It is important to look at the stats and remember he was definitely considered one of the best olb's during his time to play.
Come on...YOU know this guy deserves HOF...get it together!
Rickey was one of the finest linebackers in the NFL for 13 years. Dominating player who was great against rhe run, pass, and a terrific pass rusher.
Ask the players who had to go against him. 128 sacks = 10th in NFL history and don't forget he has Super Bowl ring.
he was a beast!
One of the all time greats, loved watching him play and scoop up those fumbles
Ricky was one of the greatest he put the fear of god into quaterbacks. He left it everything out on the field when he played. He never got the publicty like Lawrence Taylor did,thats because he played for the SAINTS and thats because the media is bias and in the north east
He was a member of the Saints' famed "Dome Patrol", a four-man linebacking corps which the NFL Network ranked as the best in NFL history. NONE of those guys are in the HOF. WHY!?!.
he kept it real always
he was and still is the epitome of professional linebacking he was every bit as good if not better than lawrence taylor who is in the hof
RICKEY RULED...Greatest defensive player of the 1980s and early 1990s!
Long gone are the days of when quarterbacks were afraid to play teams with guys like Rickey, Taylor and Mann on their team. Today the game is geared more for the offense to put up big numbers and have big plays, instead of worrying about defenses. Offensive coordinators worry about what crazy offense they can come up with when they used to worry about how to keep guys like Rickey from ruining their season with a good hit or a lot of hits to the QB. Today QBs enjoy a sense of security that a late hit or a hard hit could cost the defenses team the game. Rickey Jackson was a player who demanded respect from the offenses and led his team mates by example. Consideration should be given to how Rickey played the game not what team he played for or how many superbowl appearances he had. Players like Rickey are why the league came up with a lot of rules we have today concerning the defense. Lets face it they were just to good, there was nothing offenses could do against them. Warren Sapp said it best " defense won't win you games but it will give you the opportunity" and that is what Rickey Jackson did for New Orleans for years. I say bring back the days when QBs didn't enjoy the luxury of a twenty year career like they do today. Make no mistake I don't want to see people getting their heads ripped off, but it would be nice if they weren't treated like they were made of glass. A great injustice would be done not only to Rickey Jackson but also to the entire sport if he some how failed to achieve induction into the hall of fame. After the considerable contributions he made to the sport.
Rickey Jackson was one of the great all around linebackers. Just look at his career rankings in sacks, fumbles, passes defensed (for linebackers), etc. A perennial All Pro player, Rickey was rewarded with a late career move to SF and I thought that was great! Now it's time to bestow HOF status on this all-time great.
I grew up watching Ricky Jackson and Vaughn Johnson wreak havok on offenses throughout the league. Ricky's stats speak for themselves. Please induct Ricky Jackson in to the NFL Hall of Fame.
his stats and performance merits his enshrinement in canton
As a kid, I remember watching Rickey and Hugh Green play at the University of Pittsburgh. Rickey was an absolute beast in college and his NFL career is too decorated not to be in the HOF.
Ricky Jackson was the core of the Dome Patrol. He must be in the hall of fame!!!
Rickey Jackson should be in the Hall of Fame because he was one of the best linebackers to ever play the game. Linebackers should be super athletes, instinctive and tough, and RJ was all of those. I mean, the guy played part of a season with his jaw wired shut! In my opinion, RJ was the best member of the Dome Patrol (although you could also make a good argument for Sam Mills).
Im also from Pahokee...I went to school with his kids and is a fellow Pahokian and a official "Muck Steppa". Rickey has shown that people from little towns as ours can have great Athletes and can accomplish anything they want. Im curently serving 12 year in the U.S. Army and is stationed in Camp Humphrey S. Korea. I know Rickey is home and when i return I plan to visit him and his family whom i called friends since we was small!! God bless!!
