Forward of his first regular-season recreation as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, veteran cornerback Donte Jackson is beginning to really feel the jitters — in a great way.
Jackson, who enters his seventh NFL season along with his first six in Carolina, acknowledged to reporters Wednesday that he’s feeling like a rookie once more forward of Sunday’s Week 1 season-opener towards the Atlanta Falcons in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“Oh, it’s tremendous, tremendous thrilling, man. I really feel like a rookie once more,” Jackson stated, in accordance with video by way of Steelers.com. “I really feel prefer it’s my first actual recreation ever, you understand? Being this solely my second group, being right here all through all this time, having to place within the work, go to Latrobe and do all that, and I at all times really feel such as you lastly get an opportunity to only go on the market and simply let all of it fly.
“And Sunday we’ve got an ideal alternative to go do one thing particular.”
That pleasure for Jackson has been there for the reason that day he was traded to the Steelers, calling his transfer to Pittsburgh a match made in heaven as a consequence of his play fashion and what the Steelers ask from their cornerbacks beneath defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
Up to now, he’s been a stable match total, including reliable management and expertise to the cornerback place, offering the Steelers with a confirmed working mate reverse second-year professional Joey Porter Jr.
Coming into Yr 7 and at last touchdown with the Steelers after they chased him for thus lengthy, Jackson nonetheless believes he’s an entire cornerback, too.
In his first six seasons — all with the Carolina Panthers — the previous second-round choose performed 4,281 snaps in 80 profession video games. In these 80 profession video games, Jackson has 303 tackles, 15. tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 14 interceptions, 46 passes defensed, three compelled fumbles, one fumble restoration and one landing.
Final season with Carolina, Jackson began 16 video games and completed with 59 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 5 go breakups. He allowed 45 receptions for 588 yards on 57 targets final season, giving up three touchdowns and a QB ranking towards of 107.7.
In his Steelers debut, he’ll go towards a well-known NFC South foe within the Atlanta Falcons, a group Jackson has performed 11 occasions. In these 11 video games, Jackson has 34 tackles and three interceptions, which bodes nicely for the Steelers. He’s comfy enjoying in Atlanta and is aware of its personnel nicely.
All that, mixed with making his Steelers regular-season debut after enjoying simply 22 snaps within the preseason, has Jackson feeling giddy with some good-natured butterflies like he as soon as had as a rookie.
