Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I was watching Bo Jackson highlights; the guy was spectacular. Long runs, 5.4 YPC, 70+ rushing yards per game. The Raiders usually had Marcus Allen carrying the ball near the goal line, so Bo only had 16 rushing TDs...but the average distance was 29 yards, which I assume is some type of record.

Anyways, Bo didn't want to play for the Bucs, played for the Royals instead...but does anyone remember the context of the Raiders drafting Bo Jackson in the 7th round? It seems like Al Davis pulled a fast one on the rest of the NFL. Did the other teams just assume Bo didn't want to play football? Or did they hold it against Bo that he was playing baseball and didn't draft him out of spite? It seems like the most logical team would have been the KC Chiefs drafting Bo, but it appears they had no interest.

It reminds me of when Russell Wilson was the QB at NC State...he was incredible, but the football coach didn't want him playing baseball and kicked him off the team. Wilson went to Wisconsin, who always was weak at the QB spot, and he became probably the best QB Wisconsin ever had. I thought that was the dumbest move in college football history by that NC State football coach.

The Bucs handled Jackson stupidly ... The Raiders were probably the only team that would allow Jackson to play both sports. He considered football at the time his "hobby". After his hip injury, teams probably felt that great athletes needed to stick to football but Primetime was the exception, though playing with the Braves, the Falcons didnt have Deion to help them win crucial early season games that might have saved Glanville's job.

I still consider Jackson the greatest athlete of the 20th century, even over Muhammad Ali ...

Bryan wrote:I was watching Bo Jackson highlights; the guy was spectacular. Long runs, 5.4 YPC, 70+ rushing yards per game. The Raiders usually had Marcus Allen carrying the ball near the goal line, so Bo only had 16 rushing TDs...but the average distance was 29 yards, which I assume is some type of record.

Anyways, Bo didn't want to play for the Bucs, played for the Royals instead...but does anyone remember the context of the Raiders drafting Bo Jackson in the 7th round? It seems like Al Davis pulled a fast one on the rest of the NFL. Did the other teams just assume Bo didn't want to play football? Or did they hold it against Bo that he was playing baseball and didn't draft him out of spite? It seems like the most logical team would have been the KC Chiefs drafting Bo, but it appears they had no interest.

It reminds me of when Russell Wilson was the QB at NC State...he was incredible, but the football coach didn't want him playing baseball and kicked him off the team. Wilson went to Wisconsin, who always was weak at the QB spot, and he became probably the best QB Wisconsin ever had. I thought that was the dumbest move in college football history by that NC State football coach.

Everyone assumed that Bo was not going to play football. He was pissed at the Bucs for ruining his final season of college baseball and people assumed he was pissed at the NFL in general.

The Raiders took him on a risk, but basically made a deal with him that he'd only be expected to play half a season of football. Bo was open to that and did it. I'm not sure there is a ton more to it, other than the Raiders simply agreeing to Bo's terms. The 30 for 30 "Bo Knows" might have some more details around that as well.

Some truly believe it was a trick by the Bucs to box Bo in and make him commit to football (Bo still does and remains bitter), or just outright poor planning/preparation by the team. Tend to think it was the latter with the way they were run those days. The Bucs seemed to do everything wrong regarding Jackson. They never talked to Pat Dye, when Culverhouse flew up to meet him he spoke of the Crimson Tide's win over Auburn in an arrogant fashion...supposedly he spoke of his players using language that irritated Bo, then ultimately the plane ride and the consequences thereafter. And somehow they still ended up drafting him when he told them not to. And they never even traded his rights...I mean seriously at one point shouldn't you have tried to get something for him?

Also should be said that Bo should've had enough people in his orbit at the time that someone could've pulled him aside and said hold on, let's make sure we know this is ok and won't get you in trouble...get something in writing etc

I've never fully understood why the Bucs no longer had his rights and became available to be redrafted (presumably because they failed to sign him in a year) but yet the Bills still had Jim Kelly's rights 3 years after drafting him.

Brian wolf wrote:I still consider Jackson the greatest athlete of the 20th century, even over Muhammad Ali ...

20th century includes Jim Thorpe.

After Jackson signed with the Raiders, Kirk Gibson indicated that Davis (or the Raiders) had inquired about his possible interest in playing football. He'd been drafted by the Cardinals (also in a later round) back in 79 and had first-round potential.

ESPN has gushed about Jackson for decades, but the reality is that the baseball version of Jackson could probably be described as Dave Kingman with speed. Home runs and plenty of strikeouts (35 percent of his career AB's.) He was a great athlete who conceivably could have been a potential HOFer in either sport, but decided to be a marketable freak show in two sports instead.

Reaser wrote:

Brian wolf wrote:I still consider Jackson the greatest athlete of the 20th century, even over Muhammad Ali ...

20th century includes Jim Thorpe.

And Jim Brown, who would be my choice.

rhickok1109 wrote:

Reaser wrote:

Brian wolf wrote:I still consider Jackson the greatest athlete of the 20th century, even over Muhammad Ali ...

20th century includes Jim Thorpe.

And Jim Brown, who would be my choice.

Yeah, when people can make an argument for him being the 'best ever' in two different sports, I'd say that's a bit above Bo just playing two different sports, ha.

Thorpe of course was good/great at all of those sports, too. And a bunch more.

Thorpe is indeed awesome but even Jackson's track coaches at Auburn felt he could have been a Decathlon Olympic medal winner if he focused on that sport ...