Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson left the team in free agency to head to the Los Angeles Chargers. However, the team never seriously pursued a reunion just one year after trading for Jackson.
So, why was that despite Jackson having splash plays and one of the better years of his career? The injuries that Jackson racked up, with a nagging back injury and a shoulder injury that caused him play to drop off were key factors.
“I was able to put together a pretty good year,” Jackson said on the Kickin’ it with Kunkel podcast. “It just sucks that injuries got in the way of a lot of my performance. Dealing with a lot of injuries, dealing with a lot of things. Couldn’t stay upright. Even though I had good stats, couldn’t stay upright, couldn’t stay available. Even when I was available, I still was out there playing hurt. I wish it would’ve ended better. Feel like I shot myself in the foot.”
The nagging back injury, a pinched nerve in his lower back, forced Jackson to leave two games early and miss one game.
However, his ball production shot up with the Steelers. A career-high five interceptions and 11 pass deflections likely made some teams more interested, and he clearly still has his speed
“I wish that I was able to give more from a health standpoint,” Jackson said. “I think that’s what ended things with me in Pittsburgh. Wasn’t playing healthy, and that messed up a lot of the things that I would do on the field. I couldn’t do certain things because of my shoulder. Then I had a back injury.”
The Steelers will travel to Los Angeles to face the Chargers in Week 10, so Jackson can get his revenge on the Steelers, but he noted that he loved playing for the team, so there is unlikely to be any emotions pent up from him.
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