it’s no surprise that Lamar Jackson has continued to progress in his career, having worked his way up to become one of the best in the world of football at a very young age. Famed for his rare speed and athleticism, Jackson is the first Louisville player to win the Heisman Trophy, a feat he achieved on December 10, 2016.
The only college footballer to have won the trophy twice was Archie Mason-Griffin, a former American football running back who played with the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s also a proud winner of several awards, including the Walter Camp Award (2016) and the Maxwell Award, Sporting News Player of the Year (2016) and ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Find out more about the American footballer as you scroll through.
Who is Lamar Jackson?
The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson was born on January 7, 1997, in Pompano Beach, Florida. Born as Lamar Demeatrice Johnson, he had his high school education at Boynton Beach High School, where he actually began his football career.
Jackson started playing football at the age of eight. At the time, he was trained by his mother and a local trainer named Van “Peanut” Warren. He became more popular after he was rated as the #8 dual-threat quarterback in the nation and 4-star prospect in Florida. Under coach Rick Swain, he recorded massive achievements in his career. Lamar’s success in football saw him emerge as the first Boynton Beach student to win the Lou Groza Awards’ High School Player of the Year. In 2015, Johnson began his studies at the University of Louisville after he was recruited by Lamar Thomas, Louisville’s lead recruiter at the time.
Throughout history, many young men have excelled in college football. But Lamar Jackson holds the world record as the first player to total 1,000 rushing yards and over 3,000 passing yards in consecutive seasons in College football history. Owing to his meteoric rise to prominence, many football fans believe handsome Lamar has so many things in common with Teddy Bridgewater, a collegiate standout at the University of Louisville and MVP of the 2013 Sugar Bowl. He is ranked 10th in the FBS, having set a school record with 1,571 rushing yards as a runner with impressive speed.
His Career Accomplishments
As a freshman at Louisville, Jackson was featured in 12 games. He made eight impressive starts and also earned himself an overwhelming admiration and popularity after running for 960 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns for Louisville Cardinals in 2015. He also completed 135-of-247 passes for 1,840 yards with 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He went on to win the 2016 Heisman Trophy in his sophomore year and his fan base grew impressively. In his Junior year, he was conferred with the ACC Athlete of the Year title.
Lamar’s professional career began in 2018 when he was drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens with the 37th overall pick. Indeed it has been an interesting journey for the outstanding footballer. In his first professional season, Lamar played a total of 28 games out of which he started 19. He recorded 3,733 passing yards with 31 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. In the same season, he had 1,672 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns.
Details About Lamar Jackson’s Family
Lamar Jackson grew up without his father. The football quarterback lost his father Lamar Jackson Sr. at a very young age. Reports have it that his father died from a severe heart attack. His bereaved mother Felicia Jones had to raise her kids alone. Growing up without a father by his side was Johnson’s worst childhood experience. Though his mother was there for him during his childhood days, he knew someone special was missing in his life.
Felicia has been a supportive mother to Lamar ever since she lost her husband. She not only supported his career path went on to play the role of a coach. She was always there at her son’s training and workout sessions. For those who do not know, Jones plays the role of Jackson’s manager and played her managerial roles during her son’s drafting. He has a younger brother called Jamar Jackson, who used to be his training mate when his career was just beginning to take off. Felicia Jones is her son’s big fan, the most influential person he knows and an irreplaceable source of help in his life and football career. Till date, Jones still runs the sprints and also trains up-and-coming footballers in Louisville.
In a time where most successful footballers crave and enjoy the spotlight, Jackson has successfully distanced himself from public attention and controversies that come with stardom. The American college football player is not in any known relationship with the opposite sex as he seems very focused in life, giving his career his best. In addition, he has never tied the knot in the past, neither has he fathered a child with any woman.
His Height and Body Weight
Marked as someone who can single-handedly win games, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner has his height and body build to thank for his flexibility on the pitch. His height stands at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) while his weight is currently pegged at 211 lbs (96 kg).
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