It has been one season since veteran wide receiver Vincent Jackson last took the field for an NFL team, and that doesn't appear like that will be changing anytime soon.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the 35-year-old has acknowledged on Friday morning that he is officially retired from the NFL after 12 seasons.
Wide receiver Vincent Jackson is "very happily retired" from the NFL, a rep for the three-time Pro Bowler told @ESPN. Jackson, who's focused on community/business work in Tampa since last playing in 2016, finishes his career with 9,080 receiving yards and 57 touchdown catches.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 18, 2018
Jackson spent his NFL career playing with the San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Following his selection with the 61st overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, he worked his way up to a prominent role in the passing game with the Chargers to which he became the first wide receiver in team history record 1,000 receiving yards since 2001 when accomplished that feat in the 2008 campaign.
He had pushed his way up to being one of the primary targets in the passing game for Philips Rivers while helping the franchise make four consecutive playoff appearances behind an AFC division title in each season that included reaching the AFC Championship game. The Chargers have taken to social media to congratulate Jackson on his retirement.
Congratulations on a great career, @VincentTJackson! pic.twitter.com/beo90hhWHj
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 18, 2018
Jackson would spend the last five years of his career with the Buccaneers where he was initially a primary asset in the passing game with at least 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards in each campaign. He holds the franchise records for most receiving yards in a single game (216) and longest reception (95 yards).
His level of production tittered off significantly in his last two seasons as the emergence of Mike Evans along with his struggles with injuries limited his impact. He had attempted to latch onto a team last offseason but was unable to do so, and that likely pushed him to make this official decision this year. Jackson finished his career with some respectable numbers making 540 catches for 9,080 receiving yards and 57 touchdowns in 155 career games with 127 starts. During that span, he notched three 1,000-yard seasons in each of his tenures with the Chargers and Buccaneers.
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