You can learn a lot about Adoree’ Jackson by what he says about the biggest play of his nine-year career.
On Christmas Day 2023 at the Linc, Jackson picked off Jalen Hurts at the Linc and returned it 76 yards for the longest pick-6. It’s the 2nd-longest pick-6 ever by a Giant against the Eagles and the longest by any defensive player against the Eagles since Patrick Robinson - another former Eagle - had a 99-yarder off Michael Vick at the Superdome in 2012.
You’d think Jackson might have spoken with a little braggadocio or a little bluster recalling that play after he signed with the Eagles. But nothing of the sort. For one big reason.
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The Giants lost.
So for him, it’s not a moment to celebrate.
“If I can be honest now, my first pick-six, I don't want to say it didn't mean much, but at the same time I knew what type of game it was and what was about to happen,” he said.
“Really what I remember about that game is right after the pick six, it was a 3rd-and-and-hell-of-long, like third-and-whatever, A.J. Brown hits a comeback. I'm out of the game because I need oxygen. They throw a comeback on our sideline. It was deep right. He made like a deep comeback. He caught it on third-and-20 something. They converted and they go down and score.”
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Jackson’s memory is spot on.
His touchdown and Saquon Barkley’s two-point conversion brought the Giants within two points at 20-18 at the end of the third quarter. Moments later, the Eagles had a 3rd-and-20 on their own 26, and Hurts converted with a 32-yard completion to Brown. A few plays after that D’Andre Swift scored from five yards out to extend the Eagles’ lead back out to nine points on the way to a 33-25 win.
“And so the game goes from being down maybe three (and) being able to swing the game back to our way to win it to now it's back out of reach,” he said. “So that's really what I remember.
“I was thankful I got my first pick-6 there, but we didn't win. So it's like whatever. So that's really what I remember about Christmas Day.”
That’s a nice little window into the mentality of Jackson, who the Eagles signed to a one-year contract to provide cornerback depth this year after the losses of Darius Slay, Isaiah Rodgers and Avonte Maddox.
It's not about him, it’s about the team, and that should make him a good fit in this team’s culture.
Jackson, 29, spent four years with the Titans and four with the Giants before signing with the Eagles. He’s played in 97 games with 82 starts and was a starter on the 2019 Titans team that reached the AFC Championship Game, losing to the Chiefs.
How does his mentality fit with the Eagles?
“I did talk to Saquon (before he signed),” Jackson said. “He's a competitor, and the first thing he said was, ‘You know, they’re just like you. They just love to compete. They compete at everything.’ And pretty much that's all I needed to know. As long as somebody wants to compete, whether it's playing rock, paper, scissors, playing cards, we could be swimming, don't matter. As long as we're competing and trying to get to it, I appreciate that.”
And at 29, he doesn’t really fit into Howie Roseman’s youth movement, and he’s actually the oldest defensive player on the roster.
“I think it really doesn't matter,” he said. “So I'm excited about that and being one of the oldest in the room is cool. I came in one of the youngest. It's just the circle of life. It's a part of the game so I appreciate being able to be in this position.”