Grateful For His Time at Cal, Jackson Sirmon Says His Football Days Aren't Over
Inside linebacker Jackson Sirmon, Cal’s best football player the past two seasons, said he was “extremely emotional” after suffering a season-ending injury to his left biceps muscle but remains grateful for his career and says he plans to play more football.
“I don’t plan on that being my last game or my last snap,” the 23-year-old sixth-year player told reporters Tuesday in his first public comments since the injury on Oct. 7 against Oregon State.
“I’ll rehab from this the same way I attack everything and I think good things will happen.”
Sirmon’s Cal playing days are over, but he hopes to fulfill a long-time ambition to play in the NFL. “Obviously, this might change the path or the route or the journey but it doesn’t change the goals for me.”
Sirmon acknowledged he’ll miss any postseason all-star games but expects to be heathy enough to participate in Cal’s spring Pro Day event and the NFL Combine, which begins Feb. 27, if he’s invited.
A first-team All-Pac-12 selection a year ago, Sirmon sat out Cal’s 34-14 loss at Utah last Saturday just two days after undergoing surgery. He is wearing a splint to immobilize the arm but said that should come off in a few more days.
Matthew Cindric, left, and Jackson Sirmon at Pac-12 media day.
Photo by Kyle Terada, USA Today
The injury — similar to what sixth-year center Matthew Cindric suffered early this season — happened when Sirmon found himself in an awkward position and tried reaching out to make an arm tackle on an OSU ball carrier.
“My arm got pulled back and it just popped,” he said.
Sirmon said he knew immediately the injury would cost him the rest of his final season with the Bears.
“At first it was really difficult. I was extremely emotional for many reasons,” he said. "You put a lot of work in in the offseason and you come back for a sixth year and it’s disappointing when it’s ended early and kind of without warning. I’m disappointed I can’t help the team out.
“I‘m grateful for coming here, for being at Cal, I’m grateful for everything that happened in my career. My college career has turned out about as good as I could have imagined it.”
He said he has appreciated playing for coach Justin Wilcox and also his father, Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon. Jackson transferred to Cal from Washington prior to the 2022 season and led the Bears with 104 tackles last season.
Having the chance to play for his father was one of the reasons Sirmon exited UW for Cal.
“It’s been a fantastic experience,” he said. “Part of it is because I have a really good relationship and it’s been great to see him in his element every day. The other part is he’s a really good football coach.”
Asked if he has learned anything new about his father, Sirmon said, “Seeing your dad at work is different than seeing him at home.
“He was tough on me as a kid and he’s still tough on my now.”
Just as Cindric moved into a different role, trying to assist with Cal’s younger offensive linemen, Jackson said he wants to be helpful in that same way with linebackers.
“I’m planning on making myself as useful as possible in trying to help this team win,” he said. “Part of that is because I want to help out the team and part of it is not getting bored. I don’t think good happens when you get bored. I’m trying to keep myself locked in, keep myself entertained.”
In the video at the top he talks about Cal’s other inside linebackers, including Blake Antzoulatos, Hunter Barth and Cade Uluave, who had nine tackles in the Utah game.
He also said he already has shared advice with Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who has played opposite him at inside linebacker and shares the Pac-12 lead with 64 tackles through seven games.
“My message to him is just be prepared to have a lot more responsibility put on your shoulders,” Sirmon said. “You’ll have to learn how to deal with that from a young age. When I was his age, I didn’t have that responsibility.
“So he has to grow up a lot faster than I did. I think I can help him through that process a little bit.”
Jackson Sirmon (8) and teammates celebrate his touchdown vs. Stanford last season.
Photo by Darren Yamashita, USA Today
In 18 games with the Bears, Sirmon had 153 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and one interception. He had 15 tackles last season at Notre Dame and returned a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown to help Cal beat Stanford 27-20 in the Big Game.
At Washington, Sirmon had 147 tackles in 37 games over four seasons.
Sirmon said he’s enjoyed from afar watching his ex-teammates in Seattle compile a 6-0 record and No. 5 spot in the AP Top-25 rankings.
“I still am really good buddies with guys on that team. I’m happy for them,” Sirmon said. "I don’t have jealousy or anything like that. I really value the position I’m in here and I really enjoy being at Cal and am really happy being where I am.”
Cover photo of Cal linebacker Jackson Sirmon
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
