Purdue WR Michael Jackson III Makes Promise Regarding Touchdown Celebrations
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Michael Jackson III's touchdown celebrations aren't going anywhere. The Purdue receiver said he's got a few more dance moves up his sleeve when he reaches the end zone throughout the season.
Saturday, Jackson had one of the best touchdown celebrations in college football, mimicking a move made popular by pop icon Michael Jackson. The move was so popular that he was featured on SportsCenter's 2-Minute Drill on Sunday morning.
This week, Jackson was asked about his touchdown celebration. He said he got plenty of requests from fans and teammates to do something special if he caught a pass in the end zone.
"It was mostly my teammates and fans pushing me to do it," Jackson said. "But, I have the name, so I might as well embrace it. That won't be the last one you see, for sure."
Jackson did admit that, while he knows how to do the famous move, he wasn't sure of the name.
"I don't know what he calls it, I've just seen him do it in a video he had, so I just copied off of that," he said.
Michael Jackson III extends @BoilerFootball's lead with this one 💪
— Purdue On BTN (@PurdueOnBTN) August 30, 2025
📺: @bigtennetwork pic.twitter.com/gLyeh6hCsf
Jackson leads Purdue in receptions
A transfer from Georgia, Jackson made quite an impact in his Purdue debut in Saturday's 31-0 win over Ball State. He hauled in a team-high six receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown in his first game as a Boilermaker.
Jackson said having a strong connection with quarterback Ryan Browne helped him have success on Saturday.
"We kind of know what to expect from each other," Jackson said. "We talk a lot on and off the field, building that chemistry, hanging out with each other. Just going over everything, watching film together. I think we just built that chemistry really fast in fall camp.
"The more I get open for him, he makes the read and I make the play, we're both doing our jobs."
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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