Remembering Tarvaris Jackson, the Ideal Seahawk
On Monday morning, the entire NFL community received tragic news following the unexpected death of former quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.
Jackson, 36, lost control of his 2012 Chevrolet Camaro while driving on Sunday night, striking a tree and flipping the car over. Authorities promptly transported him to a local hospital, but he eventually was pronounced dead on site.
Looking back at his four seasons with the Seahawks, Jackson spent the vast majority of his time with the team on the sideline as a backup to Russell Wilson. But his importance to the franchise cannot be understated.
Before signing with Seattle, Jackson broke into the league as a second-round pick for Minnesota. He started 20 games in five seasons, failing to meet expectations early in his career before the team lured Brett Favre out of retirement.
Running out of chances with the Vikings, Jackson signed a two-year pact with the Seahawks in July 2011. He was quickly named the starter as a replacement for Matt Hasselbeck, who the team allowed to leave to join the Titans.
Starting 14 games, Jackson's overall numbers weren't impressive compared to most of the quarterbacks in the league that season. He finished with 3,091 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and a 60 percent completion rate.
Still, Jackson enjoyed the best season of his career playing for a young team in the midst of incredible roster turnover. Despite constantly being battered and bruised behind a struggling offensive line, he just kept getting back up ready for the next hit, winning over the locker room in the process.
Putting his toughness and competitive fire on full display, Jackson suffered a partially torn pectoral muscle in a Week 5 win over the Giants. After sitting out a Week 6 defeat to the Browns in Cleveland, he returned to action the following week, eventually leading the Seahawks to a strong 5-3 finish to close out the season.
During that flurry of success, Jackson helped engineer an upset win over the Ravens in Week 10, dispatching one of the AFC's best teams in a 22-17 home victory. He finished 17 for 27 for 217 yards and most importantly, didn't turn the football over.
Showcasing his grit, Jackson gutted out a painful injury over the final three months for a team that likely wasn't going to the playoffs. He earned the respect of coaches and teammates alike, and though he wasn't meant to be part of the team's long-term plans as a starting quarterback, he helped usher in the most successful period in franchise history.
After signing Matt Flynn and drafting Russell Wilson, Jackson was dealt to Buffalo in August 2012. He spent one season as a third-string quarterback with the Bills, eventually finding his way back to Seattle in a reserve role behind Wilson.
Bearing fruits from his courageous effort two years earlier as the Seahawks learned how to win, Jackson received a Super Bowl ring and even got to play a few snaps in Seattle's 43-8 dismantling of Denver at MetLife Stadium. He remained on the roster for two more seasons, providing a valuable veteran mentor for Wilson to lean on.
Glancing at responses from current and former Seahawks on social media, Jackson was a beloved teammate who others rallied behind. As tweeted by Carroll, Jackson was the ideal Seahawk who exhibited all the qualities he demands of his players. He will be greatly missed and his contributions to the franchise's eventual rise to NFC powerhouse will never be forgotten.
