Unexpected break from football
While on his football days in high school, there was a random blip on his radar. Before joining the Seahawks, he played for the University of Maryland. However, he had a quick break.
After high school, Jefferson, who picked Maryland over Cincinnati, Iowa and Pittsburgh, took a year off. He told the Baltimore Sun in 2012 that he had an “undisclosed injury” causing him to do so.
“Around July, I realized I couldn’t come. And it hurt me. It hurt my soul,” he said.
So what did he do in that year? Well, worked out. He had to be ready for the ensuing season. But what else? Well he worked the graveyard shift, from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Best Buy, unloading merchandise from trucks. Like many other tough times, Jefferson took that experience as a positive.
“It was a humbling experience because you see what could happen if you don’t get an education,” Jefferson said. “I just realized I can’t do this for a living. I’ve got to get my education, get back in school and get my head back on straight.”
Can this play count as two quarterback hits at once? Because Quinton Jefferson tackled Andre Smith and Andy Dalton after this bull rush… pic.twitter.com/LESj8sOD4C
— Corbin Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) September 12, 2019