Jordan Jackson is an underdog story with the Broncos

“His story is a great one relative to making this team,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of defensive lineman Jordan Jackson.

After playing college football for the Air Force Falcons, defensive lineman Jordan Jackson entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints in 2022.

He spent his rookie season on the Saints’ practice squad and then signed with the Denver Broncos in 2023. After that, Jackson spent his second season in the NFL on Denver’s practice squad.

This summer, Jackson was considered a practice squad candidate once again, but he beat the odds and ended up on the team’s 53-man roster after impressing during preseason.

“I would say the thing that stood out the most is his ability to get on an edge,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said when asked about Jackson earlier this week. “He’s tough to block, he’s disciplined and I think his story is a great one relative to making this team. He did it during training camp. When we talk about, ‘We’re keeping the best players regardless of once they’ve gotten here, how they’ve gotten here,’ that’s of no importance to us. He’s a good example of that.”

Jackson, 26, has dressed for all eight games this season as a rotational defensive lineman. He has totaled nine tackles on 164 defensive snaps. Jackson was an underdog this summer and he’s carried that mentality into the season and he continues to beat the odds in Denver.

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