Tyoka Jackson
Encyclopedia
Tyoka Jackson is a former professional American football
player. He played 12 seasons in the NFL
as a defensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins
, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, St. Louis Rams
, and Detroit Lions
. He retired from football following the 2006 NFL season
.
in Forestville, Maryland
and was a student and a starting defensive lineman on the football team. As a senior football player, he garnered 12 quarterback sacks and more than 100 tackles
, and earned All-Metro honors from The Washington Post
.
. As a sophomore, he posted a team-leading 9.5 sacks, and 25 tackles. His junior season, he won second team All-East honors and garnered three sacks and 25 tackles. As a senior, he was a Football News All-America
n honorable mention pick, and named first team All-Big Ten
. He posted a team-leading eight sacks, in addition to 41 tackles.
In 1994, Jackson earned a Bachelor of Arts
in Labor and Industrial Relations from Penn State University.
. He would forge a 12-year career in the NFL, spending his first season with Miami, followed by five each with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and St. Louis Rams. He would follow Rams head coach Mike Martz
to the Detroit Lions for a final season in 2006
. He retired following his release from Detroit on March 2, 2007.
projects. The company also was responsible for bringing the first (and only) IHOP
franchise to Washington, D.C.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played 12 seasons in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
as a defensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. He retired from football following the 2006 NFL season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
.
High school years
Jackson attended Bishop McNamara High SchoolBishop McNamara High School
Bishop McNamara High School, a college preparatory school in the Holy Cross tradition, is in Forestville, Maryland. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.-History:...
in Forestville, Maryland
Forestville, Maryland
Forestville is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,707 at the 2000 census...
and was a student and a starting defensive lineman on the football team. As a senior football player, he garnered 12 quarterback sacks and more than 100 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, and earned All-Metro honors from The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
.
College career
Jackson was a standout on defense at Penn StatePennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. As a sophomore, he posted a team-leading 9.5 sacks, and 25 tackles. His junior season, he won second team All-East honors and garnered three sacks and 25 tackles. As a senior, he was a Football News All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n honorable mention pick, and named first team All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. He posted a team-leading eight sacks, in addition to 41 tackles.
In 1994, Jackson earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Labor and Industrial Relations from Penn State University.
NFL
Undrafted in 1994, Jackson signed with the Miami Dolphins, shortly after the 1994 NFL Draft1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
. He would forge a 12-year career in the NFL, spending his first season with Miami, followed by five each with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and St. Louis Rams. He would follow Rams head coach Mike Martz
Mike Martz
Michael Martz is a former NFL head coach and currently the offensive coordinator for the National Football League's Chicago Bears....
to the Detroit Lions for a final season in 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
. He retired following his release from Detroit on March 2, 2007.
After football
Jackson founded the Jackson Investment Company in 1995. The company specializes in the purchase and development of residential real estate for urban renewalUrban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
projects. The company also was responsible for bringing the first (and only) IHOP
IHOP
IHOP may refer to:* IHOP, a restaurant chain, formerly known as The International House of Pancakes* International House of Prayer, a Christian 24/7 prayer center in Kansas City, Missouri...
franchise to Washington, D.C.