Tryout kicker Mark Jackson participates in the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Rookie Minicamp football practice on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Pittsburgh (AP Photo/Gene J. Pusker)
PITTSBURGH — Mark Jackson doesn't look out of place.
Jackson's yellow No. 2 jersey stands inside the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice facility on Friday, among 42 other players trying to get head coach Mike Tomlin's attention during the team's rookie minicamp. It's melting inside. At 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds, Jackson is much taller than another kicker, Caleb Shudak.
However, things change when Jackson starts speaking. And it becomes clear very quickly that while Jackson doesn't look out of place, he certainly sounds out of place.
A long stint in the United States, chasing a job he never saw coming, could not take away some of the edge of Jackson's Irish brogue. At one point, the 25-year-old from Baltinglass (just over an hour southwest of Dublin) is asked to spell out the name of his hometown for clarity, a request that Jackson happily obliges. Ta.
In Jackson's way of thinking, it's okay if you have to translate it a little to make it work for you. If only the skills he honed playing Gaelic football in his homeland (think soccer and rugby with elements of basketball) could be applied to the American version.
For a player who had never kicked an American football until six months ago, Tajig Leader, who runs the professional kicking program in Ireland, reached out and asked Jackson if he would be interested in joining the NFL's International Pathway. There is probably some hope. program.
Shortly thereafter, Jackson trained in Florida, where he rode the combine and attended his pro day. He returned home and earned an invitation to Pittsburgh after winning the team's first American football kicking clinic in Dublin.
Yes, it was tough for a player who admits he has spent most of his life playing his country's national sport.
“For a kid growing up in Ireland, the NFL is the furthest thing from a dream.” Jackson said. “You could say it's a dream, but in reality I don't even dream that big.”
Back in his hometown, Jackson is a goalkeeper, taking free kicks from deep if he's not making a save. must be hit over a crossbar that is 8 feet above the ground. The space between his goalposts is 21 feet wide.
Jackson points out that there are only two sports in the world that require players to kick the ball directly from the ground through the uprights. One is American football. Another is the game he grew up playing.
“There are definitely transferable skills there.” Jackson said.
Still, it took some getting used to operating the snapper and holder and knowing when to initiate the motion. The sweet spot in American football is also narrow, so a little more subtlety is required.
Jackson believes consistency is one of the biggest issues. Obviously, strength is not one of them. When asked about his distance, he said Jackson once made a field goal from 70 yards out in training. Rather than goofing around on kickoff, take a traditional three-step approach.
“I think I've always had big feet.” Jackson said.
There's a certain pedigree for Irish athletes to make it to the NFL. Charlie Smith, like Jackson, is a Gaelic football veteran who signed a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints in March. Green Bay punter Daniel Whelan grew up on the coast of Ireland and immigrated to the United States as a teenager.
Jackson may sound wide-eyed about his unexpected journey, but he's serious about finding a way to survive. He signed with Robert Roche, who represents Baltimore Ravens star Justin Tucker, but asked what he expected to get out of a tryout with Pittsburgh, which has one of the league's best kickers in Chris Boswell. When asked, he seemed a little confused.
“Obviously, the main goal coming here is to get a deal.” Jackson said. “That's why I'm here. I wouldn't be here for any other reason.”
If Jackson performs well over the weekend, he could earn a spot on the 90-man roster as an extra leg during training camp.
Alternatively, the NFL's new kickoff rules could favor directional kicks and require kickers to participate more actively in the return game, which could lend itself to Jackson's special skill set.
Goalkeepers in Gaelic football sometimes act as de facto quarterbacks, using their legs to send pinpoint passes to open teammates in hopes of creating rushes in the opposite direction.
“I think that suits us Irish. We're not small players either. We're big and strong and can make tackles.” Jackson said. “We've been hitting in a lot of different sports. I mean… you have to put the ball in a certain area of the field, that's what we grew up with. That's just what feeds us. is.”
And if Jackson can find a foothold in Pittsburgh, all the better. The NFL granted international marketing rights to the franchise in Ireland last year, and Hall of Fame Steelers chairman and president Dan Rooney served as U.S. ambassador to Ireland from 2009 to 2012.
The popularity of the Irish national rugby team is one reason why interest in the NFL has soared in Jackson's home country, where it is ranked second in the world. If he can find a job with the Steelers, perhaps there could be a flood of athletes looking to transition from one form of football to another.
“It shows you how much the NFL is growing in Ireland.” Jackson said. “And yes, I want to be a part of that.”
