Russ Jackson

Russell Stanley Jackson (born July 28, 1936) is a Canadian former professional football player. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a member of the Order of Canada, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, and has been described as the best Canadian-born quarterback to play in the CFL. In 2006, Jackson was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players (#8) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN, the highest-ranked Canadian-born player on the list.

Professional career Jackson was drafted in the first round, sixth overall, by the Ottawa Rough Riders in the 1958 CFL draft as a halfback. In his rookie year, he also played quarterback and eventually became the starter and led the Rough Riders to three Grey Cup victories (48th, 56th, and 57th Grey Cups). He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award in the 1963, 1966, and 1969 seasons. He was also a four-time winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award (1959, 1963, 1966, 1969). He was a six-time Eastern Conference All-Star quarterback (1962, 1963, 1966–1969) and the CFL All-Star quarterback in the 1966, 1968, and 1969 seasons.

Russ Jackson was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1973. Many consider him one of the best Canadian-born players to play in the CFL, while most consider him to be the best Canadian to play the quarterback position.

He holds the record for throwing the most passing touchdowns in a Grey Cup game with four (set in the 1969 game) and highest career passer rating in Grey Cup games with 118.4 .

Career statistics Passing Rushing Year Team Games Att Comp Pct Yards TD Int Rating Att Yards Avg Long TD 1958 OTT 14 112 61 54.5 858 3 6 66.0 66 357 5.4 51 5 1959 OTT 14 89 45 50.6 1,009 7 7 84.8 69 385 5.6 30 3 1960 OTT 12 52 20 38.5 322 2 3 40.7 52 381 7.3 25 6 1961 OTT 14 117 59 50.4 1,048 8 7 79.3 67 472 7.0 24 6 1962 OTT 14 157 78 49.7 1,427 10 13 68.1 71 512 7.2 26 8 1963 OTT 14 259 152 58.7 2,910 19 8 109.4 64 384 6.0 42 5 1964 OTT 14 230 116 50.4 2,156 18 16 80.3 81 588 7.3 33 3 1965 OTT 14 252 130 51.6 2,303 18 13 85.5 24 129 5.4 26 2 1966 OTT 14 276 142 51.4 2,400 17 15 79.1 65 396 6.1 26 3 1967 OTT 14 323 189 58.5 3,332 25 9 108.0 61 329 5.4 23 4 1968 OTT 14 305 171 56.1 3,187 25 16 97.8 54 534 9.9 73 6 1969 OTT 14 358 193 53.9 3,641 33 12 106.1 64 578 9.0 49 3 CFL totals 166 2,530 1,356 53.6 24,593 185 125 91.0 738 5,045 6.8 73 54

Post-football playing career Teaching After retiring from football, Jackson returned to teaching, having been a mathematics teacher from 1959 to 1961 and head of the Department of Mathematics at Rideau High School in Ottawa, Ontario from 1961 to 1966. He was the principal of Canterbury High School in Ottawa from 1973 to 1975. He later became a vice-principal and principal at secondary schools in Ottawa and Mississauga. He also became principal at Brampton Centennial Secondary School, John Fraser and T.L. Kennedy secondary schools.

Broadcasting Jackson served as colour commentator for the CFL on CBC broadcasts from 1971 to 1973 and again from 1977 to 1980. From 1996 to 2001, Jackson was the colour commentator CHML-AM's coverage of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Coaching Jackson briefly left teaching in 1975, spending two years as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts. Jackson compiled a 12–18–2 regular season record in two seasons as the Argos' head coach, not reaching the playoffs in either season. Jackson was replaced by Leo Cahill, in his second tenure as the Argos' head coach, prior to the 1977 CFL season.

Honours Jackson is an Officer of the Order of Canada and was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in law by McMaster University in 1989. He was added to Canada's Walk of Fame in 2012.

In 1986, the Russ Jackson Award was created in his honour to recognize the university football player who best exhibits athletic ability, academic achievement, and devoted citizenship.