Kareem Jackson signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday, giving the defensive back a chance to go where only three other Alabama grads have gone before: a 15th NFL season.
The Bills confirmed Jackson’s arrival on Tuesday morning, after Buffalo coach Sean McDermott stated on Monday that safety Mike Edwards had a hamstring issue and would be monitored weekly throughout the preseason.
Jackson, a first-round draft pick from Alabama’s undefeated 2009 BCS national championship team, spent his first nine NFL seasons as a cornerback for the Houston Texans. After signing as a free agent with the Denver Broncos for the 2019 season, Jackson switched to safety.
The only former Alabama players to have played in regular-season games for at least 15 NFL seasons. Quarterback Bart Starr played in 16 from 1956 through 1971, and punter Chris Mohr and quarterback Ken Stabler appeared in 15 apiece.
Among Crimson Tide alumni, only Mohr, Howard Cross and Cornelius Bennett have played in more NFL regular-season games than Jackson’s 203 and only Bennett has started more games than Jackson’s 193. Mohr has appeared in 239 regular-season games, Howard Cross 2007 and Bennett 206. Bennett started 204 games.
Jackson reached a career high with 94 tackles in 2022. But in Denver’s first 14 games of the 2023 season, Jackson started eight and was banned for six.
On Oct. 23, Jackson was suspended for four games by the NFL for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers tight end Luke Musgrave during the Broncos’ 19-17 win over the Green Bay Packers. Jackson was penalized for unnecessary roughness and disqualified from further participation. Jackson appealed the suspension to the hearing officers.
On Nov. 20, the NFL suspended Jackson for four games for unnecessary roughness for hitting Minnesota Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs on the third snap of the Broncos’ 21-20 victory the previous day. Denver recovered Dobbs’ fumble on the Vikings’ 30-yard line and kept it because no penalty was called. Jackson appealed the suspension, but it was upheld this time.
Jackson had been fined by the NFL four times for unnecessary roughness in the first six weeks of the 2023 season. Twice the fines stemmed from penalties called on the field. The NFL fined Jackson $14,819 in Week 1, $19,669 in Week 2, $11,473 in Week 3 and $43,709 in Week 6.
In Denver’s 35-33 loss to Washington on Sept. 17, Jackson was ejected for a hit on Commanders tight end Logan Thomas on a touchdown reception with 1:47 left in the first half. After returning from his second suspension last season, the Broncos never reactivated the defensive back. When the Broncos waived Jackson, the Texans claimed him. Jackson played in the final two games of the regular season and a playoff game with Houston.
