Jackie Simpson (defensive back)
Encyclopedia
John Marlin "Jackie" Simpson (born April 2, 1934) is a former American college and professional football
player who was a defensive back
in the National Football League
(NFL) for five seasons during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Simpson played college football
for the University of Florida
, and then played professionally for the Baltimore Colts
and the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the NFL.
in 1934, and grew up in an apartment complex on the Miami bayfront. He attended Miami Edison Senior High School in Miami, and he was a standout high school football
halfback
for the Edison Raiders.
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played both halfback and defensive back for coach Bob Woodruff's Florida Gators football
team from 1953 to 1956. Simpson was a third-team All-Southeastern Conference
(SEC) selection in 1954 and 1955, and a second-team All-SEC selection in 1956. Memorably, he had two touchdown
s including a 100-yard interception
return in a 20–14 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs
in 1955, which remains the longest interception return for a touchdown in SEC history. Several weeks later, he had a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown in the Gators' 18–14 win against the LSU Tigers
, again providing the margin of victory. As a halfback on offense, he finished his college career with an average of 6.3 rushing yards per carry—still one of the three best career averages in Gators history. Woodruff ranked him as the Gators' best defensive back and one of their three best running backs of the 1950s.
Simpson was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."
. He signed with the Colts for $7,800 per season and a $1,000 signing bonus, and played three seasons for the Colts. Before he could report to the Colts' training camp, however, he first had to report for twenty-one months of U.S. Army infantry
and paratrooper
training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
. After completing his military service obligations, Simpson was activated for the final two games of the season and became a starting defensive back and periodic kick returner
for the Baltimore Colts' 1958
and 1959 NFL championship
teams of coach Weeb Ewbank.
The Colts traded Simpson to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Billy Ray Smith after the season, and he played his final two professional seasons for the Steelers in and . During his five-season NFL career, Simpson played in forty-five regular season games, and recorded tow interceptions.
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 who was a defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
in the National Football League
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...
(NFL) for five seasons during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Simpson played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and then played professionally for the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
and the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
of the NFL.
Early years
Simpson was born in Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
in 1934, and grew up in an apartment complex on the Miami bayfront. He attended Miami Edison Senior High School in Miami, and he was a standout high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
for the Edison Raiders.
College career
Simpson received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played both halfback and defensive back for coach Bob Woodruff's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1953 to 1956. Simpson was a third-team All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) selection in 1954 and 1955, and a second-team All-SEC selection in 1956. Memorably, he had two touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s including a 100-yard interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
return in a 20–14 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
in 1955, which remains the longest interception return for a touchdown in SEC history. Several weeks later, he had a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown in the Gators' 18–14 win against the LSU Tigers
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
, again providing the margin of victory. As a halfback on offense, he finished his college career with an average of 6.3 rushing yards per carry—still one of the three best career averages in Gators history. Woodruff ranked him as the Gators' best defensive back and one of their three best running backs of the 1950s.
Simpson was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."
Professional career
The Baltimore Colts selected Simpson in the fourth round (forty-fourth pick overall) of the 1957 NFL Draft1957 NFL Draft
The 1957 National Football League Draft was held on November 27, 1956.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
. He signed with the Colts for $7,800 per season and a $1,000 signing bonus, and played three seasons for the Colts. Before he could report to the Colts' training camp, however, he first had to report for twenty-one months of U.S. Army infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
and paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
. After completing his military service obligations, Simpson was activated for the final two games of the season and became a starting defensive back and periodic kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
for the Baltimore Colts' 1958
NFL Championship Game, 1958
The 1958 National Football League Championship Game was played on December 28, 1958 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It was the first ever National Football League playoff game to go into sudden death overtime. The final score was Baltimore Colts 23, New York Giants 17. The game has since...
and 1959 NFL championship
NFL Championship Game, 1959
The 1959 National Football League Championship Game was played on December 27, 1959 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. The game was a rematch of the 1958 championship game that went into overtime. The 1959 game was the 27th annual NFL championship game...
teams of coach Weeb Ewbank.
The Colts traded Simpson to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Billy Ray Smith after the season, and he played his final two professional seasons for the Steelers in and . During his five-season NFL career, Simpson played in forty-five regular season games, and recorded tow interceptions.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1950–1959
- History of the Indianapolis ColtsHistory of the Indianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of Pittsburgh Steelers players