Who Did Bo Jackson Play For In The NFL?
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Did you know that Bo Jackson played for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Royals? He was a true dual-sport athlete, and his career in the NFL was pretty short-lived.
If you’re wondering who Bo Jackson played for in the NFL, the answer is the Raiders. He was with the team from 1987 to 1990, and then he played for the Royals in 1991. After that, he retired from football to focus on baseball.
Bo Jackson’s NFL Career
Bo Jackson played for the Los Angeles Raiders for four seasons from 1987 to 1990. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1986 NFL Draft but opted to play baseball instead. He signed with the Raiders in 1987 and became one of the most prolific running backs in NFL history. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1989 and was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1990. Jackson’s career was cut short by a hip injury in 1991, but he is still considered one of the greatest athletes of all time.
Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jackson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1986 NFL Draft, but he refused to sign with the team, instead choosing to play Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals.
Traded to the Los Angeles Raiders
On March 28, 1987, the Buccaneers traded Jackson to the Los Angeles Raiders for a first-round and second-round draft choice in the 1987 NFL Draft. Jackson was originally reluctant to play for the Raiders, as he wanted to stay closer to his Alabama home. He eventually relented, and reported to training camp at Arizona State University, where he had starred in college football.
Injured in 1991
Bo Jackson’s NFL career was cut short when he was injured in a game in 1991. He had been playing for the Los Angeles Raiders at the time, but he never returned to the team or to the NFL.
Bo Jackson’s Post-NFL Career
After an illustrious career in the NFL, Bo Jackson decided to retire in 1991. He had played for the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs. After his retirement, Jackson pursued a career in baseball.
Baseball career
Jackson signed a professional baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals in 1986 and was assigned to their minor league affiliate in the Lexington Blue Sox. He played outfield for them until he was promoted to the major league Royals in September 1987. Jackson hit a home run during his first major league at-bat on September 2, 1987. Jackson continued to play both baseball and football until 1990, when he suffered a severe hip injury while playing football for the Raiders. The injury ended his career in that sport, but he returned to play baseball with the Royals from 1991 to 1993. From 1988 to 1990, Jackson hit .250 with 53 homers and 186 RBIs while playing 438 games in left field and right field. He elected free agency after the 1993 season and signed a 1-year deal with the Chicago White Sox. In 1994, hitting cleanup, Jackson batted .232/.289/.433 with 24 homers and 72 RBIs in 137 games as the Sox won 94 games and narrowly missed the playoffs.
Acting career
In addition to his successful sports career, Jackson also had a brief stint in Hollywood. He made his acting debut in the 1996 film “The Stone Killer” starring Charles Bronson. He also appeared in the 1999 film “Like Mike” starring Lil’ Bow Wow. His most recent film role was in the 2001 comedy “Width of a Circle.”
Nike commercials
After Jackson’s retirement from the NFL, he signed a multi-million dollar endorsement contract with Nike. He became the face of Nike’s “Bo knows” advertising campaign, which ran throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. The ads usually featured Jackson in various sports roles, including baseball, football, basketball, track and field, golf, and auto racing. In one commercial, Jackson even played himself in a game of Tekken against then-NHL star Jeremy Roenick.
