Titans rookie has hair-raising tale
By Teresa M. Walker
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nate Jackson stands out almost immediately on the Tennessee Titans' practice field.
Associated Press
Not so much for his play. The least experienced of the free safeties in training camp, the rookie's opportunities are limited. No, look for the only player whose hair covers the number on his jersey, and that is Jackson, whose black hair reaches the middle of his No. 41.
Nate Jackson says his hair is a source of strength and power.
The hair style isn't a fashion statement for the former University of Hawai'i standout. It's a family tradition for the man from Wai'anae.
"In my culture, we believe that hair is strength and power, so I grew up knowing that," Jackson said. "I'm going to keep it."
If the coaches asked, Jackson would pull out the scissors for a trim. But coach Jeff Fisher, whose own hair usually brushes the top of his shirt collar, worries about how people play, not how they look, and the Titans are busy building depth in a secondary plagued by injuries last season.
Teammates talked of cutting Jackson's hair at the beginning of camp.
When they heard Jackson had cut his hair only five or six times in his entire life, they gave him a choice of jumping in a cold tub or cutting his eyebrows. Jackson, who hates cold water, chose the eyebrows. Now he looks like he has bushy ellipses over his eyes.
But Jackson is just grateful to be here. The smallest safety on the roster at 5 feet 10, 175 pounds grew up wanting to play in the NFL, but his chances were limited despite earning second-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors as a senior with 114 tackles.
Enter UH coach June Jones. He sent a video tape featuring Jackson to Titans general manager Floyd Reese, a buddy from their days as assistant coaches for the then-Houston Oilers in the late 1980s.
"We all watched the tape and saw a little skinny guy out there with long hair flying around, knocking the crap out of people," said Titans secondary coach Everett Withers. "That's what we want at safety. We said, 'Hey, let's bring him in here and give him a shot.' "
The odds are stacked against Jackson.
He finds himself behind free agent signee Lance Schulters, who has been given the job as the starting free safety. That bumped Bobby Myers, the starter this time last year, to second team. The Titans also have Joe Walker and free agent signee Tony George.
Jackson is relying on impressing the coaching staff by how he hits people. He grew up playing football with the approach that he could either knock somebody out or get knocked out, a philosophy that made him an all-state defensive back as a senior at Wai'anae High School.
"Now I have my chance," Jackson said. "It really is a dream come true."
