Kicker and Wicklow goalkeeper Mark Jackson is continuing his football journey this week - in Pittsburgh.
Jackson, who has maintained a packed schedule having attended a number of NFL events already this year, was invited to participate in the Steelers annual rookie minicamp in Pittsburgh this weekend.
The minicamp runs from Friday through Sunday and features approximately 40 players, including the Steelers rookie draft class, rookie free agents, first-year players, as well as players who are on hand on a tryout basis, all of whom have the opportunity to put their skills on display in front Steelers coaches and scouts.
Those players hit the field on Friday morning at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, the Steelers training facility.
Jackson has already made a name for himself as a goalkeeper for Wicklow. His passion now, though, is establishing himself as a kicker in the NFL. He sets foot on the field in Pittsburgh, with the opportunity to tryout alongside other players, following a hectic several months of training and American football competition. This included being selected by former Steelers Shaun Suisham and Jordan Berry, and Tadhg Leader of Leader Kicking, as the most outstanding performer of the Steelers first-ever Kicking Clinic in Dublin in April.
"It's a surreal experience to be here at the Pittsburgh Steelers facility, being a lad from Ireland who never picked up an American football until seven or eight months ago," said Jackson. "It's exciting. I appreciate the Steelers putting the faith in me, seeing there can be international guys out there who granted, might not have played the sport for too long, but they have the physical and mental ability to play the sport. I am grateful to the Steelers for giving me the opportunity."
Prior to the Steelers Kicking Clinic, Jackson trained at the NFL's International Player Pathway training program in Florida in February, took part in the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in March and remained in the United States afterward to attend an NFL Pro Day at the IMG Academy in Florida. He further opened eyes there when he kicked a 70-yard field goal, longer than Justin Tucker's NFL record 66-yard field goal. Jackson also was able to showcase his accuracy, in addition to his distance, hitting on seven of his 10 field goal attempts.
Jackson is one of four Irish athletes to take part in the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) this year, and he has taken full advantage of it.
"It's been a mad couple of months," said Jackson, who along with the other players was getting a rundown of what the weekend will be like from Steelers football administrative and coaching staffs, including practice schedules and meeting times, getting fitted for equipment and more. "It's exciting. From the first try out with the NFL IPP and just learning every day as a kicker, learning a new sport, it's been really exciting.
"I have learned a huge amount about the sport. And about myself, too. I've learned how far I can push myself into things, being comfortable being uncomfortable in situations. I have learned a lot about myself. I have a lot more learning to do."
Jackson, who is one of GAA's highest scoring goalkeepers of all time with over 100 points in his Wicklow career, is hoping for more, so giving the NFL a shot was the next step.
"When you play sports, you want to always perform at the biggest stages," said Jackson. "You always want to push yourself to get better and be better. There is no bigger stage than the NFL. The NFL is the biggest league in the world. I feel like I am able to perform at this level. When I first heard about the opportunity, I couldn't say no to it. Just being able to push yourself to the limit of how far you can, my stubbornness has probably gotten in the way and made me go for it."
