MACON, Ga. — When the local legends are back, everybody turns their heads to see who.
Of all the great talent to come out of Central Georgia, Westside High School alum Kareem Jackson is one of the best.
“He represents what Middle Georgia is all about,” Westside head coach Sheddrick ‘Spoon’ Risper said. “Usually talented guys don't work as hard but with Kareem, he was always grinding and working hard 24/7.”
Over the weekend, the 14th year NFL safety was again back at the Ed Defore Sports Complex to host his free youth football camp.
Once a Seminole, now a Denver Bronco, Kareem still never forgets about where it all began.
“Just being on this field, just being here, making that walk from the fieldhouse to the field,” Jackson said. “Creating memories, being amongst the guys, my teammates. It's so surreal. I love every bit of it.”
After his time at Westside, Jackson went on to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide where he won a national title in 2010, only to be drafted by the Houston Texans three months later.
Ever since then, giving back and coaching Central Georgia’s next generation of players has been top of mind.
But now, as Kareem gears up for his 14th season in the league, he’s also a leader for the rest of the Broncos’ secondary.
Denver safety P.J. Locke and cornerback Pat Surtain II were just a couple of the playmakers who Kareem brought back with him over the weekend to help coach the camp.
“I embrace it wholeheartedly,” Jackson said. “I don't take being able to play for 14 years for granted. Just sharing my field with those guys, sharing my knowledge with those guys. I don't take it for granted. It's amazing.”
So 14 years later, what keeps #22 coming back for more?
It’s not too hard to find the answer, looking around at who’s new in town this season.
“Coach Sean Payton, obviously he's a genius, to accomplish the things he's accomplished,” Jackson said. “We look forward to it every day. We accept the challenges and can't wait to grow from it.”
As Kareem now gears up to head back to Denver for training camp beginning next month, he knows that no matter what happens for him on the field this year with the Broncos, his biggest fans in the world are still right here in the 478.
“It feels great, man,” Jackson said. “To be able to come back here to do something like this and to be accepted.”
“To last in football, with the barbaric sport that it is, for him to last this long is really special,” Risper said. “He's one of the best players in the world. When you make it to that level, you're one of the best in the world.”