Cornerback was one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ positions that underwent the biggest changes this offseason. Joey Porter Jr. is still slated to be a starter, but the rest of that room looks very different. Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, and Brandin Echols are all newcomers who figure to play important roles. Last season, Donte Jackson started opposite Porter. He was productive, but his play fell off as the year went on, leaving the Steelers in free agency this offseason. Recently, Jackson spoke about his lone season in Pittsburgh.
“I was able to put together a pretty good year,” Jackson said on the Kickin’ it with Kunkel podcast. “It just sucks that injuries got in the way of a lot of my performance. Dealing with a lot of injuries, dealing with a lot of things. Couldn’t stay upright.
“Even though I had good stats, couldn’t stay upright, couldn’t stay available. Even when I was available, I still was out there playing hurt. I wish it would’ve ended better. Feel like I shot myself in the foot.”
Jackson led the Steelers in interceptions last year, picking off five passes. Additionally, he only missed two games, but it’s clear now that he wasn’t at 100 percent for much of his time on the field.
That isn’t too surprising to hear. Jackson’s name frequently popped up on the injury report. Toward the end of last season, he even spoke about how frustrating his back injury was in particular. That showed on the field. While Jackson hadn’t been a lockdown player, he was trustworthy. Unfortunately, injuries happen, and they clearly hampered Jackson after a strong start to last season.
“I wish that I was able to give more from a health standpoint,” he said. “I think that’s what ended things with me in Pittsburgh. Wasn’t playing healthy, and that messed up a lot of the things that I would do on the field. I couldn’t do certain things because of my shoulder. Then I had a back injury.”
The 2024 season was shaping up to be a career-year for Jackson. Had he stayed healthy, perhaps he would’ve stayed with the Steelers.
Now, he’s a member of the Los Angeles Chargers. The Steelers are set to face the Chargers in Week 10, so if Jackson is healthy, he’ll have an opportunity to face his old team.
He isn’t the only former Steeler on the Chargers, either. They also signed Najee Harris this offseason. It doesn’t sound like he or Jackson have hard feelings toward the Steelers, but players facing their former team tends to add a little more to games.
We’ll see if Jackson can stay healthy and produce for the Chargers. His lone year in Pittsburgh was a solid one, and it was unfortunate the way that it ended. Hopefully, he can prove that his body can hold up throughout an entire season this year.
