Jackson done in St. Louis

KMOX.com

Steven Jackson has had close to a Hall of Fame career for the St. Louis Rams. Of all the great RBs who have worn the horns, it's Jackson who's the leading rusher in team history. He's run for over 10,000 yards. He's one of a very few in NFL history who has run for 1,000 yards for eight straight years. He had one of the finest seasons ever by a RB in 2006, leading the league in total yards with 2,334. He's been a valuable team leader. He does all the little things. He plays hurt. He rarely turns the ball over. He's a good receiver and one of the best backs in the league at picking up the blitz. He was certainly the only RB on the Rams' roster last year who had any clue at doing that. He spent much of his career here carrying anemic offenses, against defenses constantly stacking 8 in the box because the Rams didn't have a decent receiver to stretch the field, running behind offensive lines lacking the toughness to run-block well, let alone match the intensity of the big RB they didn't clear holes for.

Jackson's days in St. Louis, though, appear to be over. He said as much on Sirius XM Radio this week. He learned in discussions with the Rams that the plan for 2013 was to go to even more of a RB-by-committee approach than this past season (which saw him pick up carries at the end of the season after the Rams' two rookie RBs dropped off the face of the earth). As we'll see from some of his quotes below, it's not about the money for Jackson at this point, it's about the chance to be a feature back for a team with a shot at going to the Super Bowl. He wasn't going to be the "bell cow" in St. Louis giving up more and more carries to Daryl Richardson and Isaiah Pead, so the odds have become very, very good that Steven is not going to finish his career in a Rams uniform.

Some of Steven's quotes on where his career's been, and where it's going:

I’ve been able to have a successful career, especially dealing with some hard times as an individual...But it’s more at this point of my career [I] want to be a part of something, chasing a Lombardi Trophy.  I want to be a part of something special.  And at this point where I’m at, and where the Rams are right now, we had a very open discussion, very heart-to-heart, about what my role would be going forward from now...  It would be more of a running back by committee kind of agreement [with the Rams] going forward... And that’s where the disagreement comes in. It wasn’t about salary.

I embrace the fact that I took in Daryl [Richardson] and Isaiah Pead and taught them a lot and hopefully they’ll go on to not only excel, but be very good athletes and good professionals in this league.  But for where I’m at going into year 10, I’m not ready to step back and just become a primary backup or reduced role guy, to be a part of a running back by committee.  I still have a lot left in my tank.  I still have a lot to offer a team.  We’re not talking about someone that is in year 12 or 13.  But I understand.  I understand the business side of it.  I still have a great relationship with the organization and one day I’ll be going back there.

I’ve opted out of my position of being with the team and being comfortable because I want to continue to still be the bell cow. So that’s how I want teams to look at me.  That’s how I’m going to shop myself and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there if that’s not the feedback that we’re receiving.

Sentimental fool that I am, I can't escape the feeling that the Rams and their fans are going to be nothing but big losers as Steven departs. He had a classy career here and is leaving with class. He could help Atlanta get over the hump and into the Super Bowl, or he could join Peyton Manning in Denver and form what I think would be the smartest backfield in NFL history. Maybe he'll finally get the success and recognition he deserves after 9 years of playing Sisyphus in St. Louis. I'll almost certainly be rooting for him every step of the way, even as I'd much rather be rooting for him in a Rams uniform.

Sports Illustrated

Yeah, I get it, Steven's 30. Best to let somebody else roll the dice on whether he's got many more miles left on his engine. It makes sense. I just expected the Rams to have a better succession plan than two greenhorns who can't pick up a blitz to save their lives. After Thanksgiving weekend, Richardson ran for 24 yards in 5 games. Pead gained 54 yards all season. The Rams running game is about as ready for prime time as Jay Leno was a couple of years ago. I also was hoping this year's draft would be a reloading draft instead of one where the Rams would have to rebuild at positions like RB and slot receiver that appeared to be set at the end of last season. The Rams are going cold turkey at running back in 2013, hopefully with the emphasis not on turkey.

Meanwhile, RamView wishes Steven Jackson nothing but the best of luck the rest of the way. Thank you for your blood and sweat, your heart and guts, and for being a true leader and one of the hardest-working men in football.

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