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The Life And Career Of Jackie Slater (Story)
Jackie Slater was a Hall of Fame offensive tackle who spent his entire 20-year NFL career with the LA Rams. This is his story.
www.profootballhistory.com
The Life And Career Of Jackie Slater (Story)
Former Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Jackie Slater was a cut above the rest during his many years playing in the National Football League.Slater played a demanding and bruising position on the offensive line for 20 seasons. Not many of his contemporaries can boast such longevity.
With Slater working hard on the offensive line, he helped the Rams win games in the trenches and reclaim lost glory in the 1980s.
Slater, Walter Payton’s college teammate with the Jackson State Tigers, blocked for sensational Rams running back Eric Dickerson from 1983 to 1987.
Slater also blocked for seven other 1,000-yard rushers during his memorable tenure with the Rams. He also helped protect aging quarterback Joe Namath and cleared the way for young running back Jerome Bettis.
Slater, a seven-time Pro Bowl and four-time Second-Team All-Pro selection, eventually earned his gold jacket and bust in Canton, OH in the summer of 2001.
This is Jackie Slater’s fascinating football journey.
Early Life
Jackie Ray Slater was born to parents John and Bessie in Jackson, MS on May 27, 1954. He has four younger brothers.
According to Sports Illustrated‘s Paul Zimmerman, John Slater labored at a Hertz facility to help make ends meet. Bessie was a stay-at-home housewife.
In 1967, when Jackie was thirteen years old, he already stood six feet tall and weighed 245 pounds. He easily dwarfed other kids his age.
Jackie was a typical junior high school student who wanted to spend time with his friends. He also wanted to learn how to play the guitar.
However, Slater’s life changed forever when the coaches at Blackburn Junior High School approached him and asked him to try out for football, per the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s official website.
Jackie accepted, and his life was never the same again.
High School
Slater attended Jim Hill High School before transferring to Wingfield High School in the early 1970s. He was a three-sport star who excelled in football, basketball, and track for the Wingfield Falcons.
Jackie’s high school days coincided with racial tensions in the deep south.
His football coaches at Jim Hill High and Wingfield High, Tommy Williams and Glen Slay, both told him not to let those racial tensions sidetrack his blossoming football career.
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The Life And Career Of Jackie Slater (Story)
Jackie Slater was a Hall of Fame offensive tackle who spent his entire 20-year NFL career with the LA Rams. This is his story.
www.profootballhistory.com
