It's never too late to go back to school, just look at what a Saints legend accomplished this week.
NFL Hall of Famer and all-time Saints great defensive end Rickey Jackson earned his degree from the University of Pittsburgh this week, four decades after departing school for the NFL draft. He was selected No. 51 overall in the 1981 draft and played 13 seasons for the Saints, retiring in the after the 1995 season.
Jackson retired as the Saints' franchise leader in sacks (123), a mark that was finally surpassed by Cam Jordan in the 2022 season.
The 65-year-old finished his classes online to earn his degree in social sciences. He was one of 2500 students to graduate on April 30 as Pitt's Class of 2023.
“My mother would’ve loved it, my father wanted me to get it,” Jackson said in a report on the school's website. “I know they’d be proud of me.”
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Jackson was a key member of the Saints' vaunted "Dome Patrol" defense of the late 1980s to early '90s, which also included the late Vaughn Johnson and Sam Mills, along with Pat Swilling. Jackson is also a member of the Saints Hall of Fame, the Saints Ring of Honor and their 45th Anniversary team. He won Super Bowl 29 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, was named All-Pro five times, made the Pro Bowl seven times and led the NFL in forced fumbles four times before being inducted into the league Hall of Fame in 2010.
“I’d put it up with the Super Bowl and all,” Jackson said of his achievement, via the Pitt website. “This is something I achieved personally on my own, so I’d put it right up with that.”