Jamaal Jackson traded his player hat for that of an analyst Sunday evening when he co-hosted the Post-Game show presented by Ricoh, but the longtime stalwart in the middle of the offensive line says there's no doubt he's still got a lot left in the tank.
The center, who started 71 consecutive games for the Eagles beginning in 2005, is currently rehabbing from a torn triceps muscle that landed him on injured reserve after the Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The injury was a cruel blow to Jackson, who had rehabbed so ferociously from a December, 2009 torn ACL that he was in the starting lineup on opening day of the 2010 season.
"I'm doing pretty good," Jackson said. "The arm ... they're about to turn me loose as far as rehab goes. It's healed. It's repaired. I'm just ready to lift some weights."
Jackson added that his knee is doing fine and that he expects to be ready to go full force in the off-season. Still, this has been a difficult season for a guy used to being in the trenches every week.
"It's tough," he said. "It's tough seeing the guys out there battle. You want to be out there win, lose or draw. I get just as mad as the guys that are playing when we lose the game. I'm still heart, soul and spirit ... with the team. I'm just physically not out there and I wish I could be."
Because of his long-time role as the starting center, Jackson's old habits of identifying the defense pre-snap won't die. While watching the game on television, Jackson still makes pre-snap reads.
"I'm a center at heart," Jackson said, "so I won't change, and, to, be honest with you, I can't change."
As for his take on the performance of Mike McGlynn, the man who's replaced Jackson in the starting lineup this season, Jackson has been impressed.
"I think he's doing a wonderful job, just looking at it from the T.V. copy," Jackson said. "He had a few mistakes early on in the season, but now he's coming around. He's starting to get the calls and getting everybody going in the right direction. I think he's doing a pretty good job to be honest."
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 11:08 a.m., November 29
