Bills rookie Jackson turns Alopecia journey into mental health advocacy

Alopecia, which causes rapid hair loss, affects millions worldwide, yet few professional athletes have publicly shared their experiences.

For Jackson, the condition shaped his early years, bringing anxiety and self-doubt.

“From a young age it definitely gave me a lot of anxiety and just, not going to say depression, but just kind of in my own head about everything, always worried about what other people thought,” Jackson said during a recent rookie minicamp.

It took a while. Sports became his escape, helping him build confidence and resilience.

Now, as a third-round pick for the Bills, Jackson sees his visibility as an opportunity to be a role model.

“I aspire to be a role model for all those children growing up with alopecia,” Jackson said. “I want to give back to those kids as much as I can, because it truly impacts the mental well-being of younger individuals.”

Jackson regularly interacts with young fans who have alopecia, offering encouragement and even gifting his gloves after games. He did that often during his time with the Razorbacks.

He doesn't duck the condition on social media and never has.

“I love my hair, but I love my condition," Jackson said. "I love how I am because it made me who I am today. So if you have alopecia, anything like that, just love yourself.”

He encourages youngsters to “accept yourself and try to grow up to be a role model to younger kids with alopecia as well and just kind of keep that thing going because I think it’s definitely good to have that awareness.”

Others in the NFL have embraced it previously, including quarterback Josh Dobbs, who has also advocated for alopecia awareness.

Jackson credits role models like Charlie Villanueva and Ryan Shazier for inspiring him to use his own platform for good.

On the field, Jackson’s focus remains on contributing to the Bills’ defense, but his off-field mission is just as important.

Jackson performed well during rookie minicamp, according to reports. He's battling eight other Buffalo draft picks and undrafted free agents for a roster spot.

For him, it was the first time he was able to truly focus in on football.

“This is my first time playing football since the Senior Bowl,” Jackson said. "Get in the training room, get in cold tubs, get a little bit of recovery and everything, and then come back and do it again tomorrow."

The combination of talent and what the Bills discovered in their off-season research is what got him to the NFL.

"High character, DNA, a longer athletic dude, a lot of sacks, went against a lot of premium talent in the SEC, and had a lot of production," Bills general manager Brandon Beane said of his newest edge rusher. "He knows how to rush. He's just got feel, instincts, awareness."

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