The Pittsburgh Steelers traded a conditional seventh-round draft pick to the Washington Commanders to get William Jackson III at the trade deadline. It did not work out between Jackson and the Steelers as he could not find the field for the black and gold due to lingering injury concerns. The Steelers are expected to release him and will get their pick back from the Commanders since he did not play.
Jackson was a draft target for the Steelers in the 2016 draft but when the Cincinnati Bengals snatched him away they chose Artie Burns in the first round instead. Jackson became a starter for the Bengals and Commanders and Burns is the poster boy for the Steelers’ inability to draft cornerbacks in the first round.
Jackson is due over $11 million and was likely to always be a cap casualty for Pittsburgh even if he had played last season. Jackson has been in the league for six years and has never been a star but he has been a solid cornerback until injuries in Washington slowed him down. He signed a three-year $40.5 million contract in the 2021 offseason with $26 million in guaranteed money that he has earned to this point.
NFL veterans as they approach 30, if they are lucky enough to play that long, often begin searching for their second career at this point. Aaron Wilson who reports on the NFL for KPRC2 in Houston broke the news that Jackson and his fiancee were opening a spa in the Houston area and there were some unsubstantiated reports that he might be retiring.
Jackson and his fiancee are opening the Escape Spa in Cypress, Texas. The upscale establishment is the brainchild of his fiancée and Jackson views the opportunity to invest as a family business opportunity.
“It’s a beautiful thing, she’s already had the vision,” Jackson points to his fiancée. “She had a spa before me, so she knew the ins and outs. I’m just one of the guys behind the scenes and she does everything. We wanted to create generational wealth. With me playing football it is always important to take care of your body and why not be with someone who knows everything about the body? Everything was her, I’m just the support.”
Jackson’s investment in his soon-to-be wife is a great story that does not normally get attention. NFL reporters and fans often hear the worst side of NFL players and it is great to see Jackson getting coverage for supporting women-owned businesses and planning for a future that is designed to make people feel good about themselves. You can learn more about the business on their website here if you are in the Cypress area.
Steelers William Jackson III Excited To Prove Team Bolstered Secondary Ahead Of Week 14 Matchup
Jackson will be a free agent when the Steelers release him and he had previously expressed excitement about coming to Pittsburgh. The Steelers could resign him at a much lower rate if he is willing to take a team-friendly deal provided that he is healthy. Based on his fiancee’s chosen profession, it sounds like any rehab he needs in the offseason is covered.
Pittsburgh is expected to draft a cornerback early in the 2023 draft by prognosticators but with a substantial amount of holes to fill, they could resign Jackson and Cam Sutton to address the position prior to April. The upcoming draft is very deep at the cornerback position and if the numbers work could allow the Steelers to develop a corner without sacrificing production while doing it.
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