Jackson Powers-Johnson revealed his ‘welcome to the NFL’ moment

With one NFL season now under his belt, Jackson Powers-Johnson is hoping to return to the Las Vegas Raiders as a better player in his sophomore year.

The second-round pick of the team in the 2024 NFL Draft, Powers-Johnson found his stride after replacing veteran Andre James as starting center. There were a few hiccups, however, most notably with the botched snap that resulted in the Raiders dropping a close Black Friday matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Mistakes such as that are commonplace, however, as rookies get acclimated to the speed of the NFL and, at times, get taken advantage of by veterans.

Power-Johnson admitted himself that he was not immune to those moments in his rookie season.

Powers-Johnson revealed what moment truly introduced him to the NFL.

During his appearance on “The Rush with Maxx Crosby,” Powers-Johnson took the time to tell his teammate what moment showed him just how different the NFL was from college.

“I have to say playing against Cam Heyward and giving up my first sack ever in my entire life,” Powers-Johnson said. “He didn’t beat me; I beat myself. I overset. I overset, and he got me. He said some choice words after, and I really hope he comes back for another year. That’s all I’m going to say.”

There was no shame in allowing a first sack to Heyward, as the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle is widely regarded as one of the best at the position over the last decade. However, after not giving up a single sack in his three seasons at Oregon, getting beat by Heyward definitely did not sit well with Powers-Johnson.

Unfortunately, the second-year center will have to wait to get some revenge.

The Raiders and Steelers do not match up against one another in 2025, unless both teams face off against one another in the playoffs. Until then, Powers-Johnson will have to look to next season to get some revenge on the veteran. Of course, this also assumes that the 36-year-old Heyward is willing to go for another year in the NFL.

Powers-Johnson was seen as a highly competitive player, and Raiders fans should be encouraged that he wants to learn from his mistakes and prove his mettle against the NFL’s best.