Steven Jackson News

"On the night he ended his holdout, Steven Jackson waited for his luggage at the East Terminal at Lambert Airport. He talked to a reporter about how happy he was to have his contract situation behind him. Then, after a pause, he added, "Now I've got to do it, huh?" Exactly. With big contracts come big expectations in the NFL. Jackson knows this better than most now that he has signed a six-year, $44 million extension. Already a lightning rod for St. Louis football fans because of his outspoken ways, Jackson also knows his 27-day holdout didn't endear him to many Rams fans. "We all love each other around here," Jackson joked to Philadelphia reporters during a conference call earlier in the ..."

"In order for Steven Jackson to reach escalators that would void the final two years of his contract, he needs to put together four very solid seasons for the Rams. According to league sources, Jackson needs to average 1,200 yards rushing and 400 yards receiving over the first four years of his new contract - from 2008 through 2011 - to void the final two years of his six-year deal. Interestingly, during his three seasons as a starter in St. Louis (2005-07) Jackson has averaged 1,199 yards rushing and 466 yards receiving. If Jackson reaches the 1,200-400 average, his base salary will increase, or "escalate," $3 million in both 2012 and 2013, the final two years of his contract. But if he ..."

"Steven Jackson has fresh legs and a fresh contract. Now, he wants a fresh start - with Rams fans in St. Louis. "I do understand everyone has their own opinion," Jackson said Thursday. "But I think if I can continue to play in the manner that I have in the (previous) four years, and stay healthy on the field, I think all will be forgiven. "A lot of time, we're hard on our loved ones, and I consider my fans my loved ones. So some things I should take back. And I do apologize for my statements for being a little critical of them." Then, he added with a laugh, "But I do want them to be in the (stands), too." Last year, Jackson criticized Rams fans for selling their tickets to Green Bay and ..."

"His 27-day holdout over, it was back to work today for Rams running back Steven Jackson. He flew to St. Louis last night, and he was in uniform, on the practice field and working out with the Rams this morning. Jackson signed a six-year deal that will max out at just under $44 million, but the final two years will void out based on Jackson's performance. If that's the case, the four-year deal will be worth just under $30 million. The deal includes just over $20 million in guaranteed money, $11 million of which comes in the form of a signing bonus. Coach Scott Linehan said after today's practice that Jackson will be in uniform but will not play in Saturday's home exhibition game against ..."

"His 27-day holdout over, it's back to work for Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson. By the time Jackson arrived in St. Louis late Wednesday night, his contract extension was all but a done deal. "In principle, it's agreed to," Jackson said. Once a few more details are ironed out today, Jackson, said, "We'll be pretty much done." Jackson said the original stalemate was a matter of "just philosophy." He added, "We just had two different ways - how we were thinking, where we wanted to go on a contract. And the Rams, the way they were thinking. Their philosophy. That's where it came to a standstill." Once talks broke off on July 25, the first day of training camp at Concordia University ..."

"Rams running back Steven Jackson is ending his holdout and will be flying into St. Louis from Las Vegas this evening. While a contract has not yet been reached, Jackson is expected to undergo a physical Thursday. If he passes the physical, Jackson should be on the practice field later Thursday. Sources on both sides of the contract negotiations are confident a deal will be reached soon. The Rams had repeatedly said they would not negotiate the deal until Jackson reported to camp. Wednesday was the 27th day he had missed since his holdout began. His total fines are $408,132 at a $15,116 per day clip. Jackson surprised the team by not making the trip to Wisconsin for training camp."

"Despite rumblings over the weekend that there might be some movement on the Steven Jackson front, sources familiar with the negotiations - or lack thereof - say there was no dialogue between the Rams and Jackson's agent save for a brief phone call Friday between the parties. So the holdout continues. As of Sunday, the Pro Bowl running back had missed 24 days of training camp and the preseason, 24 practices and two preseason games. At $15,116 per day, his fine total stands at $362,784 - or just under the minimum base salary for a second-year NFL player. For the first time, Rams coach Scott Linehan conceded Sunday that time is of the essence in getting Jackson ready for the season opener ..."

"Because Brett Favre is already taken, Manny Ramirez is busy cavorting in Hollywood, and well, Michael Phelps is a little preoccupied right now with that Olympic thing, the Rams are left with very few options in their quest to become a viable entertainment-sports property in this city again. The Rams need star quality in the worst way. They need someone to ignite a spark, to make you want to care about them, talk about them, to get an entire city fired up about them again. What they need is Steven Jackson. I saw that first preseason game against the Tennessee Titans, and it didn't take me long to see how bad the Rams looked without the big man in their offensive backfield. It just ..."

"Life without Steven began in earnest Saturday night for the Rams, and it wasn't pleasant. The Tennessee Titans cruised to a 34-13 victory at LP Field. After the Rams' first-team offense failed again to score a touchdown in a preseason game - the last time it did so was in 2005, when Mike Martz still was the head coach - the front office might want to consider sweetening its offer to its No. 1 running back, who is holding out for a contract extension. That probably won't happen though, because the Rams and Jackson's agent, Eugene Parker, have had no contact since training camp began July 24. It was on that day that Jackson surprised coach Scott Linehan by informing him that he wouldn't be ..."

"The Rams arrived in a different city Tuesday, but with the same roster. In other words, holdout running back Steven Jackson remained a no-show. After a morning practice at Concordia University Wisconsin, the team left Milwaukee late Tuesday afternoon by charter jet for Nashville, where the Rams are holding joint practice sessions with the Tennessee Titans over the next couple of days leading up to Saturday's exhibition opener. According to a team official reached Tuesday night, Jackson remained a no-show. As a result, Jackson's 2008 season will not count as an "accrued" year in terms of eligibility for free agency. Players under contract must report at least 30 days before the overall NFL ..."

"Barring what would be a totally unexpected appearance by Steven Jackson today at Rams training camp, the running back's continuing holdout will cost him a year of NFL seniority toward free agency. Under a league rule, players under contract must report at least 30 days before the first regular season game or lose what's called an accrued season of seniority. The Post-Dispatch originally reported last week that the deadline for Jackson to report would be Aug. 8 - this Friday - or 30 days before the Rams' season opener at Philadelphia, on Sept. 7. But after further checking with the NFL office, the deadline to report is 30 days before the overall start of the NFL season. Because the ..."

"Outside the gates of Concordia University, there may be fear and loathing as the Steven Jackson holdout reached Day 4, but inside the inner sanctum of the Rams' summer training compound, there is a surprising calm among the players and coaches. "As long as he's here for Game 1, it's cool," said center Richie Incognito, whose words seem to echo the sentiment of all the players. Things are so quiet on the Jackson front that it's downright spooky. No one is agitated. No one is sweating. No one is freaking out. If this keeps up, this could go down as the most polite and least contentious holdout in Rams history. The only thing that has topped the surprisingly cordial manner of team president ..."

"Running back Steven Jackson is $60,000 poorer after missing his fourth day of training camp Monday. And multiple sources have told the Post-Dispatch that there has been no dialogue whatsoever since talks broke off Friday afternoon. But a little-known provision in the collective bargaining agreement could be a huge detriment to a prolonged holdout by Jackson. According to the NFL Players Association, players under contract must report at least 30 days prior to the first regular-season game or else they lose an accrued season of seniority. The Rams open the regular season Sept. 7 in Philadelphia, so Jackson must report by Aug. 8 - a week from Friday - or else the 2008 season will not count ..."

"There was no public war of words. And no overt signs of ill will. But the Rams were surprised to learn early Friday afternoon that running back Steven Jackson would not be present for the team's opening practice of training camp because of contract impasse. "Obviously, Steven is not only an outstanding player, he's an outstanding person," said Jay Zygmunt, the Rams' president of football operations-general manager. "We would like to really get this thing resolved. We'd like Steven to be here. We'd like him to be here for a long time. Hopefully, this thing will get itself worked out relatively shortly." But behind the conciliatory talk, Zygmunt drew his line in the turf minutes after the ..."

"The Rams held their initial team meeting of training camp this morning without two key members of their offense -- Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson and wide receiver Donnie Avery. That makes Jackson, who is entering the final year of his original NFL contract, officially a holdout. But team officials held discussions late into the night Thursday on a contract extension with Jackson's agent, Eugene Parker, and the hope is that Jackson will be on hand at Concordia University Wisconsin sooner rather than later. The Rams also worked into the wee hours Thursday night and Friday morning on a deal for Avery, a second-round draft pick in April and the first wide receiver taken in the ..."

"There aren't that many perfect days in the life of a pro football coach, but this was as close as it could get for Scott Linehan. He had spent the past year suffering through the gawdawful nightmare of a 3-13 season, and waited seven exasperating months for the opportunity to purge any memory of 2007 from his coaching. But here he was late Thursday afternoon with an easy smile on his face. That misery had been exchanged, at least momentarily, with the liberating feeling of a fresh new start to a football season. "I've been waiting for this day since the last game of the season," Linehan said shortly after he and his Rams arrived at Concordia University on the eve of summer training camp. ..."

"Among the four players not accompanying the Rams on their charter flight here was running back Steven Jackson. That development raised some eyebrows, because Jackson is entering the final season of his original four-year contract and is seeking an extension. Coach Scott Linehan explained that Jackson was given permission to travel independently, as were fellow veterans Anthony Becht and Dante Hall. Plus, Linehan reported, talks have begun with Jackson's recently hired agent, Eugene Parker, on a new deal. In fact, a team official confirmed that the two sides were in discussions late Thursday night. "That has been a priority," Linehan said. "I know within the last couple of days there has ..."