Jackson to be roasted at local charity event
ROYAL PALM BEACH — NFL Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson returns to Palm Beach County on Aug. 11 for a fund-raising dinner, and he’s bringing some of his football friends with him.
The former New Orleans Saints linebacker, who played high school football at Pahokee, will be roasted at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center in an event that is open to the public.
Expected guests include a handful of Jackson’s former NFL and college football teammates, as well as community organizers and friends.
The event is being organized by Jackson’s sister, Carolyn Jackson Brown.
“Rickey’s been involved with so many people, and he’s impacted so many people,” Brown said. “About 30 or 40 people will get up there and roast him. They want to say something about him.”
Jackson, 59, was a standout linebacker at Pahokee and went on to play college football at Pittsburgh.
He was drafted in the second round of the 1981 NFL draft by the Saints, and went on to play 15 professional seasons, all but two of them with New Orleans. He finished his career in San Francisco, where he won a Super Bowl with the 49ers in 1994.
Jackson totaled 1,173 career tackles, 128 sacks and 40 forced fumbles during his NFL career, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
He’s been involved in charity work since his retirement, and returns to Palm Beach County often for fund-raising events, Brown said. Jackson, who lives in Louisiana, most recently participated in the Anquan Boldin Foundation’s annual Q-Fest event in Pahokee.
“He’s got people all over that he’s involved with continuously,” Brown said.
Tickets to the Rickey Jackson dinner and roast are $50. The event begins at 8 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Ivy Educational Foundation in partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
All attendees will receive a gift. Jackson will take pictures and sign autographs.
For information or to reserve a spot, call Brown at 561-313-1371.