A former Buffalo Bills safety is heading off to retirement.
Veteran defensive back Kareem Jackson, who spent the last of his 15 NFL seasons with the Bills, announced this week that he is hanging up his cleats for good. Jackson hadn’t found a team for the 2025 season and went unsigned again this year, but played a role for the Bills in their playoff run in the 2024 season.
Kareem Jackson Calls it Quits
Jackson came into the NFL as a first-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2010, spending his first nine seasons there. He later spent four seasons with the Denver Broncos and a pair of games for the Houston Texans before making his way to Buffalo.
The Bills had signed Jackson during the 2024 offseason. He did not make the final 53-man roster, but joined the practice squad and was elevated for two playoff games.
The Bills elevated Jackson for the AFC Championship game in 2024, where he appeared on special teams against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bills have made some significant changes to their secondary since Jackson’s departure, turning over most of the secondary and bringing on new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
Kareem Jackson Honors Another NFL Team
Though Jackson ended his long NFL career with the Bills and spent the longest time with the Texans, it was another team that he chose to honor when calling it quits. As Jake Shapiro of Denver Sports noted, Jackson signed a one-day contract with Denver to retire as a Bronco.
“Orange & Blue, always,” the Broncos posted on X. “Congrats, K-Jack!”
As Jon Heath of USA Today’s Broncos Wire noted, Jackson ended his career with plenty of production.
“Jackson began his career with the Houston Texans as a first-round pick out of Alabama, initially as a cornerback,” Heath wrote. “After nine years in Houston, he signed with Denver in 2019. Following a 15-year career in the NFL, Jackson now officially hangs up his cleats with 958 tackles, 110 pass breakups, 22 interceptions (three pick-sixes), seven forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries (one fumble-six) and three sacks in 205 career games.”
Ex-Bills Safety Announces Retirement After 15 NFL Seasons