page_title: DeSean Jackson
section_title: 2008 season
hierarchical_section_title: DeSean Jackson / Professional career / Philadelphia Eagles / 2008 season
caption_attribution_description: English: DeSean Jackson during a 2008 game vs. the Washington Redskins.
context_page_description: DeSean William Jackson is an American football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He played college football for the University of California, Berkeley, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and has also played for the Washington Redskins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jackson has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times, and was the first player selected to the Pro Bowl at two different positions in the same year when he was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl as a wide receiver and return specialist.
context_section_description: On April 26, 2008, Jackson was drafted in the second round (49th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the seventh wide receiver taken, the first time no wide receivers were drafted in the first round. On July 20, he agreed to terms on a four-year contract with the team.
  Jackson had a good preseason performance, which included a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown against the New England Patriots in the third preseason game. After the Eagles' roster was cut to its maximum 53-man limit for the season, he was listed as the starting punt returner and as a second-string wide receiver.
  Due to injuries sustained by Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown, Jackson was the first rookie to start opening day for head coach Andy Reid. On September 7, Jackson collected six catches for 106 yards in a 38–3 win over the St. Louis Rams. He also returned eight punts for a total of 97 yards, including a 60-yard punt return to set up a field goal. He had over 200 all-purpose yards, a record for a rookie wide receiver. During a Monday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys on September 15, Jackson celebrated prematurely before running into the end zone by flipping the football behind him at the one-yard line. This led to what would have otherwise been his first NFL touchdown to be challenged and overturned, with Brian Westbrook running in for a touchdown from the one-yard line on the next play. The Eagles lost the game to Dallas 41-37. Jackson finished the game with 110 yards on six receptions, becoming the only receiver in NFL history to have over 100 yards receiving in each of his first two games besides the Eagles' Don Looney in 1940.
  On September 28, Jackson recorded his first offensive touchdown against the Chicago Bears. During this game, he also fumbled a punt return that set up the Bears' go ahead score. The following week against the Washington Redskins on October 5, Jackson returned his first punt return for a touchdown 68 yards. Jackson scored his first rushing touchdown on November 9 on a direct snap in the wildcat formation with a nine-yard run against the New York Giants. A rematch against the Giants on December 7 which resulted in a 20-14 upset of the defending Super Bowl champions marked the first time in the season that Jackson did not have a reception. The following week, Jackson rebounded, recording 77 yards on five catches in a 30–10 victory over the Cleveland Browns. In the playoffs, Jackson recorded just 1 catch for 34 yards in the Eagles' wildcard victory over Minnesota, and four catches for 81 yards in a win over the New York Giants. Jackson's final touchdown of the season came in the NFC Championship game on January 18, 2009 against the Arizona Cardinals, when he managed to haul in a 62-yard touchdown to cap a six-catch, 92-yard game. Jackson narrowly finished second to Curtis in postseason receiving yards with 207 to Curtis's 211.
  Jackson finished a successful rookie season with two receiving touchdowns and a team-leading 62 receptions (the most by an Eagles rookie wide-receiver, second only to tight end Keith Jackson's 81 in 1988, and joining Jackson and Don Looney as the only Eagles to lead the team in receptions their rookie seasons). His 912 receiving yards surpassed Keith Jackson's rookie record of 869. He also led the NFL with 50 punt returns (an Eagles' rookie record and 3rd all time) for 440 yards (third in the NFL, fifth ever by an Eagle, and an Eagles' rookie record).
caption: DeSean Jackson during a 2008 game against the Washington Redskins.
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