Eddie Jackson didn't just play for the Chicago Bears. For a few years there, he basically was the Chicago Bears’ identity. If you were watching a game between 2017 and 2019, you weren't just waiting for the offense to score; honestly, you were waiting for Eddie to snatch a ball out of the air and outrun the entire opposing team to the end zone. He made defense feel like offense.
It’s rare. Usually, safeties are the "last line of defense." They’re the guys who clean up mistakes. But BoJack? He was a predator. He changed how Vic Fangio called games because he could cover ground that most humans shouldn't be able to cover. When the Bears finally released him in February 2024 to save roughly $12.5 million in cap space, it felt like the end of an era. It wasn't just a business move. It was the closing of a chapter on one of the most electric defensive runs in the history of a franchise that defines itself by defense.
The Fourth Round Miracle
Let’s be real: Eddie Jackson should never have been a fourth-round pick. He was a star at Alabama. He was a Nick Saban disciple. But that broken leg in 2016 scared people off. NFL scouts are notorious for overthinking medicals, and Jackson slid right into Ryan Pace’s lap at pick number 112.
Think about that. 111 players were taken before a guy who would go on to make two Pro Bowls and a First-team All-Pro squad within his first three seasons.
He stepped onto the grass at Soldier Field and looked like he belonged from minute one. He had this weird, almost psychic ability to know where the quarterback was going before the quarterback did. It’s that "centerfielder" instinct. You can’t coach it. You either have it or you’re just a guy chasing receivers. Jackson had it in spades.
The 2018 Season Was Pure Magic
If we’re talking about the Eddie Jackson Chicago Bears era, we have to talk about 2018. That year was a fever dream for Bears fans. Matt Nagy was the Coach of the Year, Mitchell Trubisky looked like a franchise guy for a second, and the defense was a buzzsaw.
Jackson was the focal point of that chaos.
- He had six interceptions.
- He scored three defensive touchdowns.
- He had 15 pass deflections.
Basically, he was a scoring threat. Against the Lions on Thanksgiving, he jumped a route so fast it looked like he was in the huddle when the play was called. He took it to the house. The celebration in the end zone—the whole defense posing—became the image of that season. It wasn't just about winning; it was about the swagger Eddie brought to the secondary. He made it cool to play safety in Chicago again, something we hadn't seen since the days of Mike Brown.
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The "Post-Fangio" Slump and the Narrative Shift
Then things got complicated. Vic Fangio left to take the Broncos job, and Chuck Pagano stepped in. Fans started noticing a drop in the splash plays. Between 2020 and 2021, Jackson went through a massive interception drought. People on Twitter—or X, whatever—started calling him "overpaid."
It was a bit unfair, though.
When you lose a pass rush like the one the Bears had in 2018, the secondary has to hold up longer. You can't gamble as much. Jackson was forced to play more "honest" football, which meant fewer highlight-reel picks. Also, the tackling became an issue. There’s no point in hiding it; Eddie had some rough games where he looked like he didn't want to stick his nose in the fan. But that’s the trade-off with a ballhawk. You don't buy a Ferrari to haul gravel. You buy it to go fast.
Resilience in the Eberflus Era
When Matt Eberflus arrived with his HITS principle, everyone thought Jackson was gone. He didn't seem like a "fit" for the gritty, high-intensity tackling scheme. But 2022 was a bit of a renaissance for him. Before he got hurt against the Jets, he was playing like his old self. Four interceptions in 12 games. He proved he wasn't just a product of Fangio’s system. He was a leader in a room full of rookies like Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker.
He became the "old head." It was weird seeing BoJack as the veteran mentor, but he embraced it. He showed those young guys how to watch film, how to disguise coverages, and how to survive the grind of a losing season.
Why the Bears Moved On
The NFL is a cold business. By 2024, Jackson was 30 years old. He’d dealt with recurring foot injuries that sapped a bit of that elite range. When you’re a safety whose whole game is built on "range," losing half a step is a death sentence.
The Bears were rebuilding. They had a young core. Keeping a safety with an $18 million cap hit just didn't make sense when you're trying to build around a rookie quarterback like Caleb Williams. So, they cut him. He eventually landed with the Baltimore Ravens, reuniting with Roquan Smith. It made sense. Baltimore loves smart, veteran safeties.
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But seeing him in purple felt wrong.
The Statistical Impact
Look at the numbers, but look past the tackles. Jackson finished his Bears career with 15 interceptions and 10 forced fumbles. But the stat that matters most? Six defensive touchdowns. That puts him in elite company. In the history of the Chicago Bears—a team with Butkus, Singletary, and Urlacher—Eddie Jackson holds the record for the most defensive touchdowns.
That’s not a fluke.
He had a knack for the end zone that was reminiscent of Devin Hester. When he got the ball, the stadium changed. The energy shifted. You knew he wasn't going down at the 40-yard line. He was looking for six.
The Misconceptions
People say he stopped caring after he got paid. That’s lazy. If you watch the All-22 film from 2022 and 2023, he was often the only person back there keeping the roof from falling in. He was playing through Lisfranc injuries and constant roster turnover. Was he the same player as 2018? No. But very few players in NFL history ever have a season as good as his 2018. We shouldn't punish a guy for not being "Legendary" every single Sunday.
What Safeties Can Learn from BoJack
If you’re a young defensive back watching his tape, don't just look at the interceptions. Look at his eyes. Jackson was a master of the "no-look" coverage. He would stare at a check-down option to bait the quarterback into throwing the deep post, then he’d flip his hips and explode.
He played the game like a chess match.
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He also showed the importance of versatility. He could play the single-high "robber" role, or he could drop into the box if he absolutely had to. He wasn't the biggest guy on the field, but he was usually the smartest.
Actionable Takeaways for Bears Fans and Analysts
The departure of Eddie Jackson leaves a massive void in the "football IQ" department of the Bears' secondary. If you’re following the team now, here is what you need to watch for to see how they’re filling that gap:
- Communication at the Third Level: Watch Kevin Byard or whoever is playing that deep safety role. Jackson was the one making the late-shift calls. If the Bears start giving up "busts" (wide-open receivers), it’s because they miss Eddie’s brain, not just his legs.
- The Turnover Margin: The Bears' defense under Eberflus relies on takeaways. Without a natural ballhawk like Jackson, the corners (Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson) have to be more aggressive.
- The Cap Space Utilization: The $12M saved from Jackson's release was essentially funneled into the offensive line and depth. Was it worth the trade-off? That’s the question that defines the 2024-2025 seasons.
Eddie Jackson's time in Chicago was a rollercoaster. It started with a meteoric rise, peaked with an All-Pro season that fueled a playoff run, and ended with the quiet, dignified exit of a veteran who had given his body to the city. He might not be a Hall of Famer, but in the halls of Halas Hall, he’s a legend. He reminded a generation of Bears fans that defense could be the most exciting part of the game.
When you look back at that 2018 highlight reel, remember that it wasn't just luck. It was a kid from Alabama with a chip on his shoulder and a broken leg, proving 31 teams wrong every time he touched the grass.
To truly understand the impact he had, one only needs to look at the "Takeaway Trash Can" or the sideline celebrations he pioneered. He didn't just play the position; he defined an era of Chicago football that was, for a brief moment, the most fun team in the league. The jersey number 4 may be worn by someone else now, but the standard for what a Bears safety should be—dynamic, dangerous, and dominant—remains exactly where Eddie Jackson left it.
For those tracking the current roster, keep a close eye on the safety rotation. The "centerfield" role is the hardest to play in the modern NFL, and replacing a guy who did it instinctively is almost impossible through the draft alone. The Bears are betting on scheme over individual brilliance now. Only time will tell if that bet pays off.