Fred Jackson wanted to finish his career with the Buffalo Bills, but that dream ended when the veteran running back was released in a surprise move Monday.
Jackson will miss his teammates and the fans that have supported him since he joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He won’t, however, miss dealing with Bills general manager Doug Whaley.
The 34-year-old told The Buffalo News he was “blindsided” by the move based on conversations he had with the GM.
“Doug Whaley was behind it, to my knowledge,” Jackson said. “He wasn’t honest with me the entire time that I’ve known him. I have the utmost respect for the organization. There’s only one person in that organization that I haven’t gotten honesty from, and that was him…I was under the impression that I had done enough to show I can still contribute to the team. To come in on the first cut with 10 days left, it definitely caught me off guard.”
Whaley’s decision apparently surprised many within the organization besides Jackson.
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Jackson rushed for 5,646 yards during his time with the Bills, which ranks third in team history.
Despite his age, Jackson is still considered a reliable commodity and met with the Seattle Seahawks Tuesday. As of Wednesday morning, he had not officially signed with the Seahawks, but if he does end up there he’ll be reunited with former teammate Marshawn Lynch. The Bills and Seahawks aren’t scheduled to play each other this season. The only time they could potentially meet would be in the Super Bowl.
The Bills have their pre-season finale Thursday when they face the Detroit Lions.
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