Grady Jackson says good-bye to Falcons

Atlanta Falcons

Grady Jackson says good-bye to Falcons

A photo gallery of Grady Jackson's career with the Atlanta Falcons.

Grady Jackson was a plus-sized anchor of the Falcons defensive line in 2008. In NFL terms, Jackson, who has weighed in at a minimum of 345 pounds during his 14-year pro career, is known as a "space-eater." He'll be eating space in Detroit next season as he signed a three-year deal with the Lions on Wednesday.

Jackson began his NFL career with the Raiders, who drafted the native of Greensboro, Ala., in the sixth round of the 1997 draft. He played collegiately at Knoxville College, a historically black college in Tennessee.

After five seasons with the Raiders, Jackson signed with the Saints. Here he punishes Falcons quarterback Kurt Kittner in a 2003 game. Jackson played two seasons in New Orleans, and then three with the Green Bay Packers.

The Falcons signed Jackson as a free agent prior to the 2006 season. He brought immediate help to the team's run defense, and he played in all 16 games that season.

In 2007, Jackson was one of several veteran players who ran into trouble with the regime of new Falcons coach Bobby Petrino. The team surprised Jackson's teammates and Falcons fans by releasing him in October. He was immediately picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The defensive coordinator who was happy to have Jackson in Jacksonville? A guy named Mike Smith.

Jackson couldn't hide his enthusiasm when he rejoined the Falcons prior to the 2008 season (here he's warming up for the Falcons' preseason game against the Jets last August). He not only was back in Atlanta, but he was reunited with the team's new head coach, Mike Smith.

Though he is one of the largest defensive linemen in pro football, Jackson is hardly immobile. Here he puts pressure on the Vikings' speedy quarterback Tavaris Jackson in Atlanta's victory in Minneapolis in December.

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Grady Jackson was a plus-sized anchor of the Falcons defensive line in 2008. In NFL terms, Jackson, who has weighed in at a minimum of 345 pounds during his 14-year pro career, is known as a "space-eater." He'll be eating space in Detroit next season as he signed a three-year deal with the Lions on Wednesday.

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