Vincent Jackson signed a franchise tag with the Chargers for $11m and insisted there were no hard feelings after his hold-out last season.
Wide receiver eager to get back to football after troubled year
Vincent Jackson signed a franchise tag with the San Diego Chargers for $11 million and insisted there were no hard feelings after his hold-out last season.
The Pro Bowl wide receiver did not play until the 11th game of last season, as he and the team were at loggerheads following his call for a long-term deal.
San Diego offered him a one-year tender for $3.268 million for 2010, but Jackson wanted a long-term multi-million contract similar to ones that other elite NFL receivers have been given.
The dispute saw Jackson miss almost all of the season, the Chargers miss out on the play-offs and the wideout making just $280,823 in the end in salary, so he was eager to jump straight in and sign the franchise tag as soon as the lockout was ended.
"3:01 p.m. came, and I was in the office and putting ink to paper," said Jackson. "I wanted to get all of that stuff behind us, and we get to focus on football."
No deal
Jackson was almost traded last season but no deal could be found to suit all parties, and despite all of the wrangling he insists he has been welcomed back to the team for this coming season.
"When I came in this afternoon, it was like a reunion with your family," Jackson said in his first public comments since January. "Guys welcomed me with open arms."
"We never had any confrontations, anything personal about it. It is a business. Things can be shot back and forth. But honestly I've never had a problem with anybody in this building. I feel like this is home."
The six-foot-five Jackson is considered one of the best receivers in the league, and he insists he will be back with a bang this season despite missing so much football last year.
"I had a great offseason, I'm feeling healthy, ready to go, and I'm really excited about this year," he said. "Having a full year under our belt as a team, I think we're going to do some big things."
Jackson also said he would be interested in doing a long-term deal with the Chargers if they team came to him with an offer.
