“I look at my brother and the road he took to get to where he is, and that’s kind of the same path I want to take, seeing where he came from.” Jervonte Jackson
Published 23:25, May the 21st, 2009
Band of brothers
At first glance, the name Jervonte Jackson looks like just another name on the Eagles roster. Read his bio and you’ll find out he’s actually the half-brother of starting center Jamaal Jackson. Talk to him and you’ll find a true diamond in the rough, a guy you can’t help but root for to make it through final cuts.
“If I work hard and give it everything I can, I think I have a pretty good chance,” Jervonte said Thursday. “They’re looking for high motor guys. I’ve had a high motor my whole life.”
Jervonte’s mom, Avonda Dowling, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for dealing drugs. His father, Jerry, was addicted to crack and also arrested on drug charges. It was Jervonte’s job to mind the household and look after his younger sister, Vonshari Hoardes.
“I grew up in party city, Miami,” he said. “But I never really went out much.”
In all, Jervonte has four sisters and at least seven brothers. The sibling he was closest to, brother Kamar, was killed by a drunk driver last September. The funeral was on Jervonte’s birthday.
“It was really tough for me,” Jervonte said. “I had just gotten off the phone with him, then my sister called and said he was in a car accident.”
Jervonte didn’t meet Jamaal until fourth grade, and it wasn’t until Jervonte was playing high school football that the two developed a bond. Jamaal was a freshman at Delaware State.
“One time he called me and was like, ‘Yo man, what number you get?’,” said Jervonte. “I said I got 79. He said, ‘I got 79, too.’ That was crazy.”
Now, Jamaal wears No. 67 and starts in the NFL. Jervonte, donning his No. 77 practice shirt, is just trying to make the team.
“I know everybody’s going to be looking at me, saying that’s Jack’s little brother,” Jervonte said. “I’m up for the challenge.”