Fred Jackson knows at 36 years old he’s “over the hill” for running backs.
Still, he believes he can be a difference maker on the field.
“I want to play and it’s one of those where we’ll see what happens,” he said during the Kelly for Kids Foundation Gala on Sunday. “Training camps are around the corner and if teams lose a back or two, maybe they’ll give me a call.
“I’m not ready to hang ‘em up yet. But, I do know that I’m 36 and a lot of teams are scared of that, so we’ll see what happens.”
Jackson, who played eight years with the Bills before being cut prior to the 2015 season, was one of the most dependable players week-in and week-out for Buffalo, rushing for more than 5,000 rushing yards while scoring 37 total touchdowns.
He signed with Seattle and joined former teammate and friend Marshawn Lynch in the Seahawks backfield. Jackson ran for 100 yards and advanced to the playoffs for the first time in his career.
“Buffalo is what I bleed,” Jackson said. “Even though I’m not here in person, I’m here in spirit rooting for these guys.
“I want these guys to go the playoffs and win a Super Bowl and get this fan base something to be excited about. Even if I’m not playing, that’s what I want these guys to have.
"I would love to come back and play in a Bills uniform. Is it going to happen? No one knows. If I was able to come out and play in a Bills uniform I promise you I'd leave everything on the field like I always did and give the guys a reason to cheer me on."
Even if his NFL career is nearing its end, there is still a chance for Jackson’s impact not only on the field but in the community to be immortalized forever with a spot on the Bills Wall of Fame at New Era Field.
“That would be a tremendous honor,” he said. “You know it’s what we do it for. A part of us, when we’re done playing this game, we want what we did to stick around. That would be a great way to cement that I meant something to this community and this team.”