Childhood & Early Life
Jack was born Herbert Jackson Youngblood III, on January 26, 1950, in Jacksonville, Florida, to Herbert J and Kay Youngblood. He was raised with his two sisters, Paula and Lynn.
Jack graduated from 'Monticello-Jefferson County High School' in 1967 and then earned his bachelor's degree in finance from the 'University of Florida' in 1972.
Jack was a 4-year letterman in football. He also participated in basketball in high school, playing as part of '4-H,' the 'Student Council,' and 'Key Club International.' In 1989, 'Sports Illustrated' named Jack to 'Florida's All-Time' high-school football team.
In November 2007, Jack was one of the 33 of Florida’s most celebrated high-school football players and was voted to the 'All-Century High School' football team of the 'Florida High School Athletic Association.'
In 1966, Jack recorded 70 tackles as an offensive lineman, a linebacker, and the state champion 'Tigers' captain. He earned 'All-State' honors and was voted the ‘Outstanding Lineman’ of the team that season. He also won honors such as the 'All-Conference,' the 'All-Big Bend,' and the 'Big Bend’ linemen of the year.
At the university, Jack was a member of the 'Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity' ('Alpha Omega Chapter'). From 1968 to 1970, he was a varsity letterman with the 'Florida Gators' football teams, under coaches Ray Graves and Doug Dickey.
In his freshman year for the 'Gator,' Jack wore the number 52 and made his debut at the defensive end of the freshman team. Previously, he had played as a linebacker in high school. In his sophomore year, defensive tackle was also added to his positions, and he recorded 24 tackles, four sacks, and a career-high 42-yard field goal.
As a 'Gator' player, Jack became part of the testing team for 'Gatorade,' a sports-themed beverage, specially designed to help players ward off the Central Florida heat.
Jack emerged as an asset for the 'Gator Bowl,' with a score of 9 tackles and a forced fumble. He gained national attention after he recorded a 5-sack performance that translated to a win against the in-state rival 'Florida State University,' on October 4, 1969. In 1969, Jack set a school-high score of 14 sacks.In 1970, Jack finished his stint with 29 quarterback sacks for 'Gator' and was named the best defensive lineman in the team's history. He was regarded as one of the top five players during his time in the university's football program and was considered an excellent pass rusher of the time.
He was named to the first-team 'All-American' and was an 'Outland Trophy' finalist in the subsequent season. He was also voted the 'Southeastern Conference' lineman of the year.
That year, Jack also received a 'Florida's Fergie Ferguson Award' and a spot in the 'Florida–Georgia Game Hall of Fame,' considering his remarkable performance in the ‘Florida’–‘Georgia’ match.
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Career
Jack made his ‘NFL’ debut in 1971, with the 'Los Angeles Rams,' as a left defensive end and as a backup for Deacon Jones.
In 1973, Jack was selected as part of the 'Second-Team All-Pro' and made it to his first 'Pro Bowls.' The 'Rams Alumni Association' named him the ‘Rams Defensive Lineman of the Year.’ The following year, he was voted to the 'First-Team All-Pro' and thus moved to his second 'Pro Bowl.'
'United Press International' honored Jack with the tag of the 'NFC Defensive Player of the Year' in 1975, while 'Pro Football Weekly' named him the ‘NFL Defensive Lineman of the Year.’ He repeated his 1974 honors and represented the 'Rams' for the third consecutive season.
Jack again received the 'NFC Defensive Player of the Year Award' in 1976 and graduated to his fourth consecutive 'Pro Bowl.'
At that time, he garnered huge fame for being one of the top 10 athletes playing in pain, as dubbed by 'Sports Illustrated,' because of Jack's prolific performance with a fractured left fibula in the 1979 and 1980 playoffs. The 'NFL Network Top 10' series listed the performance as part of the "Gutsiest Performances" of all time. Jim Hanifan and 'Hall of Fame' coach John Madden regarded Jack as the "John Wayne of football" for all his achievements and guts.
In the 1979 season, Jack secured a career-high score of 18 sacks and was on the 'First-Team All-Pro' for the fifth time. Soon before the 1981 season, he underwent a surgery to remove a huge blood clot from under his left arm, resulting in restricted blood flow. Nevertheless, Jack was unstoppable, and he continued to play in 201 consecutive games, a 'Rams' team record, and all that with a broken leg and numerous other injuries.
In his 14-year ‘NFL’ career, Jack had missed only one game. It was in week 15 of the 1984 season, at a time when he had suffered a ruptured disc in his lower back just 2 weeks earlier. Despite the injury, he played the season finale.
From 1977 to 1984, Jack served as the defensive captain for the 'Rams' and won the 'Dan Reeves' award thrice. He was also honored with the 1984 'Ed Block Courage Award.' Jack retired on August 27, 1985, with a career that will be remembered for "dignity, integrity, respect, and pride."
In 1992, Jack was inducted to the 'College Football Hall of Fame.' He was inducted to the 'Pro Football Hall of Fame' in 2001. In April 2007, he won the 'Order of the Leather Helmet,’ the highest recognition for an ‘NFL’ alumni, awarded by the 'National Football League Alumni Association.'
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Following his ‘NFL’ career, Jack appeared as ‘Secret Service’ agent ‘John Sommers’ in the 1986 TV movie ' C.A.T. Squad' and its 1988 sequel, 'C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf.' He reported and co-hosted 'ESPN NFL GameDay' (1985 and 1986) and regularly guest-appeared on 'ESPN' shows such as ‘Sportslook' (1984, 1986, 1988), 'Star-Shot' (1988), and 'Great Outdoors' (1989).
From 1987 to 1991, Jack was a radio analyst for the 'Rams.' He then became a radio analyst for 'Sacramento Surge' ('World League of American Football') in 1992. He was a TV analyst for the 'Sacramento Gold Miners' in 1993. Jack co-hosted 'Wal-Mart's Great Outdoors' for 3 years (2000 to 2003).
Jack has served the 'Rams' as its radio network's color analyst from 1986 to 1991. He was then made the director of marketing of the 'Sacramento Surge' in 1991. Jack became the color analyst for the radio networks of the 'Sacramento Gold Miners' ('Canadian Football League') in 1993 and hosted a sports radio talk show for ‘KHTK-AM 1140’ in Sacramento, California, in 1994.
In 1995, Jack began serving the 'Orlando Predators' ('Arena Football League') as their vice president, later moving on to serve as their general manager and their president. Under his service, the team was enlisted on the ‘NASDAQ’ stock exchange. In 1999, Jack began to work for as a special consultant of the ‘AFL’ and its developmental league, ‘arenafootball2' (AF2), in association with the ‘NFL.’
Jack's business ventures include the ‘South Coast Club’ in Huntington Beach, California, and a western clothing store named 'The Wild Bunch' that he had opened in 1980, in partnership with his 'Rams' teammate Larry Brooks. He has also worked with ‘BankAmericard.’
Jack has been part of campaigns for brands such as 'Miller Lite,' 'Honda Power' machines, 'Pro Tron Weights,' 'Dan Post Handcrafted Boots,' 'In-N-Out Burger,' and 'Cal-Gym.' He has also modeled for print ads of 'Munsingwear' briefs. Jack was a national spokesman for 'Protatonin' in 2001.
In 2000, Jack released his autobiography, 'Blood,' co-authored with Joel Engel.
Jack has served the environmental-friendly fuel manufacturer 'Dave Liles Ethanol Fuels,' as its division president. He also owns a farm in North Florida.
Family & Personal Life
Jack is married to Barbara Youngblood and has a son, Robert Youngblood.
At the 'University of Florida,' Jack was associated with the 'Fellowship of Christian Athletes' and raised funds for needy children. He was also associated with the 1974 'NFL-USO' tour, and in 1977, he became the chairman of the 'Right to Read' program for the Los Angeles area.
Jack has worked for several charitable foundations, such as the 'Muscular Dystrophy Foundation' and the 'Young Life' Orlando chapter. He has also been a spokesman for organizations such as the 'United Way.' He also participated in 'Hands Across America,' an event to eradicate hunger in the US.
Jack serves on the ‘Honorary Advisory Board’ of the 'St. Louis Rams' and supports the 'Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund' (GGAF).
In 2014, Jack founded the ‘Jack Youngblood Center for NeuroEnhancement' in Orlando, Florida, a center to treat traumatic brain injuries.
