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Message from a legendary linebacker: ‘Practice hard, play hard’

Tom Jackson, a versatile linebacker for Denver’s iconic Orange Crush defense in the 70s and 80s, told Phil Milani this week that he never put a lot of stock into awards - until the Broncos started giving the “Most Inspirational Player” award.

Naturally “TJ” won it several years in a row.

“I like to think I put everything I had, not only into the way I played but by the way I practiced,” Jackson said, while being featured this week in Denver’s “Legends of the Game” series. “I practiced really hard. I took a lot of pride in getting my teammates to play their best.