The Miami Dolphins signed right tackle Austin Jackson to a three-year extension Thursday.
Head coach Mike McDaniel said Jackson has earned the new deal, which is reportedly worth $36 million and includes $20.7 million guaranteed for the former first-round draft pick.
“You are defining your team real time with those types of investments. If you want people to come to work everyday with a complete devotion to what their responsibility is, you should reward that,” McDaniel said.
Jackson, 24, has started 42 of his 44 games — including all 12 this season — since Miami selected him 18th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Southern California.
The Dolphins declined Jackson’s fifth-year option in May but he responded by having his best season in 2023. Protecting left-handed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s blind side, he has allowed just two sacks in 740 snaps.
“The media, everyone wants to say whatever they want to say about Austin Jackson. But it’s almost a heroic story or something for how he’s turned his career around,” Tagovailoa said. “Very proud of him. I know he’s very happy. … This dude just loves ball. He just wants to do anything and everything he can do to help the team.”
Miami (9-3) has surrendered the fourth-fewest sacks in the NFL (18) heading into Monday night’s game against the visiting Tennessee Titans (4-8).
–Field Level Media
