Donte Jackson spent the first several seasons of his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers. The cornerback had an up-and-down tenure that eventually led to him being traded away. He was part of the Diontae Johnson trade, though the Panthers eventually moved on from him during the season.
Jackson landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and instantly made it to the playoffs. That's something he didn't experience with the Panthers in six seasons. In discussing whether or not his new coach Mike Tomlin should be fired for not winning playoff games, Jackson brought a cautionary tale from his time in Carolina to mind.
Donte Jackson rips Panthers organization
Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, but he hasn't been able to win a playoff game in a long time. He is often winning double-digit games without a strong overall roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball. That hasn't stopped some fans from begging for a new coach to be installed, one that can win a playoff game.
Donte Jackson urged those fans to pump the brakes. "The message to the Tomlin haters. I would just be like, 'Be careful what you wish for,'" Jackson said. "I've seen in my six years in Carolina, I've seen three coaches get fired during the season. Some guys go through their whole career and see not one head coach get fired, period. Not let alone during the season, bro. I've seen three get fired during the season, bro. That's crazy. I've been under three interim head coaches. And in six seasons. That's in six seasons!"
In Jackson's eyes, the grass isn't always greener. One thing NFL organizations strive for is consistency. They don't want turnover all the time, which is why they've had three head coaches since 1969. That's not something most organizations will ever be able to say, and it's something Jackson believes is key.
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