College football legend Bo Jackson helps pay for Uvalde victims' funerals

College football legend Bo Jackson wanted to help the victims of the Uvalde mass shooting.

The whole nation was shocked by the senseless death of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, this year, but college football legend Bo Jackson is taking action.

Jackson helped pay for the funerals of those killed in the tragedy, revealing that he was one of the anonymous donors.

In total, Jackson paid roughly $170,000, presenting the check to Texas governor Greg Abbott.

“I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting old,” Jackson said, via AP. “It’s just not right for parents to bury their kids. It’s just not right.

“I know every family there probably works their butts off just to do what they do. ... The last thing they needed was to shell out thousands of dollars for something that never should have happened.”

Jackson said he has a personal connection with the town of Uvalde, saying he has visited the town often as he traveled to his friend's ranch nearby on hunting trips, stopping at local restaurants and spending time in the town square.

After the shooting, Jackson tweeted, “America ... let’s please stop all the nonsense. Please pray for all victims. If you hear something, say something. We aren’t supposed to bury our children. I’m praying for all of the families around the country who have lost loved ones to senseless shootings. This cannot continue.”

Auburn football legend Bo Jackson won the Heisman Trophy in 1985

Jackson had a legendary career at Auburn, running for 4,303 yards and scoring 43 touchdowns in the regular season. 

In 1985, he had four 200-yard rushing games in a 1,786-yard campaign — still the second-best performance by any rusher in SEC history — and won the Heisman Trophy, what he called his greatest single honor.

That's saying something when you consider the full-scale athlete Jackson was.

Prior to playing at Auburn, Jackson was seriously pursued by the New York Yankees, who chose him in the second round of the 1982 MLB Draft out of high school.

Jackson elected to play for Auburn instead, finishing with the SEC's fourth-most all-time career yardage mark, two consensus All-American honors, and averaging 6.6 yards per carry in his collegiate career.

He played four seasons in the NFL with the Los Angeles Raiders, racking up 3,000 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns before a hip injury shortened his career.

Jackson went on to play nine years as an outfielder in Major League Baseball, a career that included four 20-home run seasons, and an AL All-Star honor in 1989.

(h/t Associated Press)

---

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | News | Schedules | Facebook