There’s a version of Alaric Jackson that most NFL fans know. He’s the formidable left tackle anchoring the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line, the undrafted free agent who earned a Super Bowl LVI ring and parlayed sheer determination into a three-year, $57 million contract extension.
But behind the helmet and shoulder pads is a man who’s built an equally deliberate life away from the field. For Jackson, staying at the top of the game isn’t just about reps in the weight room or film study. It’s about building a foundation sturdy enough to hold everything else up. Family, mindfulness, travel and service aren’t afterthoughts in his life. They’re the blueprint.
The Practice That Started in College and Never Stopped
Six years ago, while playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes, Jackson discovered yoga and it stuck. What began as a complement to his physical training evolved into something far more meaningful. It’s a practice that sharpens the body and mind. He’s kept it up through his entire NFL career, and it’s not hard to see why.
Research consistently shows that yoga delivers outsized benefits for football players. According to sports performance experts, yoga aids NFL players in improving mental focus and concentration, while breathwork and meditation enhance mindfulness that helps players manage the stress and anxiety that comes with the demands of professional football. For an offensive lineman whose job requires reading defenses in real time and making split-second adjustments, that kind of mental clarity isn’t a luxury. It’s a competitive edge.
Jackson has spoken openly about yoga’s dual payoff, such as the physical benefits of improved mobility and flexibility, and the mental benefit of staying present. The National Football Post has noted that the mind-body connection cultivated through yoga is critical for athletes at every level, with trainers and medical professionals increasingly treating mental toughness as inseparable from physical performance. For Jackson, yoga is a training tool and a daily ritual that keeps him grounded when the pressure mounts.
Fatherhood as an Anchor
Ask any parent in professional sports and they’ll tell you that fatherhood changes everything. For Alaric Jackson, it’s been a source of grounding that no amount of success on the field could replicate. He’s embraced the father role with the same dedication he brings to his craft, and those who know him say it shows.
The science backs up what Jackson and countless athlete dads already know. Research published in PMC found that fatherhood can enhance an elite athlete’s training motivation and time management skills, as the new responsibilities of parenting create a sharper sense of purpose and structure. One athlete in the study described how becoming a father made mental life “much more positive.” That’s a sentiment that resonates with Jackson’s own approach to balancing his personal and professional worlds.
For Jackson, being a father isn’t separate from being a competitor. It’s part of what makes him one. The discipline, the consistency, the willingness to show up every single day: those traits don’t clock out when the season ends. They translate directly into how he parents and how he leads.
Traveling to See the World, Not Just Leave It
Jackson’s passport tells a story of curiosity. He’s traveled to Dubai and Mexico, and he’s been vocal about his interest in immersing himself in different cultures and experiences. Rather than creating an escape, Jackson says traveling creates opportunities for expansion.
That distinction matters. A 2020 study on experiential diversity confirmed that new and different experiences make people measurably happier, and that exposure to new languages and cultures boosts thinking skills, concentration and memory. These aren’t trivial benefits for a professional athlete who relies on processing information quickly and staying mentally fresh across a grueling season.
Cultural immersion, in particular, has been shown to enhance cognitive flexibility and emotional resilience, with exposure to new perspectives building empathy and tolerance. For Jackson, a Canadian-American who grew up in Windsor, Ontario and attended high school in Detroit, navigating different worlds has always been part of his story. Travel is simply a continuation of that openness.
There’s also a recharging quality to getting away that directly benefits athletic performance. Behavioral health experts at Lee Health note that travel lets people detach from their environment, experience new things and take control of their time in ways that strengthen relationships and overall wellness. For an NFL player navigating the demands of an elite career, that kind of deliberate reset is invaluable.
Giving Back Through the Boys & Girls Club
Off the field and away from the yoga mat, Jackson commits his time to the next generation. His ongoing work with the Boys & Girls Club reflects a deeply held belief that success carries an obligation to show up for kids who don’t yet know what’s possible for them.
The impact of that kind of investment isn’t anecdotal. Boys & Girls Clubs of America reports that mentorship through their programs helps prevent early drug use, encourages teens to be college- and career-ready and promotes positive mental health outcomes. Youth in mentoring programs are also more than 50% less likely to skip school. These aren’t small numbers. They’re life-altering ones.
For a player who grew up between two countries and two cities, who walked into the NFL as an undrafted free agent and carved out a starting role through sheer will, that message of possibility carries weight. Jackson doesn’t just tell kids it’s possible to beat the odds. He’s living proof.
The Ed Block Courage Award: Honored by His Own Teammates
In a league full of accolades, the Ed Block Courage Award stands apart. It’s not handed out by executives or coaches. It’s voted on by teammates. Every year, players on all 32 NFL teams cast votes for the one person in their locker room who best exemplifies inspiration, sportsmanship and courage. That Alaric Jackson earned that recognition says everything about how his peers see him.
The award itself has a rich history. Founded in 1978 and named for Baltimore Colts trainer Ed Block, a humanitarian who devoted his life to helping abused and at-risk children, the award has been presented to players like Joe Montana, Peyton Manning and Jerry Rice. Recipients travel to Baltimore each March to be honored and to participate in community outreach with at-risk youth.
Jackson’s selection is a reflection of what his teammates already knew. He’s someone who’s faced genuine adversity, including two separate diagnoses of blood clots, first in his lungs and then in his lower leg, and met each challenge with the kind of quiet resolve that earns respect in an NFL locker room. He managed both conditions while remaining an active starter, a fact that speaks to both his physical resilience and his mental toughness.
Building for What’s Next
Beyond a stellar career playing football, Jackson is building a life that outlasts it. He’s currently returning to school to complete a leadership degree, a move that signals where his head is at: forward. He’s also invested in AI and technology, drawn by what emerging tools can offer while remaining thoughtful about their implications for the game he loves.
That combination of curiosity, discipline and self-awareness is increasingly rare. But it’s entirely consistent with everything else Jackson does off the field. Whether he’s on the mat, in a classroom, on a plane to somewhere new or on the floor of a Boys & Girls Club, Alaric Jackson is doing the same thing: investing in something that lasts.
The Rams’ franchise has a Super Bowl champion in their offensive line, but they also have something rarer: a player who understands that greatness isn’t just what you do between the lines. It’s who you are when no one’s watching. And by every measure, Alaric Jackson is exactly that.
