Michael Jacobson: Iowa State basketball to Colts TE
INDIANAPOLIS (BVM) – When Sam Ellingher scrambled around the Buffalo Bills’ 20-yard line and found Michael Jacobson in the end zone in the fourth quarter of the Indianapolis Colts’ first preseason game on August 13, it had been a while since Jacobson had scored an in game touchdown. In fact, it had been 2,851 days since the tight end had scored a touchdown against Mason City in a 59-0 win for Waukee High School.
“I’ll be honest; I wasn’t exactly expecting it,” Jacobson said about his first NFL touchdown.
Michael Jacobson folks 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/XSzZEaebS4
— Wide Right & Natty Lite (@WideRtNattyLt) August 13, 2022
He was so unready that his teammates poked some fun at him about not having a celebration prepared. Jacobson has been more preoccupied with trying to reach his full potential out on the football field. Since making it to the Seattle Seahawks training camp in 2021, he has been learning on the fly.
The Seahawks moved on from Jacobson and in Week 4 of the 2021 season, the Indianapolis Colts signed him to their practice squad. He’s been with the team ever since. Last season, he was able to learn a lot while being on the practice squad, especially from Jack Doyle.
“I think Jack Doyle last year was a big help just seeing him,” Jacobson said. “He’s the consummate pro and carries himself really well on and off the field, a guy who does everything right.”
Along with Doyle, the ability to have a full offseason helped the second–year tight end tremendously. The prior offseason, he was without a team and just trying to get a chance to play in the league. The time he was able to spend learning the playbook this summer was vital.
“It’s been an unbelievable experience,” Jacobson said. “Obviously I didn’t really get a training camp last year so to be able to get a full one this year and have the whole offseason to get the playbook installed and get the reps in mini camp and OTAs.”
All of it contributed to his touchdown catch against the Bills, which added another milestone to Jacobson’s transition from basketball to football.
Jacobson was the top basketball recruit in the state of Iowa for the Class of 2015. He originally was committed to Nebraska and played his first two collegiate seasons in Lincoln before transferring to Iowa State. As a Cyclone, he averaged 9.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during his career at Iowa State. As a redshirt junior, he made the Big 12 All-Tournament team.
Following his time at Iowa State, the 6-foot-7, 244–pound forward headed overseas to play professionally in Ukraine. However, his time in Ukraine made Jacobson rethink his basketball career and future in the sport.
“Kind of decided it wasn’t for me,” Jacobson said about his time playing basketball in Ukraine.
It was around this time that Jacobson started to consider football as an option. He had played it in high school and had even drawn some interest from DI programs but opted to play basketball. Jacobson knew some people who were playing in the league and his close friend from high school, Anthony Nelson, plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I would say that’s always been in the back of my mind,” Jacobson said about switching from basketball to football. “There’s been a number of guys who have made that transition.”
That includes his current teammate, Mo Alie-Cox, but at the time, Jacobson still wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to make it. While training at home, he went through a NFL–style combine and he decided to make a run at the NFL.
Jacobson reached out to Nelson and asked if he could connect him with an agent. Nelson did and soon Jacobson was training with some of the best tight ends in the country.
“Working out in Nashville with guys like George Kittle, Rob Tonyan; I wouldn’t exactly say that we’re super close but it is just good to get into those work out groups,” Jacobson said. “See guys like that. How they run routes, how they think about the game and talk about the game you just try to pick up as much as you can.”
Only a few months later he was in Seattle working with the Seahawks and then the Colts, all leading to this training camp. Jacobson has come a long way since last year. The Colts gave him a chance and he is trying to make the most of it.
“I’m going to try to make it a difficult decision for them,” Jacobson said. “I feel like I’m headed in the right direction and even if it doesn’t happen in a week, then you know maybe a few weeks into the season.”
