MUSKEGON – A year ago today, Tyree Jackson was sitting at home in Muskegon, unsure about what his next step in the football world would be.

He had been a quarterback – a very good one – for a long time, and everyone assumed that would be his position throughout his career.

Jackson was the QB who started as a 13-year-old freshman for Mona Shores, took his lumps for a few years, then rose to All-State status. He led the Sailors to their very first state playoff appearance in 2013 and the Division 2 state finals a year later.

After that he starred at the University of Buffalo. In his senior season (2018) he completed 225 of 407 passes for 3,131 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Jackson’s dream had always been to play pro football, and his prospects seemed good coming out of college.

He was not selected in the 2019 NFL draft, but was signed as a free agent a few days later by the Buffalo Bills. He started one preseason game at quarterback, then was released by the team in the final cut before the start of the regular season.

He had an abbreviated stint as the backup quarterback for the DC Defenders of the short-lived XFL in 2020, but the league folded midway through the season, and Jackson ended up back home, searching for a new opportunity.

Giving up was never an option, but thinking outside of the box certainly was – and that led to a position change.

“I was playing in the XFL, and once that shut down during COVID I was home all of last year,” Jackson told MuskegonSports.com in an interview on Tuesday. “Toward the end of last season I was talking to one of my college coaches who mentioned that a couple of NFL teams had been interested in me switching positions to tight end.

“So I got with the receivers coach at Buffalo, trained with him for a couple of weeks toward the end of November and beginning of December, then I signed with the Eagles in January, after the end of their season.

“I was hungry to play football, and that was my best opportunity at that point.”

Of course signing with an NFL team is one thing, but making the roster is quite another, particularly for a journeyman former quarterback who suddenly switched positions – yet Jackson pulled it off.

He impressed the Eagles coaches during training camp in August, and was kept on the team despite suffering a back injury that forced him to miss a lot of training camp and the start of the regular season.

He’s been back in action with the Eagles for the past three games – Nov. 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Nov. 14 against the Denver Broncos, and Nov. 21 against the New Orleans Saints – getting playing time at tight end and on special teams. The Eagles will play the New York Giants this Sunday.

Jackson admits that the change has been challenging. Instead of throwing passes, he’s catching them, and he has the added responsibility of becoming an effective blocker on the offensive line.

But for Jackson, challenges are opportunities, and he’s not going to pass them up.

“It’s a lot more blocking and things that you don’t do as a quarterback,” he said. “I’ve been spending a lot of time in the weight room, and trying to get my footwork right, just trying to get faster and stronger.”

Jackson says it’s been exciting to play in regular season NFL games and see his childhood dream come to fruition. But he’s not satisfied with where he’s at, he’s not taking anything for granted, and he’s certainly not ready to relax and enjoy the scenery.

“One hundred percent, this was always my goal, it’s what I always said I wanted to do,” Jackson said. “It’s definitely a blessing. A year ago I was at home, so I was very thankful to make the team, but I know it’s just the beginning. There’s still a lot of work to be done

“Switching to a new position gives me an opportunity to learn something new every day, and I know I can always improve. I’m sure after the season I will think about everything more, but right now I’m just focused on getting better.”

Jackson’s skill, potential and attitude have clearly impressed the Eagles, and the national media has also taken notice.

“Jackson (6-7, 249) is definitely an intriguing player,” wrote Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports. “He’s a former college quarterback from the University at Buffalo who didn’t begin his transition to tight end until about a year ago. He was wildly impressive this summer, so much so that he earned a roster spot at final cuts despite a fracture in his back.

“Because of his injury, Jackson played in just one preseason game this summer. Against the Steelers, he had two catches for 32 yards. But the Eagles watched him make play after play this summer.”

The writer noted that the Eagles recently traded tight end Zach Ertz, which will create more opportunities for Jackson to show off his skills.

“The Eagles didn’t trade Ertz because of Jackson, but finding out what they have in the 24-year-old tight end is a welcome byproduct,” Zangaro wrote.

Jackson says he will not have the opportunity to sneak home for the holidays, but he keeps in regular contact with his family and talks to Mona Shores head coach Matt Koziak and quarterbacks coach Aaron James on a regular basis.

“I’ll come back and visit a lot in the offseason, and spend time with my family and friends,” said Jackson, who now makes his home in Philadelphia.

Koziak said it’s been thrilling as a high school coach to watch is first star pupil go so far.

“It’s super cool,” said Koziak, whose program continued to develop after the Jackson era and won Division 2 state championships in 2019 and 2020. “His entire career has just been awesome to follow, from high school to college to the NFL, then to the XFL, and now back to the NFL. To switch to tight end and then to make an NFL roster is incredible.”

Koziak admitted it would have been hard back in 2013, when Jackson was a very skinny freshman, to picture him someday making the pros as a bulky tight end.

“I wish I could say I saw this coming,” the coach said. “I knew he was a hard worker and loved to study the game, but there’s no way I could have predicted that he would become 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds!”

Jackson’s mother, Susan Jackson, said it was a thrill to travel to Philadelphia and see her son play in the NFL. She said she and Tyree’s father, Flo Jackson, have been at one Eagles preseason game and two regular season games so far, and plan to attend two more.

“We always remained optimistic that something would turn up for him,” she said. “He had lots of workouts, and got a lot of good feedback, but nobody was biting for a while. He was still doing the quarterback thing, then all the sudden he switched to tight end. His agent kept telling us that teams really liked him and saw a future for him.”

The injury in training camp in August created some anxiety for the family while they waited to see if it would cost him a chance to stick with the Eagles.

“We just held our breaths and prayed a lot, hoping that the Eagles would hold on to him when he got injured,” Susan Jackson said. “He had such a great preseason.”

On their first visit to Philadelphia, Susan said her son took the opportunity to show them around the city.

“He took us to all the hot spots for pizza and Philly cheese steak,” she said. “He already knows his way around.”

Susan said she always felt certain that her son would live out his dream of playing pro football, despite a few unpredictable ups-and-downs along the way.

“He was always just something special, his drive and love for the game, and he was always willing to do whatever it took to get there,” she said. “I never doubted that he would make it. I didn’t think it would be as difficult as it was, but I never doubted he would get there.”