DeSean Jackson Doc on Prime
A raw, unfiltered and riveting 90-minute documentary on the life and football journey of 15-year NFL standout and now Delaware State head football coach DeSean Jackson, entitled “Go Deep, the DeSean Jackson Story”, premiered on Amazon Prime Video last week.
Promotional materials describe the film as, “An unprecedented look into the life of one of the NFL’s most electrifying receivers. Through (over 30) years of raw family footage, witness Jackson’s journey from a 9-year-old Pop Warner phenom to an NFL star. Peeling back the layers of fame, revealing the intense family dynamics and pressures that shaped DeSean’s career. Watch the untold story of sacrifice, talent, and a relentless pursuit of success.”
Built from an extraordinary archive of between 2,000 and 4,000 hours of raw footage shot across 35 years by Byron Jackson, a former Kansas City Chiefs practice squad receiver who walked away from football and turned his camera on his little brother.
It highlights the driving force of Jackson’s father, Bill, who broke off ties with Byron for two years when he gave up football after his stint with the Chiefs and focused on getting his younger son to that same echelon.
Bill poured everything into that pursuit with an intensity equal parts love and obsession. He realized his dream before dying of pancreatic cancer in 2009. Mandon Lovett wrote and directed the film with DeSean Jackson as executive producer. It was showcased recently at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival.
