Jackson was ready to retire before Patriots called

FOXBORO — It might have hit him when he was flying in a helicopter over Panama City, or zip lining through the forest in Nicaragua. Perhaps it was when he was hiking up a volcano or kayaking in Guatemala.

Realistically, it was probably in Belize. Not when he was snorkeling with nurse sharks and sting rays in the barrier reef. It was more likely while he was sitting and staring out at the serene setting that was the Caribbean Sea.

Steven Jackson had plenty of time over the past year to think about his next move. He might not have had all the answers, but it was in February, during a 24-day excursion through Central America, when he came up with the conclusion that football might still be an option in 2015.

“Every offseason I take a number of trips abroad and I use that time to reflect on things I accomplished over the past year and to set goals for the next, the following year,” Jackson said. “Those challenging trips — hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, whatever it is — you do those kinds of things and you realize how small you are in the world. It makes you think about things full circle and about what’s your impact and what you can get better at.”

Jackson documented the trip with photos and blog entries on his website, sj39.com. He started in Panama City. He was there for three days before taking off for Nicaragua and then Guatemala. Between the two countries, Jackson hiked two volcanoes and spent time kayaking.

By the time he got to Belize, he was ready to unwind and focus on the future.

“That was the point where I came to the conclusion that it had to be for the right situation,” Jackson said. “I told myself that I was willing to walk away from the game if it wasn’t the right situation and I’d be ready to move on. I also said that I would make myself a better me. I think I started that enrolling back in school, working on my mental part, staying sharp and walking away from something that I love. But for the right situation I’d come back for it.”

Jackson didn’t know if he’d find the perfect fit, but 10 months later, he’s back in football with the Patriots.

Staying ready

Jackson is a self-motivated man. He didn’t need to find a group of athletes to push him, or a trainer to scream at him.

Prior to signing with the Patriots on Dec. 22, the 32-year-old trained on his own back home in Las Vegas. Whether or not he was going to return to football, Jackson wanted to stay in shape. Eating right and working out is part of who he is.

Jackson’s been working with Dr. Clayton Skaggs and two trainers — Stephane Cazeault and Ro Sharma — for the past 10 years at the Central Institute for Human Performance, based in Kirkwood, Mo. The back found CIHP during his time with the St. Louis Rams and credits the innovative training and rehabilitation center for helping him last more than a decade in the NFL.

“CIHP has done a great job. Mind, body and soul, I’ll tell you that,” Jackson said. “This year is very trying — more on the mental and spiritual side of things. Making sure that I kept my spirits high.”

This year, Jackson worked with the company from afar. Each month he received a detailed package in the mail, setting up his weekly workout routine. He’d lift weights two to three times a week and work on his conditioning at a local track up to three times a week.

Jackson worked out on his own.

“I enjoy working out,” he said. “It’s a stress reliever for me as well as the type of workouts that challenge me more so than just going for a Sunday jog.”

Jackson worked with Cazeault at CIHP from 2005 until 2013, when the trainer moved to Rhode Island. Cazeault, who resides in East Greenwich, was confident that Jackson was in good enough shape to get started with the Patriots. He experienced, first-hand, how hard Jackson works and what being healthy means to him.

“Obviously he’s very naturally gifted. He’s an extremely hard worker and highly competitive,” Cazeault said. “He always wants to do better. He always wants to get stronger. I’m not really that worried about that with him. It’s part of his lifestyle. Even his nutrition, he’s very diligent with it. He’s not like a fast-food kind of guy.”

Then there was his competitive streak. Jackson was so passionate that at the end of his workouts, Cazeault would give him competitions with himself. One day, he set up 225 pounds on the leg press and called Jackson over. After Jackson pushed 52 reps, Cazeault challenged him to beat it. Jackson ended up pushing 90 that day.

“The leg press thing just demonstrated how hard he likes to push,” Cazeault said. “I like to use a lot of modified strongmen exercises. So like tire flips, prowler pushes, sled drags. So we would add weight to the sled, say 400 pounds, and I would ask Steven to pull it 40 yards as fast as possible. Then he would always need to beat his time. It was just something that would drive him.”

Saying bye

Jackson stayed in shape throughout 2015, but as football seemingly moved on without him, he started to move on with his life. He even re-enrolled at Oregon State, taking a family business class online.

Then Thanksgiving came.

Jackson and his family invited 20 to 30 people to their house for a potluck dinner. It was his first Thanksgiving when he didn’t have to worry about weighing in the next day. Jackson didn’t make a big announcement, but for the first time, he thought he was done with football. He sat on his couch and actually enjoyed watching games on TV like a fan would.

“To be honest with you, Thanksgiving weekend was my farewell to myself to the game,” Jackson said. “I was transitioning well. Went back to school, continuing my education there. But as far as football, I was slowly getting back to becoming a fan and watching the game and enjoying, instead of criticizing it and looking at schemes.”

Just a couple weeks later, Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount suffered a season-ending hip injury, and Bill Belichick threw a wrench into Jackson’s retirement plans. Jackson was in Foxboro for a tryout on Dec. 16. Six days later, he was signed. Last weekend, nearly a month after that dinner, Jackson was on the field as the Patriots took on the New York Jets.

“I’m very fortunate in that I took good care of myself throughout the season,” Jackson said. “I just live a healthy lifestyle and it paid off.”

Jackson’s work ethic has impressed Belichick already. He’s also shown diligence in learning the playbook, his assignments and blocking schemes, and in getting on the same page with Tom Brady.

“That takes work, it takes effort,” Belichick said. “You’ve got to build those relationships and that communication, and I think he worked really hard at that and continues to.”

Jackson would have been content had his NFL journey ended. He knew that back in February while sitting in Belize and enjoying that warm ocean breeze. But for someone who was only in the playoffs once as a rookie in 2004, an offer from the Patriots was exactly what he had in mind when he was thinking about the right situation.

 “I think, ideology, we line up very well – with what coach is doing, what he’s coaching the young guys to do and get done and what the veterans here have accomplished over their careers,” Jackson said. “It’s right down my mentality with the way I approach the game and the way I approach life.”

Mark Daniels writes for the Providence Journal of GateHouse Media.