Kareem Jackson has officially retired as a Denver Bronco. The 38-year-old defensive back signed with the club on Wednesday so he could end his 15-season career with the team he started for from 2019 to 2023, and he will plant the alumni flag at Empower Field at Mile High before Thursday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
“Orange & Blue, always,” the Broncos posted when they announced the move. “Congrats, K-Jack!”
Every game a start in Denver
Jackson arrived from Houston as a free agent in 2019 and started all 69 games he played for the Broncos. In those five seasons he made 393 tackles, broke up 22 passes, intercepted six passes and recovered four fumbles, returning one for a touchdown.
He was a team captain in Denver and played next to Justin Simmons in the back end. Simmons answered the announcement with “MY BROTHA!!! LEGEND,” while cornerback Pat Surtain II wrote “Foreva Legend My Dawg!”
Fifteen seasons, two franchises at the core
The Texans drafted Jackson out of Alabama with the 20th pick in 2010, and he spent nine seasons in Houston, starting at cornerback before moving to safety. He still ranks second in Texans history in interceptions (16), passes defended (88) and solo tackles (469).
He finished with 958 career tackles, 110 pass breakups, 22 interceptions with three returned for touchdowns, seven forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and three sacks across 205 games, 193 of them starts. His last snaps came in 2024, a short return to Houston followed by time with the Buffalo Bills, most of it on the practice squad.
Jackson then moved into the personnel side, working in the Broncos’ front office in 2025 before the move to make his retirement official in orange and blue.
Thursday night
Jackson’s flag-planting comes before Denver hosts Seattle in Week 6 on Thursday Night Football. The Broncos will play that game without Surtain and safety Talanoa Hufanga, a reminder of how thin the secondary Jackson used to anchor has become. Seahawks-Broncos final injury report.
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