Formerly homeless, Raiders Josh Jacobs buys father a house

For a short time in middle school, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs lived on the streets of Tulsa, Oklahoma, with his father in an SUV. Now, Jacobs has purchased his dad, Marty, a house in the same state.

Jacobs, the Raiders’ No. 24 pick in the 2019 NFL draft and an AP Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate, posted about it both on Twitter and Instagram, saying simply on the former, “Blessed just bought my pops a house.”

Jacobs kept his story of once being homeless as a child private until his junior year at Alabama, at the behest of the university’s assistant athletic director for football communications. In a 2019 profile in the Washington Post, Jacobs said many people had thanked him for shining a light on those situations.

“It definitely makes you proud,” Jacobs told the Post, “to see people understand and they care about certain things.”

Though he only played 13 games as a rookie due to a shoulder injury, Jacobs displayed an ability to be the focal point of the Raiders’ offense for years to come as the club relocates to Las Vegas for 2020. Jacobs rushed for 1,150 yards and seven touchdowns — leading all rookies in both categories. He also had 20 receptions for 166 yards.

Jacobs injured his right shoulder while bowling over a defender on the first play against the Packers in Week 7.

Raiders head coach Jon Gruden constantly praised Jacobs’ toughness for playing through it.

The injury prevented Jacobs from playing three of the last four games of the season, but in early December Gruden expressed optimism about Jacobs’ future role with the Raiders

“He’s going to be one of the best complete backs in all of football, I believe,” Gruden said.

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Contact Myles Simmons at msimmons@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Follow @MylesASimmons on Twitter.