LOCAL Houston | The City Guide MARCH 2016 | Page 48
football
Kareem: Football, Fashion and Now Family Man
By Jayme Lamm | Photography by Maximilliam Burkhalter
If you live in Houston, odds are you’re familiar with
KAREEM JACKSON. Jackson is heading into his
seventh season as a cornerback for the Houston Texans and
he’s not shy when it comes to his passion on the field or
showcasing his impeccable sense of fashion. But recently, the
Georgia native has added a new title to his world: father.
Jackson says there are a lot of “cool moments” that come
with being a new dad. The coolest he says is the rush to get
home to spend time with his daughter. “It’s just amazing that
every morning there’s this little girl there and she looks so
much like me. It just amazes me to see her every day – it’s
to the point where I can’t wait to leave the stadium or get
home to see her,” he says.
One of the main things he wants to teach his daughter is
exactly what his parents worked so hard to teach him: work
ethic. “My parents instilled a great work ethic in me and
hopefully I can do the same. I believe if you want something
you have to go out and work for it. That’s something I
definitely want her to know growing up,” Jackson says.
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Jackson has also taken his love for fashion and his
methodology of going after what he wants to the next
level with his brand new line, Fly Guy, starting out with
athletic wear pieces. “I figured I can cater to the guys I’m
around the most and hopefully progress into something bigger
than just athletic gear. I had an opportunity to design some
shirts and hats last year for the team, and they did really well
in terms of sales in the Go Texan store. I just said this is my
opportunity to run with it and that’s what I did with Fly Guy,”
the cornerback explains.
Outside of football and fashion, Jackson admits one of his
biggest indulgences is travel and hints that next on his bucket
list is either Tahiti or Bora Bora, potentially for his honeymoon
with his fiancé Amber. Jackson says they like to reserve
Fridays for date nights, which usually involves a movie (they
are big fans of comedies) and a nice restaurant. He says it’s
their time to talk about the week and just be with each other.
“I just kind of let her talk about whatever she wants to
talk about, and try and listen,” Jackson says. Very wise
relationship advice, indeed.
The new dad admits he’s very hands-on with the line, from
start to finish, including trips to LA where he handpicked the
fabrics and colors. “I like to put a lot of my attention on it
during the off-season because once the season rolls around I
just like to focus on the games.”
WE ASKED JACKSON TO FILL IN THE BLANK: I wish more
people in the world would think before they speak.
“I want to be attached to every thread, everything that’s
being done,” he says.