NFL's Josh Jacobs on representing Filipino pride | ABS-CBN

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NFL's Josh Jacobs on representing Filipino pride

NFL's Josh Jacobs on representing Filipino pride

Steve Angeles | TFC News Las Vegas

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The National Football League's top stars recently gathered in Las Vegas for the Pro Bowl games.

Among the stars were Las Vegas Raiders runningback Josh Jacobs and Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers. This is the second Pro Bowl for both Filipino Americans.

Jacobs just wrapped up his fourth year, leading the league in rushing while setting a few Raiders records. During his epic season, he made sure to represent his Filipino roots on the field.

"It’s definitely big just because my grandma growing up, my dad, he always kept us along with the culture out there and let us understand where we come from and things like that so not a lot of us are in professional sports and things like that. It's good to be a prominent advocate for who we are and what we believe in so that's dope," Jacobs said.

Jacobs' rise to NFL stardom has become a rags-to-riches story, battling homelessness as a youth with his Filipino father Marty.

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Despite the struggles, the Oklahoma native landed a scholarship at college football powerhouse Alabama. After winning a national college scholarship, he was drafted in the first round by the then-Oakland Raiders in 2019, winning Rookie of the Year.

Since then, he has used his stardom to help the community with many charitable causes such as food security and youth programs.

"I think it's very important just because there's a lot of guys where I come from that I see do good and I never see them come back. Growing up, I told myself, if I see a chance to be on a certain platform and touch and affect people's lives, that's what I'm going to do so I kind of do it," he said.

With the season over, Jacobs looks forward to heading to the Philippines in a couple months.

"I’m just meeting with my family so I’m gonna go out there for like two weeks and go to Angeles city and be with my family so it’s cool."

With his rookie contract expired, the NFL's leading rusher will either renegotiate a new contract with the Raiders or could become one of the league's most sought-after free agents.

Meanwhile, Myers resigned with the Seahawks for a four-year deal worth up to $22.6 million.

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