Matawan, New Jersey native Jim Jeffcoat was a star high school defensive lineman. He headed west to play college football for the Arizona State University Sun Devils. He was All-Pac 10 first team and an All American honorable mention in 1982. He was later inducted into the ASU Ring of Honor.
A big, bruising defender, Jeffcoat was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of 1983 NFL Draft. Jeffcoat spent over a decade as a defensive cog for America’s Team, winning two Super Bowls and ending his career with over 100 sacks.
When his playing days were over, he made the successful transition to the coaching ranks, spending the last 20 years as a defensive line coach on nearly every level of football from the NFL to the XFL and the Division I college ranks.
His rookie card is in the 1985 Topps set and he appeared on cards through the mid-1990s when he joined the Buffalo Bills.
The 59-year-old father of four talked with us about collecting New York Yankees cards growing up, seeing his own rookie card for the first time and Bruce Smith grabbing the game ball from his 100th sack.
