Former Bills running back Fred Jackson holds first youth football camp in Buffalo

Fred Jackson has always called Buffalo a special place and on Saturday, he gave back to the City that welcomed him for so many years.

Jackson, a former Buffalo Bill, held his first ever youth football camp in Buffalo. The camp took place at Mulroy Park.

"I've said if I ever had the opportunity to give back to kids being a professional athlete, I would jump on it in a heartbeat," Jackson said. "I know what it meant to me. To be able to give back and do that also, it's something that I will always do given the opportunity."

Jackson was a running back for the Bills from 2006-2014 and is currently the team's third all-time leading rusher behind Thurman Thomas and O.J. Simpson. More than 100 kids were in attendance including his own.

"There were some running back drills that my dad was really good at" said Braeden Jackson. "We had to try and stay in bounds and they pushed you out with pads. It didn't go very well. I was pushed out of bounds a lot."

Jackson brought along some help including former Bills safety, Aaron Williams. The coaches put kids went through various drills and taught them the fundamentals of the game.

"I came to love this place," Williams said. "So anytime these guys need some kind of support and just being there, I'm here no matter what."

"Anytime you get a chance to play football for an organization like Buffalo and get a chance to hang out with the fans, you find out what it means to them," said Jackson. "So whenever you get the opportunity to come back and give to those fans who gave so much to you, when these opportunities present themselves, there's no way you can turn those down."

Part of the camp's proceeds will be going to Friends of Carly, a charitable organization in Western New York.

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