Former Jackson State University football standout Jeffery Moore is among seven new members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony Thursday night in Houston, Texas, was a prelude to the SWAC Football Championship Game there between Alcorn State University and Southern University Saturday, Dec. 6.
Moore had an illustrious high school career and was one of the top recruits in Mississippi when he chose Jackson State. The Kosciusko, Miss. native was named a First-Team All-SWAC member and the Black College Football Player of the Year in 1978, following his senior season. During that season Moore posted 1,094 rushing yards en route to helping the Tigers finish with a 10-2 record and a berth in the Division IAA playoffs.
Moore played six years in the NFL with stints at the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the 12th round of the 1979 NFL Draft by Seattle. As a Seahawk, Moore played in 32 games and rushed for 385 yards and two touchdowns in addition to his 377 receiving yards.
Moore had his most productive seasons with the 49ers. During his time in San Francisco he played in 24 games and rushed for 324 yards and five touchdowns. He also hauled in 56 passes for 611 yards and four touchdowns.
He then went on to work for the Mississippi State Department of Education in several areas after retiring from professional football. Moore was inducted in the Jackson State University Hall of Fame in 2005.
Moore says he owes debt of gratitude for his success as a professional athlete and in life to Walter Payton, the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back who preceded him at Jackson State. When Moore was a freshman and Payton was star for the Chicago Bears, Payton would have Moore work out with him.
“Walter Payton gave me the work ethic to be a professional athlete,’’ Moore said during his acceptance speech. “He started me off with such a good example of what it takes to be successful. It really set the tone for my life. I learned that anything that I really wanted to do, hard work would get it done.’’