Page 36 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2024 - Online Magazine

LOCAL LEGENDS
Three Super Bowls
A REMARKABLE LIFE
Jesse Powell
by Jan Powell
esse Loy Powell (1947-2012)
was a National Football League
J(NFL) linebacker. He was a
kind man, a loving father of three
children—son Shay, daughter Kelly,
and son Scott—and grandfather of
nine grandchildren.
He was born in Matador and grew
up in Spur—the oldest of four
children born to Joe and Bertha
Powell who farmed and ran the
Spur cotton gin. Jesse loved to tell
about learning to drive a tractor
when he was only six. Later, his dad
ran the Cane Ranch, and Jesse loved
riding and breaking horses. His
dream was to become a professional
roper.
In seventh grade, Jesse asked his
parents if he could play football.
They agreed–if he wouldn’t take
it too seriously. Unfortunately,
the Spur teams never had much
success; one year they were 0-13.
However, the young farm boy
enjoyed being a part of a team and
having a coach who cared about
him. He received “The Fighting
Bulldog” award his sophomore
year. His coach recognized his talent
and helped Jesse get attention from
college programs.
36 Lubbock Senior Link
and
The Texas
Tech coach
told Jesse he
was in line Jesse tackling OJ Simpson in Buffalo Bills
vs. Miami Dolphins Game
for the next
scholarship, for being picked up by the Miami
but his dad read in the paper that Dolphins was good ol’ Coach D who
they had given the scholarship to
someone else. He told Jesse he’d had brought down the punishment
better try somewhere else. Jesse was he received on the practice field his
shy, but he got up the courage to freshman year. They became great
talk to the coach at West Texas State friends.
University (now West Texas A&M). Jesse reported to training camp in
Florida the following July. It was
Coach Kerbel wasn’t able to give unexpectedly “loose and wild,”
Jesse a full scholarship, but he and Jesse found it overwhelming.
let him “walk on” and promised He was so thankful when some
that he would be treated like a Christian teammates took him
scholarship athlete, eating with under their wings! Jesse made the
the team and getting per diem
money. The first day of practice, the 40-man squad, after enduring the
defensive coach, Coach D, directed roster cuts that were made every
him away from the elite table of Monday. He was put on all the
athletes. Jesse overcame his shyness special teams and played in three
and told the coach about the regular season games.
promise Coach Kerbel had made. He married Jan Jarnagin the
He took a lot of flak for telling on December after that first season,
the assistant coach, but he was and they moved to Florida in July.
awarded a full scholarship starting Unfortunately for Jesse, three
the next year. regular season games make you a
veteran, and the NFL teams went on
After college, Jesse was drafted strike when the next year’s training
in the ninth round and learned camp started. The year was 1970,
that one of his biggest advocates
and a new head coach had been