This patient overcame injuries and will play college football.
Jayden's eighth grade team photo.
Jayden shows off his framed jersey at the senior night game.
Jayden meets with Mathew Lucas and Tracy Burcham from Shriners Children's Chicago.
Jayden connects with a coach during a practice for the Illinois Shrine Game.
Jayden with Abbey, a fellow Patient Ambassador, at the Illinois Shrine Game.
Jayden participates in a video interview with Sports Illustrated at the Illinois Shrine Game.
People ages 7 or older who play American football
Percentage of all football fractures that occur in Children ages 10-14
Jayden suffered a complete fracture of his femur in football camp before high school. He’s on track to play college football beginning later this year.
The second-oldest of four siblings, Jayden, 18, of Chicago, picked up football at age 8 and showed exceptional strength as a child. His mother, Jacky, recalls Jayden taking down a much bigger opponent early on.
Jayden was invited to a selective football camp in Tennessee at the end of his eighth-grade year, back in 2021. It was there that he was hit by two big defenders as his quarterback simultaneously rolled onto him. The impact caused his femur to snap, and Jayden’s family wasn’t sure where his football career would go from there. After emergency surgery in Tennessee, Jayden returned home.
After Jacky did her research online about orthopedic surgery, her son started receiving care at Shriners Children’s Chicago. From the moment she called, Jacky said she knew the nonprofit healthcare system was the right place. “Football is Jayden’s life … I’m not just going to go to any doctor, I’m going to find the best doctor for him because this is something that he loves. This is his future,” Jacky said.
“It’s crazy because when I first broke my leg, I was told I would never be able to step on a football field again,” Jayden said. “When I got to Shriners Children’s, Dr. Jeffrey Ackman instantly reassured me, telling me I’d be able to run, lift weights and get back on the field. Since my injuries, I’ve come back even stronger and my playing career has taken off. Dr. Ackman knew I was still feeling the screws in my leg from the emergency surgery and did a successful operation to get them out. It made me feel a lot better, and now I’m back to playing at full strength.”
Jayden’s care at Shriners Children’s didn’t stop with his broken leg. During his sophomore year in high school, the rising star injured his shoulder, and Kelsey Davidson, M.D., told him that he might need shoulder surgery. However, understanding the importance of keeping Jayden on the field, Dr. Davidson and the team at Shriners Children’s kept him from having an operation on his shoulder by using physical therapy techniques to get him back in the huddle. Jayden finished off his junior-year season as the No. 1 defensive tackle in his conference, earning All-Conference honors.
“Dr. Ackman and Dr. Davidson both understood how important it was for me to play my junior year in terms of my ability to be there for my team, and have a chance of being recruited,” Jayden said.
I loved how at Shriners Children’s they always asked me how football was going and how my recruiting journey was going. You can tell they care. I’m really happy that I was able to come back to the field stronger.
His team at Prosser Academy made the Chicago Public League playoffs during senior year, where Jayden added kicker duties to fullback, running back and defensive tackle roles.
In June 2025, after graduation, Jayden had the rare opportunity to play in the 51st Illinois Shrine Game as a patient of our healthcare system. The game benefits Shriners Children’s life-changing mission to care for kids, and features the top high school football players from Illinois against each other in an all-star matchup.
“I’ve done the patient side of things, and now I get to play in the game as an athlete,” Jayden said. “It’s a full-circle moment and an honor. Shriners Children’s helped me recover from a broken leg and shoulder injury, and I wouldn’t be back on the football field without them. I’m playing for current and future Shriners Children’s patients, and it’s surreal to think I’m a patient, too. It gives me a unique perspective on the importance of this game that other players may not have.”
Sports Illustrated heard about his story and decided to feature his Shrine Game participation on SI.com High School Sports and social media.
Jayden’s commitment to and love for the game have paid off. He has earned a scholarship for the next level. This fall, he will play football at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where he plans to major in sports management and administration.
“Other doctors told me I would never be able to step on a football field again, but Shriners Children’s instantly reassured me, letting me know I’d be able to play the game I love,” Jayden said. “Now I feel like a role model for other kids. Being able to be back on the field after all the injuries I’ve gone through shows other patients that no matter what life throws their way, you can handle it.”
