By Steve Holt

Special to The Leader

The 2025 Charger football season is in the books. Covington went 12-2, losing both games to Martin Westview, the 3-A state champion and fellow Region 7/3-A member. Although denied a shot at the championship, the Chargers had a record setting season and are in line for postseason awards galore.

The first of those awards was announced on Friday, the Tennessee Titans High School Titan of the Year and Covington’s Jackson Kirby was the recipient of this honor that is being presented for the 1st time.

One of the best things about this award is that the people Jackson cares for the most his family, teammates, coaches and CHS boosters were treated to a private presentation on Tuesday.

Titans’ staff introduced Jackson, presenting him with a custom Titan jersey signed by the Titans’ Walter Peyton Man of the Year nominee, Jeffery Simmons. This was greeted with a bear hug from Dad and thunderous applause, laughter, tears and hugs from the assembly.

The award is modeled after the Peyton award and is designed to “recognize one boy and one girl who excel on the football field and the classroom and commitment to making a positive impact beyond the game.”

Jackson fits the bill in numerous ways. He was the 4-year center anchor of one of the best offensive lines in CHS history. A line that led an offense that scored a state leading, school record 709 points and made the lanes for a program record 5000+ rushing yards.

Off the field, Kirby has donated 60 hours to Habitat for Humanity and is a mentor to young kids. A part of the award is a $1,000 grant to the CHS football program and an additional $1,000 for Kirby to use for a charity of his choice. He has chosen the Boys and Girls Club of the Hatchie River Region. Jackson will be honored on the field at the Kansas City/Titan game in Nashville on December 21. An added “cherry on top”, Kirby signed a scholarship on Wednesday to play football for the University of Tennessee at Martin.

“I am honored to receive this award,” Kirby said. “None of it was possible without the support of my teammates, my family and the Covington community.”