Bills DE Landon Jackson inspires with connection to young fan

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As Buffalo Bills fans eagerly await the start of a new NFL season, much of the buzz surrounds the team’s promising rookie class. But while the focus is often on what these newcomers will bring on the field, it’s what one rookie is doing off the field that is turning heads.

Landon Jackson, a 22-year-old defensive end selected in the third round of this year’s NFL draft, is already making an impact — just not solely with tackles and sacks.

Before he begins his quest to help the Bills lift the Lombardi Trophy, Jackson took time to lift the spirits of one young fan facing a very personal battle.

Jackson, a former standout in the SEC, has battled alopecia since the age of three. The autoimmune condition causes hair loss by attacking hair follicles and often brings emotional and psychological challenges along with it.

“For me personally, it caused some problems growing up, just with self-esteem and confidence issues,” Jackson said. “I think football and sports kind of helped me with that.”

On Friday, Jackson had the chance to meet the Ziewicki family from Amherst, including their daughter Emerson, who also has alopecia. Emerson, who uses her platform on social media to promote the message “Bald is Beautiful,” has become a beacon of positivity for others facing similar challenges.

“It’s nothing — you’re not different because you don’t have hair. This is the way you were made,” said her father, Mike Ziewicki, who also has alopecia.

Mike recalled the emotional moment Landon was drafted by the Bills in April.

“When we traded up and we take Landon, my phone just exploded,” he said. “I was like, ‘Whoa, what’s going on? Is the house on fire or something?’ And everybody’s like, ‘Landon! We got Landon!’ This is great for Emerson and this is going to be great for the community. It was amazing.”

The moment inspired Emerson to create a heartfelt welcome video for Jackson.

“Hi Landon, my name is Emerson and I am really excited that you got drafted by the Bills. Let’s go Buffalo!” she said in the clip.

Jackson’s wife saw the video on social media and reached out to the Ziewicki family to arrange a meeting — something Jackson said touched him deeply.

“It really made me almost tear up because when I was her age, I didn’t have the confidence that she had,” he said. “You could tell through the video how great a person she was.”

The meeting left a lasting impact on Jackson, who emphasized the importance of connecting with the fanbase and supporting the local community.

“This community’s a blessing,” he said. “I didn’t really have the opportunity to meet a whole lot of people with alopecia growing up. I hope the younger community, like Emerson, gets to know more about it and realize you’re not different. You’re perfect. God made you the way He wanted you to be.”

Emerson has never been to a Bills game before, but that’s about to change. She said she plans to attend one this season to cheer on her new favorite player.

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Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.

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Bills DE Landon Jackson inspires with connection to young fan

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