Linebacker D'Marco Jackson earned his second game ball of the season and NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance in Sunday's 31-3 win over the Browns, where he recorded his first career interception and made his fourth start for the Bears. Learn more about the fourth-year pro and former Saints fifth-round draft pick as he talks with ChicagoBears.com about what it was like growing up on his family's farm in South Carolina, his strict gameday regimen and more.

What was your "Welcome to the NFL" moment?

Oh, man, I'll have to say Dennis Allen, first day of training camp, 40 up-downs then going through a practice. That was one of the toughest practices of my life. Being a rookie, not really knowing what to expect and doing those 40 up-downs and then going out to a two-hour practice in Louisiana, it was pretty difficult.

So he did the up-down thing back then as well?

Yeah, it was like your way of an initiation into the defense, like a brotherhood we had going.

So when I came to Chicago, I already knew it was coming. I already had the technique down. Just don't stop, don't think about it, just knock them out. Don't even don't worry about what number you're on, just keep going and bounce up quick as you can.

What's your most memorable NFL moment?

My second year, we were playing Carolina in the Superdome. I had a teammate of mine, Nephi Sewell, Noah Sewell's brother, who had blocked a punt and I scooped and scored it for a touchdown. We were a good special teams team and the dome was rocking. Everybody was cheering. It was just a great atmosphere.

What's your favorite Dennis Allen memory?

This year, coming back in after that New Orleans game, just seeing the look on his face, that joy. We just won the game, and I know it was a game he wanted, and we wanted to get, so just seeing that look on his face and knowing we came away with a win, it was a rewarding feeling.

Who were your athlete idols growing up?

I was in Spartanburg, South Carolina growing up. I had a cousin who played on the Seahawks, Maurice Morris, and he was a running back. I used to always tap into his games. But then the Carolina Panthers used to always come into Wofford and practice, and it was like the Cam Newton phase, the Luke [Kuechly], Cam era, the Steve Smith era. So, just being out there watching them go at it, it was just a cool environment as a kid.

So were you always a football person growing up?

Well, no. Growing up, my dad and mom had us in all sports. I did football, basketball and track. I traveled all over the place for track. I ran and long jumped and later on started throwing discus through high school. Finished my high school career as a state champ for discus.

It was crazy, I tore my ACL my senior year going into my sixth football game. And I remember being like, 'all right, I won state the year before in track and discus. It'll be cool just to go out with another state title my senior year.' I didn't get to finish my football season. I remember it was crunching the line of me getting back. At seven months of my recovery, it was like, 'Okay, you can start throwing but you've got to be careful how you twist' and stuff like that. So right before state, they had cleared me, but I still had to qualify. So I went out there and I could barely do the whole throw. But I got into regionals and upper state, then I made it to state. And finally at the state meet, they were like, 'Okay, you can go ahead and throw it like normal.' And I won.

Do you have a hidden talent?

My family, we do farming, like cattle farming. So I love riding horses, barrel racing, calf steering.

You grew up on your family farm. What was the best part about farm life?

Honestly, just growing up with three older brothers, we were just like daredevils, doing whatever, going in the woods, finding stuff, waking up early mornings. It was just a good family thing where we look back and we're just like, 'man, they really had us close together.'

But the most memorable things were just the daily chores I'd do with my brothers. We didn't have fun doing it, but you've got to find fun in the boring things and stay occupied through it. So we look back and we still like crack jokes, because we did some crazy stuff, and it was just like, 'wow, we wouldn't want our kids to do that now.'

What was one of the crazier things you and your brothers did?

One time, I was riding a four-wheeler – it's kind of crazy – we were riding the four-wheelers and I was going through the pasture as fast as I could. Next thing you know, I didn't see a rock. You just see the four-wheeler flip and I'm holding it on for dear life. It was funny, my brothers, they used to always make fun of me, but that time, I remember them coming to me, like, 'don't tell mom and dad. You good, D, you good.' They walked me inside straight to the bedroom, dusted me off, looked at me like, 'you good, you good.' They'd normally make fun of me, but they were just like, 'nah man, you're so tough, man. We love it.' They were boosting my head up just so I didn't tell on them.

And then one time, my dad brought us a golf cart with no brakes on it and we didn't realize it. But you couldn't really stop it unless you just let it hit the ground and just turn itself off.

What's at the top of your bucket list?

I have to say swimming with sharks. It's gonna take a lot of trust at first, and seeing somebody do it first, but I want to eventually be in the sea and just go do that.

What's a gameday essential for you?

The moment we get off the bus the night before the game, either arriving at away games or me getting to the hotel for home games, I've got a routine. I immediately get in the room and unpack all my stuff. I put my Bible, I put my journal, I put my game packet, iPad right by the bed. I lay my Normatechs out. I lay my outfit out. I lay all my essentials out and then I go take a nap, go down to meetings, watch a game and call it — calls that I think we'll be in position-wise, just to play the game in my head and visualize it. The next morning, I wake up, go get breakfast, I come back to the room, make sure my clothes are ironed and everything and then I listen my worship music. I play my worship music on the bus or in the car, and then as soon as I take my first step in the stadium, I put on G Herbo, "Went Legit." I gotta immediately switch up the mindset. I always have it queued up, I don't even touch my phone.

What's the most underrated part of Appalachian State?

Really all the things that it has to offer when it comes to the different seasons and the scenery of it, but then just the people that you meet there. The atmosphere of being in the valley, snowed in. Playing games there, it was just electric. The fans will always come out and support no matter what the conditions were. It was just a good family, close-knit, tight community up there.

So similar vibe to Chicago?

Definitely. I'd say it's the exact same, but Chicago is 20 times bigger. Even how our supporters came out this weekend with the weather. Seeing them out there, it's like, 'okay, they're rocking with us.' It was just that same commitment. And it's huge being a player and knowing they're bought into us. It makes you go harder, like you got a kid, you want to go harder for them.

Who inspires you the most?

My parents. Just seeing the sacrifices that they made to put us in positions to succeed. From them working all the time to putting us in sports, my dad still trying to be my coach even when he was tired as heck. And them never missing a sporting event for any of us. Them just making that commitment each time, like 'we're going to go up to App State. Even if we've got to go during the night. We still gonna come to the game.' Them going sleepless night, sleepless days, just to support us.