National Football Foundation

An all-conference football player in college, Eric Jacobsen used the lessons he learned on the gridiron to become a successful financial advisor. He now gives back to the game of football through the NFF Utah Chapter.
 
Jacobsen played football at Springville High School in Springville, Utah, before attending the University of Utah. A defensive back for the Utes (1984, 1986-88), he was a team captain and was named all-WAC and academic all-WAC in both 1987 and 1988 after twice leading the team in tackles. Jacobsen holds school records for career unassisted tackles (207) and career fumble recoveries (nine) while his 338 total tackles are fourth all-time at Utah.
 
Following college, Jacobsen coached high school football. He is the founder and principal at Jacobsen Capital Management, a financial advisory firm headquartered in Salt Lake City.
 
Jacobsen was introduced to the NFF Utah Chapter through his father, Michael, the former high school football coach and Utah Valley University athletics director who was one of the outpost’s original founders in 1994. Eric Jacobsen has served on the chapter’s board for 10 years, and he has held the role of president for six years. The chapter annually honors more than 10 high school scholar-athletes at its banquet, with each honoree receiving a scholarship.
 
The Utah Chapter also presents coach and officials awards, as well as its Distinguished American Award, whose past recipients include College Football Hall of Famers and NFF National Scholar-Athletes Merlin Olsen and Steve Young and more recently NFF National Scholar-Athlete Taysom Hill. During the pandemic in 2020, the chapter partnered with Nicholas and Company on the "Helping Heroes" initiative to provide meals for frontline workers.
 
“Besides my faith and family, football has had the greatest influence for good in my life,” said Jacobsen. “There is no better teacher of selflessness, sacrifice, and total inclusion. The game of football is hard every day. It demands your very best every day, and it takes an entire team to be successful—everyone doing their part—Trust/Love/Commitment.”
 
Jacobsen and his wife, Amy, have been married for 30 years and have five children and one grandson. Their family boasts multiple connections to athletics, with son Mikey serving an offensive grad assistant for UCLA football; son Franky playing as a freshman on the Utah State football team; son Luke playing as a senior football player at Ridgeline High School in Millville, Utah; and daughter Eden playing as a senior soccer player at the University of Utah.