A couple of days after J.C. Jackson wasn’t on the sideline despite being active for Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the New England Patriots placed the cornerback on the league’s non-football injury list.
Jackson wasn’t present for Sunday’s game despite being deemed active by the Patriots for the game-day roster that must be submitted 90 minutes before kickoff. But coach Bill Belichick didn’t offer much in the way of an explanation.
“He wasn’t available,” Belichick said after the game. “We’ll leave it at that.”
Jackson’s agent, Neil Schwartz, told ESPN the cornerback was dealing with mental health issues. He’ll now be away from the team for an indefinite period.
Rookie Alex Austin started in Jackson’s place. Cornerback Shaun Wade was a healthy scratch.
Jackson first signed with the Patriots in 2018 as an undrafted free agent and quickly earned a role as one of the team’s top cornerbacks. He intercepted 25 passes in four seasons with New England, primarily as the team’s No. 2 corner, and signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022.
Jackson’s tenure with the Chargers wasn’t as productive. He suffered a patellar tendon injury in 2022 and said he still wasn’t fully healthy this season upon his return. Jackson, 28, struggled and was traded back to the Patriots as part of a late-round pick swap.
Jackson didn’t play well upon his return to the Patriots and was benched in the team’s Week 9 loss to the Washington Commanders for missing curfew a day earlier at the hotel. The team then ordered Jackson to stay home the following week, and he didn’t travel to Germany for the loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Jackson started the previous three games before the loss to the Chiefs.
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(Photo: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
2023-12-20 01:17:58
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