Bill Belichick refuses to clear up major mystery in Patriots loss to Chiefs
FOXBOROUGH, Mass – Despite being left off the inactive list, there was one player who was not seen for the entirety of Sunday's game. After the New England Patriots lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, Bill Belichick was asked if cornerback J.C. Jackson was available for the game, but the coach refused to give anything away. […]
FOXBOROUGH, Mass – Despite being left off the inactive list, there was one player who was not seen for the entirety of Sunday's game.
After the New England Patriots lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, Bill Belichick was asked if cornerback J.C. Jackson was available for the game, but the coach refused to give anything away.
Here is the entire exchange:
Reporter: "Was J.C. Jackson available to play today?"
Belichick: "No."
Reporter: "Why? He was active.
Belichick: "He wasn't available. We'll just leave it at that."
Instead, it was Alex Austin who got the start, telling reporters that he found out only moments before the game. Austin lined up opposite Jonathan Jones to start the game. This spot was typically Jackson's.
Myles Bryant also rotated in throughout the game, but Jackson was never spotted on the sidelines.
Jackson was reportedly spotted in the locker room prior to the start of the game. And Deatrich Wise told the Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan that he expected him to play.
This is not the first time in his short (second) stint with the Patriots that the cornerback has been involved in drama.
Jackson was benched for part of the game during New England's loss to Washington and then was forced to stay home while the team traveled to Germany the following week.
It was later confirmed that it was disciplinary, with Jackson explainig that it was because he missed “bed checks” at the Patriots team hotel prior to their game against the Commanders.
However, he put all that behind him and returned to the field.
But now something else appears to be going on.
Jackson was traded to the Patriots from the Los Angeles Chargers at the beginning of October, starting his second stint with the team.
He began his career in New England, signing with the Patriots in 2018 as an undrafted free agent.
He won a Super Bowl with New England in 2018 and was named to the second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl in his final year with the Patriots.
Following the 2021 season, Jackson went to Chargers, signing a massive $82.5 million contract for five years. But that partnership didn't work out.
It will be interesting to see what happens this week and if Jackson is back with the team despite this latest setback.
