The Patriots traded for Jackson last week
The New England Patriots brought cornerback J.C. Jackson back on Wednesday in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers and before he suited up for the team a new report shed light on just how fractured the relationship with his former squad was.
The Chargers eked out a win over the Las Vegas Raiders last week and Jackson was active but did not play. The NFL Network reported that the defensive back "repeatedly refused" to go into the game even when a teammate was hobbling a bit.
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Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson celebrates after intercepting a pass from Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at SoFi Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Jackson reportedly told coaches he wasn’t "warm enough" to play in the game. It appeared to be the last straw.
He hadn’t played since the second week of the season. After he was a healthy scratch in Week 3, Jackson said at the time he was confused why he wasn’t playing.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft greets newly re-acquired CB J.C. Jackson. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
"I kind of knew what was going on. I’m still confused on why," Jackson said after the Minnesota Vikings game. "I can’t put my opinion on it. It was a coach decision. It’s not my team. I can tell you I’m confused and I don’t know what’s going on. But that’s not the real answer of why I didn’t play or why I didn’t start. That’s above me."
Jackson signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal before the start of the 2022 season. He played 85 of the team’s 132 defensive snaps before he was made inactive and later didn’t play last week.
He only played in seven games for the Chargers between 2022 and this season. With the Patriots, he was a Pro Bowler and was on the team when they won the Super Bowl in 2018.
Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson intercepts a pass in the end zone intended for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Braxton Berrios on Sept. 10, 2023, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
He has 176 tackles and 26 interceptions in his career.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
