HUGE BLOW: NFL Suspends Patriots star for Start Of 2024 Season
J.C. Jackson, a former New England Patriots cornerback, has been on the decline since accepting a lucrative contract with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency in 2022.
The NFL suspended Jackson for the first game of the 2018 season on Friday after he violated the league’s personal conduct rules, according to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo.
It’s unclear what Jackson, who is presently a free agent and may sign with any team, did to warrant the suspension. Jackson was given an arrest warrant last September after failing to comply with the terms of his probation for a criminal speeding violation in 2021.
Jackson played eight games for the Patriots last season after being traded to them from the Chargers in the middle of the season. However, Jackson’s second stay with the Patriots was fraught with stress, as he was left at home when New England traveled to Germany for a game against the Indianapolis Colts, and he missed the final four games of the season due to a non-football illness (NFI).
In March, the Patriots fired Jackson to save money, but Jerod Mayo hinted at a potential reunion with the troubled cornerback. This offseason, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler claimed that the Patriots and Jackson expressed “mutual interest in a return.”
“Those discussions are still ongoing,” Mayo said reporters. “I love J.C., coached him, and watched him grow into a man. We’ll see how that progresses. But look at this football player. Two years after his injuries, he should be able to move much better this year, so we’ll see.
Jackson’s return to the Patriots is highly doubtful right now. He originally signed with New England as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and fought his way up to Pro Bowl status in 2022. He had 25 interceptions in his first four seasons with the Patriots, which earned him a hefty five-year contract worth $82.5 million from the Chargers.
Jackson never lived up to his deal with Los Angeles. He appeared in only seven games for the Chargers over a year and a half, missing the most of his rookie season due to a dislocated kneecap.
