Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson has voiced his confusion over his unexpected benching during the Chargers victory this past Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Jackson, though acknowledging he isn’t yet at full health, said he had no idea why he was held out of the game.
“I kind of knew what was going on … I’m still confused on why, but like I said, I can’t put my opinion on it. It was the coach’s decision,” Jackson told reporters.
“I can tell you I’m confused. I don’t know what’s going on, but that’s not the real answer of why I didn’t play last week or why I didn’t start. That’s above me.”
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: #Chargers CB JC Jackson was “confused” by the team’s decision to bench him for the game last week against the #Vikings and doesn’t get why he’s being treated like this, via @BridgetCondon_
“I don't know, what else do they expect me to do? I told coach [Brandon… pic.twitter.com/A1I0Bs6aJf
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) September 28, 2023
This marked the first time in his career that Jackson was a healthy inactive, but he insisted he isn’t frustrated and has moved past the experience.
He expressed his readiness to return to the field when the Chargers face the Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday.
While Jackson acknowledged his ongoing recovery, he declined to specify how close he is to being fully healthy, saying only, “I’m doing what I can.”
Adding intrigue to the situation, a day after Jackson’s benching, a warrant was issued for his arrest in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.
The warrant stemmed from Jackson missing the deadline for paying a fine and attending a reckless driving course after being charged with driving 100 mph on Route 1 in South Attleboro, Massachusetts, in 2021 when he was still a member of the New England Patriots.
“Everything is handled,” Jackson assured reporters when questioned about the warrant. “There was a miscommunication, but everything is taken care of.”
Jackson had signed a lucrative five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Chargers back in 2022.
He was coming off a successful stint with the Patriots, where he earned All-Pro honors and ranked second in the NFL with eight interceptions in his final year with the team.
However, since joining the Chargers, Jackson has struggled to replicate the same impact on the field. His time with the team has been marked by legal troubles, injuries, and performance struggles.
Last season, Jackson allowed a career-worst 149.3 passer rating when targeted before suffering a season-ending rupture to the patellar tendon in his right knee in Week 7.
This season, Jackson’s performance has continued to decline, allowing a 72.0 passer rating when targeted, which is the second-worst of his career. (During his final season in New England, he held opponents to a 46.8 passer rating.)
You can make the case that JC Jackson lost the #Chargers their Week 1 game against the #Dolphins, not just with his poor play on defense but his penalty before halftime.
The Chargers lost by 2 points, and Jackson gifted Miami 3 points on this play.pic.twitter.com/nQTpJAjzHm https://t.co/Z9GBVbOg2f
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 24, 2023
Chargers head coach Brandon Staley emphasized that Jackson must exhibit greater consistency to earn his place back in the starting lineup.
Asante Samuel Jr. has seemingly secured one of the outside starting cornerback positions, leaving Jackson to compete with seventh-year veteran Michael Davis, who started in his place last weekend.
“There’s no pressure. There’s no pressure on me,” Jackson responded when asked about the competition. “I’m [going to] just do my daily routine, be a pro and take care of business on Sunday … I’m not trying to lose track of what’s important.”
The confusion surrounding Jackson’s benching, coupled with his legal issues and on-field struggles, adds a layer of complexity to his future with the Chargers.
JC Jackson a healthy scratch? pic.twitter.com/lfDVsWqJsA
— BrycenNFL 👑 (@BrycenNFL) September 24, 2023
What do you make of Jackson’s struggles?
Clearly, the Chargers overpaid him – but will he ever get back to a Pro Bowl level?