There has been a cloud of mystery hanging over the head of New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson, who was benched and sent home by coach Bill Belichick two weeks ago.
A report surfaced that Jackson was being disciplined for performance issues and missing curfew.
No one knew what would become of the former All-Pro defensive back in his second run in New England. Would he have the same fate as Jack Jones, who was waived by the Patriots and picked up by a new team, or would he take the punishment on the chin and come back better from it?
Fortunately, in Jackson’s case, it appears it’s going to be the latter.
“What happened was I didn’t travel with the team to Germany. It was a punishment on my behalf and that’s what it was,” Jackson told MassLive’s Mark Daniels. “I didn’t take it any other way than, this is punishment and I hope you learn from it and grow from this mistake I made.
“And I’m here now, so hopefully that won’t happen again. It was all my fault. I made a mistake. That’s what you’re going to get from Bill [Belichick]. That’s one thing about him. He’s going to discipline no matter who you are.”
Even after being disciplined by Belichick, Jackson sees the bigger picture when it comes to his time in New England.
Things didn’t work out the way he hoped with the Los Angeles Chargers, and he has clearly been at his best when playing within Belichick’s defensive system. It has been a perfect fit that has enabled him to maximize his potential as an NFL player.
“Reality check – I’m not bigger than the team. I’m not bigger than nobody in here,” Jackson said. “This is a team sport and I have to do whatever everybody else is doing. I want to be a part of the team. This is my team. This is home for me, man. This is where I want to be. I don’t want to go nowhere else. I want to finish my career here also.
“…That’s what I feel – this is where I belong. A lot of people come here and can’t handle Bill. He finds those guys like me. Not that he makes you, but he finds those guys and I’m one of those guys he found – undrafted came in, bought into the program, and got paid. It’s him. He’s a part of it. I don’t want to play for nobody else.”
Outside of the October 29 meeting with the Miami Dolphins, Jackson has actually played well for the Patriots, since being traded back to the team from the Chargers.
Even after a year away, Jackson is still a perfect fit for the team that took a chance on him as an undrafted rookie coming out of college in 2018. New England really is his home.
It’s where he’s meant to be.
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