New report explains J.C. Jackson’s late absence on Sunday
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 26: J.C. Jackson #29 of the New England Patriots reacts after a play during the first half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 26, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson didn’t play in Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Jackson wasn’t listed on the injury report nor made inactive for the game, but not only didn’t record a snap but wasn’t seen on the bench either.
After the game, head coach Bill Belichick said Jackson was “not available” but didn’t get into any further detail. A few hours later a statement from Jackson’s agent shed light on the matter.
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—Patriots-Chiefs Ups & Downs
—Big second half leads Chiefs past Patriots
—Nine takeaways from Sunday’s Patriots game
ESPN’s Adam Schefter passed along that Jackson’s agent Neil Schwartz said Jackson is “dealing with mental health issues,” which held him out of Sunday’s game.
Jackson, 28, was acquired by the Patriots via trade earlier this year, after struggling early in the season with the Los Angeles Chargers. He’s appeared in eight games making six starts, but did miss one game when he was disciplined by the team for being late to the team hotel in November.
The Patriots have Jackson under contract through 2026. However, there is no guaranteed money in his contract beyond this season.
With Jackson unavailable on Sunday, rookie Alex Austin got the start and played most of the game. It was his second game with the Patriots, and first career NFL start.
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A tale of two halves: 9 takeaways from the Patriots' loss to the Chiefs
For a second there, it looked like the New England Patriots were about to pull off the upset of the year, and really pick up some momentum to close their otherwise-disappointing 2023 season on a high note. Late in the second half they had a 10-7 lead on the Kansas City Chiefs, but things quickly turned form there.
Kansas City executed a textbook two-minute drill, taking a 14-10 lead at halftime. That touchdown was the first of four consecutive scoring drives for the Chiefs, who put up 20 unanswered points on their way to a 27-17 win on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
READ MORE:
—Patriots-Chiefs Ups & Downs
—Big second half leads Chiefs past Patriots
—Full Patriots coverage
It was the second week in a row the Patriots struggled in the second half. Last week against the Steelers they were blanked after the break, but still managed to hold on for the win. Against a much more explosive Chiefs team this week, that wasn’t the case as the second half has suddenly become the latest boogeyman for a team that has been haunted by a number of issues throughout the season.
Between all of that, it really was a game of ‘the good, the bad, and the ugly’ for the Patriots. Let’s go through it all in this week’s takeaways…
Alex Barth is a digital content producer and on-air host for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Barth grew up in the Boston area and began covering both the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, and Boston Red Sox in 2017 before joining the Hub in 2020. He now covers all things Boston Sports for 985TheSportsHub.com as well as appearing on air. Alex writes about all New England sports, as well as college football. You can follow him across all social media platforms at @RealAlexBarth.