Mental health issues kept Patriots CB J.C. Jackson from playing on Sunday

“I would say, mentally, I’m getting better,” Jackson had said after missing the team’s trip to Germany. “The past year and a half, two years has been up and down for me, mentally. You see us in those little, small helmets, but as we walk out these doors, we’re dealing with reality and what a normal person has to deal with.”

Jackson, a once prized free agent addition for the Chargers after his initial stint in New England, was traded back to the Patriots earlier this year after multiple injuries and a few healthy scratches in Los Angeles. 

Jackson was almost immediately elevated to a starting position in New England when rookie first-round pick Christian Gonzalez was lost for the year.

Despite a return to prominence with his old team, Jackson still experienced issues. His absence in Germany was the result of discipline for missing multiple “bed checks,” a punishment that he accepted, apologized for, and said he would learn from.

Sunday’s absence, though, proves that there is still a bit of work to be done by Jackson. The Patriots clearly thought he would be active, leading them to list backup cornerback Shaun Wade as inactive. This resulted in the team being down two cornerbacks against one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and forced them to start a rookie seventh-round pick that they signed a month and a half ago. 

Things went from bad to worse when veteran starter Jonathan Jones left the game with a knee injury, leaving only Austin and slot corner Myles Bryant as the remaining healthy cornerbacks on the roster.

With the Patriots already eliminated from the playoffs, there won’t be any rush to bring Jackson back before he can handle it, or at least, there shouldn’t be. 

Players are people, too, and it’s been clear for a while now that Jackson is struggling. Sunday’s inability to play is the latest in a string of adversity for Jackson as he continues to attempt to prioritize his mental health as an NFL player.