Arrest warrant issued for Chargers star defender

On Sunday, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley shocked the NFL world when he made star cornerback J.C. Jackson a healthy scratch for the team’s Week 3 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

While Staley told reporters after his team’s 28-24 victory that Jackson being inactive was a “coach’s decision,” we now have more insight into perhaps why the standout defensive back didn’t play.

According to MassLive‘s Chris Mason, an arrest warrant has been issued in Massachusetts for Jackson, who played for the New England Patriots from 2018-2021. Per Mason, the arrest warrant comes after the 27-year-old didn’t appear for a probation violation hearing in Attleboro District Court on Friday. Jackson was originally arrested and charged with criminal speeding in 2021 and has allegedly violated the terms of his probation by failing to complete the “Brains At Risk” program he was ordered to take and has yet to pay a $300 fine.

Coming off a 2021 campaign with the Patriots in which he was named a second-team All-Pro, Jackson signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Chargers in 2022. After a ruptured patellar tendon limiting his debut season in Los Angeles to just five games, he struggled through the first two games of the 2023 season before being made a healthy scratch for Sunday’s win.

“Just a coach’s decision,” Staley told reporters after the game of the decision to make Jackson inactive. “We felt this was the right group for this game, and really nothing more than that.”

Asked if the Maryland product would return to the Chargers’ lineup shortly, the head coach was noncommittal.

“It’s to be determined,” Staley said.

With the win over the Vikings advancing Los Angeles’ record to 1-2, the Chargers will return to action this Sunday when they host the 1-2 Raiders in what could prove to be a pivotal AFC West matchup for both teams.

[MassLive]