Patriots’ Jack Jones Likes Eye-Popping Tweet After Apparent Benching

FOXBORO, Mass. — There appears to be real unrest within the Patriots’ secondary.

New England cornerbacks J.C. Jackson and Jack Jones both were benched to open Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium.

Jackson, who started the previous three games, did not enter until New England’s third defensive series. Jones, who played 36 and 45 snaps in his first two games back from injured reserve, didn’t see the field until the fourth series.

The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported the two began the game on the sideline “due to recent performance issues.”

Both players declined to speak with reporters after the game, with Jackson saying he was “not talking” and Jones never appearing in the locker room during the open media period. Around this same time, Jones also “liked” a post on the X platform that referenced his recent legal entanglement.

“Yo @presidentjacc you really shoulda just pleaded guilty at this point,” user @BuffaloSabres07 wrote after the loss, which dropped the Patriots to 2-7 on the season.

That comment was a clear reference to Jones’ June arrest on weapons charges at Logan Airport. The Suffolk County District Attorney dropped those charges just before the Patriots’ season began in September after the 25-year-old agreed to one year of pre-trial probation and 48 hours of community service.

One day later, Jones suffered a hamstring injury in practice that sidelined him for the first six games. The 2022 fourth-round draft pick made his season debut in the Patriots’ Week 7 win over Buffalo. Jones also had a large role in Week 8 against Miami, though he and Jackson both had costly coverage errors in that game.

In addition to his apparent early-game benching, Jones also played sparingly after halftime on Sunday, while Jackson was on the field for most of New England’s defensive snaps after sitting out the first two series. Shaun Wade, who did not play a defensive snap against the Bills or Dolphins, started at cornerback opposite veteran Jonathan Jones.

Head coach Bill Belichick replied “No” when asked after the game whether Jackson and Jack Jones were benched.

“Everybody played,” Belichick said. “They all played.”