As we are two days away from the NFL’s opening night kickoff, one would think it would be time to focus on the football side of things and less on the off-the-field stuff. Well, Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Chandler Jones has taken to social media to voice his displeasure with the organization and went as far as saying he doesn’t want to play for the team.
𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 #Raiders DE Chandler Jones says: "I don't wanna play for the Raiders if my HC, or GM… " on IG.
It seems he's not able to get in the #Raiders gym and has to go to a local gym instead and the team contacted his ex-girlfriend who hasn't been with for 5 years
Weird.. pic.twitter.com/MmDKuXB8Ds
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 5, 2023
There is a lot to unpack here with these social media posts. Without knowing the particulars, it is clear that Jones is unhappy with Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler — you could even say the organization as a whole.
These types of situations are less than ideal any time they occur, whether it is the offseason or in the middle of the regular season, but being so close to Week 1, it goes without saying that the Raiders organization will look to find a quick and happy resolution to whatever is bothering their star pass rusher before kickoff.
Who knows what happens next in this scenario and how far and long the displeasure has been or will go on for, but it is safe to assume the Raiders are working toward damage control to find a way to make Jones feel happy and respected once again.
Chandler Jones Being Unhappy Is a Big Problem
Pass rushers are one of the most important players on an NFL roster. Being able to affect the quarterback consistently is a recipe for success in this league, and when it comes to doing that, there are very few people in the NFL who do it better than Jones.
Jones is entering his 13th season in the league and is coming off a modest, for his standards, 4.5-sack season. Jones had 10.5 sacks with the Arizona Cardinals the year prior and is only a few years removed from a 19-sack season with the franchise.
Since entering the league in 2012 as a member of the New England Patriots, Jones has battled injuries that have limited his ability at times, but despite that, he has still found a way to remain productive for over a decade.
To date, Jones has tallied 112 sacks and 511 tackles in his career, and when healthy, he can be an absolute game-wrecker for a defense. Having him on the field and happy will be crucial to the Raiders’ success in 2023.