New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty had a positive message for former teammate J.C. Jackson, following Jackson’s injury, via Dakota Randall of NESN.com.
Jackson was slated to be a key part of the Los Angeles Chargers’ secondary this season. He signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the team in the offseason.
However, in Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, he dislocated his kneecap and ruptured his patellar tendon. This leaves a hole in the Chargers’ secondary, as they look to battle with several teams in a competitive AFC West division.
Jackson left his mark on New England prior to signing with the Chargers. He recorded 25 interceptions in four seasons with the Patriots and made the Pro Bowl last season. It was quite an ascension for the undrafted free agent, and it helped him build his resume as one of the best corners in football.
McCourty is supporting his former teammate, who faces an uphill climb with the recovery process.
“Yeah, I hit him up,” said McCourty. “I think … as an older guy, I got to see [Jackson] come in undrafted and just grow and flourish and play at such a high level. Being that we played Monday and seeing [Jackson’s injury the day before] and seeing him go down, I definitely reached out to him. Let him know I’m praying for him, if he needs anything, reach out to me. But injuries are a part of the game.
“I would say, overall, J.C.’s a tough kid. He’s dealt with adversity and he’s done a great job of flourishing and rebounding and keeping his head on straight when it comes to playing football. And, obviously, when you get hurt, it takes more — you gotta really work to get back out there. And I’m pretty confident he will. He’s a good dude and works hard. You wish he was still here and you could be there for him physically. I think he’ll do a good job of coming back out there and being a good football player.”
Jackson will look to be a key part of a stout Chargers defense in the coming years.
Despite being conference adversaries, McCourty’s positive message exemplifies the football brotherhood. It also reinforces the point that some things are bigger than on-the-field rivalries.
