J.C. Jackson, Trent Brown clear the air on their situations with Patriots

BOSTON -- The Patriots returned to work on Tuesday following their bye week, a respite after the team fell to a disappointing 2-8 with a loss in Germany to the Colts.

The Patriots played that game without a couple of key contributors -- Trent Brown on offense, J.C. Jackson on defense -- for reasons that weren't fully clearly.

On Tuesday, both Jackson and Brown spoke with the media to explain their absences.

J.C. Jackson

The cornerback's absence was the bigger deal of the two, as the Patriots sent Jackson home, keeping him off the practice field and not letting him travel with the team to Germany for the game. That decision came after two straight weeks where Jackson was benched for multiple series in the first quarter. The punishment reportedly stemmed from Jackson being late to the team hotel before the Week 9 game against the Commanders.

Jackson spoke with MassLive's Mark Daniels, and though he didn't share the exact specifics, he did confirm the hotel report and accepted responsibility for the punishment.

"It was a punishment on my behalf and that's what it was. I didn't take it any other way than, this is punishment and I hope you learn from it and grow from this mistake I made," Jackson told Daniels. "And I'm here now, so hopefully that won't happen again. It was all my fault. I made a mistake. That's what you're going to get from Bill [Belichick]. That's one thing about him. He's going to discipline, no matter who you are."

Jackson told Daniels that while he did miss the team's bed check, he "wasn't out that night doing anything stupid."

"Reality check – I'm not bigger than the team. I'm not bigger than nobody in here. This is a team sport and I have to do whatever everybody else is doing," Jackson added. "I want to be a part of the team. This is my team. This is home for me, man. This is where I want to be. I don't want to go nowhere else. I want to finish my career here also. I've just got to continue to build that leadership each and every day. It just stinks for me – I kind of played a lot of football. I know what to do at this point."

Though Jackson just turned 28 years old, he may be running out of chances in the NFL. After signing his big-money deal with the Chargers in 2021, he was dumped by Los Angeles this season, with reports indicating he lacked coachability and dedication during his brief stint with the Chargers. 

The Patriots, desperate at cornerback, swooped in to acquire him for next to nothing, though his play is not at all reminiscent of the Pro Bowl level at which he played previously in New England. He's allowed 51.5 percent of passes thrown his way to be completed, including three receptions that went for touchdowns. Opposing passers have a 102.6 rating when targeting Jackson in his five games back in New England. (Opposing passers had a 46.8 rating when targeting Jackson in the 2021 season.) Pro Football Focus has him with a 40.2 grade this season, compared to an 82.6 grade in 2021.

Jackson will seemingly return to the field on Sunday against the Giants, but the team has made it clear that he's used up what could be his last strike. The message appears to have been received.

Trent Brown

The hulking left tackle missed his third game of the year when he didn't travel to Germany, as he's dealt with unspecified ankle and knee injuries this season.

Those injuries are unspecified no more, as Brown not only detailed his ailments but also sounded off against criticisms lobbed against him in the media.

"Ankle and my knee," Brown told Daniels. "The Buffalo game, third to last drive, I got rolled up on down on the goal line. That was ankle and knee, MCL. Early on in the Miami, I rolled it, again. I had a high and low ankle sprain. I'm pretty much still dealing with it, but it's getting better."

Brown also revealed that the personal matter that kept him off the practice field for a day in the week prior to the Colts game was a death in his family.

Brown, who hasn't spoken publicly much this season, responded to a report by Albert Breer that said Brown is routinely late to meetings.

"That's bulls---. It's a bunch of bulls---. I'm never late," Brown stated. "Honestly, I'm one of the first ones in and one of the last ones out of the building. If I am late to any meetings or anything, it's because I'm a grown man and I should be allowed to go to the bathroom. Especially if it's in between meetings and I'm trying to [go to the bathroom] or if I'm trying to grab something from the training room to be healthier and prepare for practice. It's a lot of bulls---. I'm sure you're not really used to reporting about losing seasons around here, but that's the type of bulls--- rhetoric that comes to play. I don't think it's a coincidence that all season I've been the best player on offense and then when I'm not playing, that bulls--- starts happening."

Brown, who had already tweeted his displeasure with that reporting, clearly had been holding in some thoughts about the matter. He made his stance quite clear on Tuesday.