Patriots place J.C. Jackson on reserve/NFI list, likely ending season
Patriots place J.C. Jackson on reserve/NFI list, likely ending season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
New England Patriots fans were left confused during Sunday's 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs after cornerback J.C. Jackson seemed to just disappear. After being seen in the locker room prior to kick off, the six-year veteran was nowhere to be found, instead being replaced by rookie DB Alex Austin.
Following the conclusion of the game, Jackson's agent confirmed that the reason Jackson was unavailable was because he was dealing with mental health issues.
On Tuesday night, the Patriots placed Jackson -- now on his second stint with the team -- on the reserve/non-football injury list, likely ending his season.
The #Patriots placed CB J.C. Jackson on the reserve/non-football illness list. This likely ends his season.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 19, 2023
Jackson tallied 25 combined tackles and six deflected passes in his eight games played since returning to New England in Week 5.
Running back Kevin Harris filled the vacant roster spot on Sunday after being elevated from the practice squad prior to kick off. With Rhamondre Stevenson still sidelined after the ankle injury sustained in New England's Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the 23-year-old back contributed immediately, carrying the ball four times for 25 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots will likely once again look to Austin, a 2023 seventh round pick, for their Week 16 matchup against the Denver Broncos to fill the void left by Jackson. The 22-year-old played well against the Chiefs, logging three tackles, but will need to have more discipline after getting flagged for two penalties.
