Patriots Captain Matthew Slater Shows Support For J.C. Jackson: 'I Love Him!'

After New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson missed Sunday's game with a reported mental healthy issue, team captain Matthew Slater is preaching empathy for his teammate.

New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson has been through the wringer recently, between an awful tenure with the Los Angeles Chargers and coming back to Foxboro with disciplinary issues along the way.

Unfortunately, the cornerback who can't seem to catch a break hit another bump in the road, as he missed Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs due to what his agent called a "mental health issue." It's unclear whether Jackson, whose second stint with the Patriots has been inconsistent to say the least, will play again this season. But even if he does return, a mental health crisis is always very concerning.

While no one knows for sure what is going on with Jackson, it's clear that his teammates still have his back. In his press conference on Monday, Patriots captain Matthew Slater preached empathy for his embattled teammate, even referring to him by his true first name, Jerald.

USA Today

"I think so oftentimes with athletes, we’re put on this pedestal — like we’ve got everything together and our personal lives are great and we’re role models et cetera," Slater told reporters. "But we’re human beings just like everybody else and we struggle with a number of different things, in our personal lives and professional lives.

“They affect us all differently. I think any time guys are going through things, my hope is that I can support them in any way they feel comfortable. Whether it’s something as simple as prayer or having them over to the house. Jerald knows this. I love him. I’ve always been very fond of him since he first got here years ago. And I want nothing but the best for him."

Sadly, this isn't the first time personal issues have affected Jackson this season. The Patriots benched him against the Washington Commanders after he reportedly missed a bed check, and he did not travel with the team to Germany in order to "return in a better place."

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Jackson's on-field status is secondary right now, though, as Slater just wants to see his friend in a good place.

“For Jerald, I hope he hears and understands and knows, that for us, we just want to see him be well," Slater said. That’s the most important thing.”

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