:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65195550/usa_today_11989656.0.jpg)
The New England Patriots are a tight-lipped organization. It starts with Bill Belichick, and trickles down through Tom Brady and the rest of the team.
Don’t give the opposition any bulletin board material prior to a game.
That message must have been lost on cornerback J.C. Jackson as he did an interview with Ryan Hannable of WEEI in New England.
When Jackson was asked about going up against some of the best receivers in the NFL, he asked which receivers was Hannable referencing. When Hannable responded with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jackson gave an eye roll and dismissed the thought.
Check out the transcribed interaction from Hannable’s verified Twitter feed:
Q: You’re not buying JuJu being one of the best WRs in the league?
— Ryan Hannable (@RyanHannable) September 5, 2019
J.C. Jackson: “In my opinion, I don’t think so. There’s a lot of good receivers in the NFL."
Q: What do you see in him?
JC: “I mean, he’s a great receiver, I’m not saying that. He’s a good football player."
While this is hardly intense mud-slinging, it certainly is noteworthy coming out of New England. For an organization, and a team, who absolutely can’t stand this type of behavior, it wouldn’t come as a shock if Belichick has already had a talk with Jackson about future interactions with the media.
In the meantime, don’t be surprised if this doesn’t light a fire which is already ignited not just under Smith-Schuster, but the entire Steelers team heading into the Week 1 prime time contest in New England. Smith-Schuster is already on a mission to prove he is a legit No. 1 receiver in the NFL, but now proving this to the opposition is certainly on his to-do list.
The Steelers have nothing to lose in Week 1 on Sunday Night Football, but everything to gain...and comments like these will only intensify their thirst for victory when the real games start at 8:20 p.m. ET in Foxborough, MA.