Josh Jacobs signed with the Green Bay Packers during NFL free agency despite an offer from the Kansas City Chiefs. His primary reason for doing so is logical and his secondary reason is admirable.
However, it directly contradicts his past!
Jacobs was drafted No. 24 overall by the Raiders in 2019. He played the first five years of his career for the AFC West organization. He led the league in rushing in 2022.
Las Vegas placed a franchise tag on Jacobs last season. They agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $12 million but he only played in 13 games after suffering a quad injury that effectively ended his 2023 campaign at 805 yards rushing on 233 carries.
And then free agency rolled around. Jacobs, who thought he would be a Raider for life, told Dan Pompei of The Athletic that he “really didn’t want to up and move.” The 26-year-old running back wanted to stay in Las Vegas, but the organization that drafted him was unwilling to pay him as much as others.
As a result, Jacobs signed a four-year $48 million deal with Green Bay after testing the market.
Seven teams reached out during free agency. Kansas City made the biggest push.
Jacobs spurned the Chiefs for two reasons. The first is related to the divisional rivalry.
They were trying to get me hard. But there was no way I was going there. I feel like once you are rivals with somebody, you have a genuine hate for them. I couldn’t see myself in that color.
— Josh Jacobs, via The Athletic
The other is related to his standing as a competitor, or so he says.
And besides, I never wanted to be the guy that joined the dominant team. I wanted to be the guy that beats the dominant team.
— Josh Jacobs, via The Athletic
Jacobs’ secondary reason for signing with the Packers over the reigning NFL champions is in direct conflict to his college decision. The former three/four-star recruit chose Alabama over Missouri.
It was a hard decision, I’m not going to lie. I was going back between (Alabama) and Missouri. I loved the Missouri staff — real cool people and everything. But I felt like this would be the best fit for me.
— Josh Jacobs in 2016
Nick Saban won a national championship with the Crimson Tide in the year prior to Josh Jacobs’ commitment. Alabama lost only 10 games from 2009-2015.
By the time that Jacobs had to make a college decision, it was pretty clear which school was the “dominant team.” He claims now that he “never wanted to be the guy that joined the dominant team” and yet, he committed there anyway. So…