Departed Josh Jacobs takes a dig at Raiders’ lack of success
Josh Jacobs said the quiet part out loud about his free agent departure from the Raiders: The club simply wasn’t winning enough to justify the contract being offered.
Appearing recently on the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast, the running back admitted that the Raiders’ lack of success played a significant role in how far he was willing to go to make a new deal.
“You’ll be close every year, but not winning,” Jacobs said. “You want me to come back on a discount and lose? I don’t know how I feel about that.”
The Raiders and Jacobs worked for two years to extend their relationship long-term but were never able to agree on pay and length of contract. He ultimately left Las Vegas for Green Bay in March on a four-year, $48 million deal. Only $12.5 million is guaranteed, creating the possibility of just a one-year stay in Green Bay.
The success of the Packers made them an easier choice at that price, though. Conversely, the four losing seasons Jacobs endured over his five seasons in Las Vegas had the opposite effect. At least in terms of what he was willing to accept on a new deal.
“That went (into) leaving,” Jacobs said. “Coming from Alabama, I went to a championship every year I was there.”
That wasn’t the case with the Raiders. It didn’t help, Jacobs said, that he soon learned some Raiders were OK with the lack of success.
“I remember coming to the league and losing my first game, and I was mad and not talking to nobody,” Jacobs said. “A vet came up to me and was like, ‘This is the NFL. You’re going to lose.’ I’m like, ‘So ya’ll cool with losing?’ It was so different.”
That weighed on Jacobs over the years.
“The most frustrating thing about it all, you’ve got me, and Tae (Davante Adams) and Maxx (Crosby), you’ve got guys who come in every day and work hard, and you don’t get the results.” Jacobs said.
Jacobs rushed for 5,545 yards and 46 touchdowns in five seasons with the Raiders. He was first-team All-Pro in 2022 when he led the league in rushing with 1,653 yards.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
