I was extremely pregnant during the 2015 New England Patriots training camp, which was my penultimate assignment as a beat reporter. As in, there was a chance I would go into labor while sitting under the media tent during practice. During what turned out to be his last training camp with the team, Chandler Jones would occasionally notice me, thrust his pelvis forward, and begin to waddle as if he, too, was 38 weeks pregnant.
I understood that he meant no harm, and it always made me chuckle.
This is how I recall Jones from the four years I covered him in New England: frequently grinning widely and quick to crack a joke in the locker room. A preacher’s son who grew up in a college town in upstate New York as the youngest of three athletically gifted brothers — Arthur spent eight years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the Ravens, and Jon “Bones” is a three-time UFC champion — and with an older sister, Chandler was becoming one of the league’s best pass-rushers in those early seasons.
From the videos and social media posts he has made in recent weeks, it is difficult to identify the same young man. His behavior has at times been scary and heartbreaking.
Jones was released by the Las Vegas Raiders over the weekend after he was detained in the city for allegedly violating a domestic violence protection order. He had not played this season after being placed on the non-football injury list on September 20. Even as Jones’ public behavior became more erratic, head coach Josh McDaniels and others on the team remained silent, according to a league source. However, there was internal concern for his well-being.
After releasing him on Saturday, the Raiders issued the following statement on X, formerly known as Twitter: “The Raiders are hopeful that Chandler Jones receives the necessary care. His family and all involved parties are in our thoughts. Since this is now a legal matter, we will not comment further.” The team did not specify what type of care Jones may require.
Prior to that, early Thursday morning, Jones went live on X and made serious, unsubstantiated allegations against McDaniels and team owner Mark Davis. He also referred to his former teammate in New England, Aaron Hernandez, as his “twin.” Hernandez committed suicide in 2017 while serving a life sentence for first-degree murder in a Massachusetts penitentiary.
The video began innocently enough, with Jones saying he wanted everyone to know he was in good spirits and wanted to play for the Raiders. It didn’t take long, however, for him to begin rambling, mention conspiracy theories, and at one point break down into sobs when a viewer inquired about Hernandez.
It was difficult to witness for anyone who knows Jones or has general empathy for those who appear to be in crisis.
His story demonstrates once more that neither professional success nor wealth can shield a person from significant problems. Jones is a four-time Pro Bowler and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-Decade team for the 2010s. During his 11-year tenure, he registered 112 sacks and earned more than $125 million.
It is currently uncertain what will happen next to Jones. He has a court date on December 4 for his arrest, but he may have played his last NFL action before then.
We can only hope that, as alluded to by the Raiders, he is willing to receive the care he requires to be as healthy as possible for the remainder of his life.
