After running back Josh Jacobs scored a touchdown in the Green Bay Packers Week 8 victory over the Carolina Panthers, he did a touchdown celebration that might have been misinterpreted given his legal issues in recent weeks.
While Jacobs clarified after the game, head coach Matt LaFleur made it clear that he told his star running back that he has to be more self-aware of the situation around him. He did not put the burden on the fans or media to understand the tone of Jacobs’ gesture.
When asked if Jacobs needs to be more self-aware, he simply answered, “Yeah.”
LaFleur added that he talked to Jacobs about it.
“That’s something that he and I talked about,” said LaFleur. “I know he had his explanation, and I wasn’t even aware of what happened until I saw the tape, but we had a conversation about that. I’m going to keep the conversation between him and I and we’re going to move forward.”
LaFleur did not seem pleased that this was the first response from Jacobs on a national stage.
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur Talks to Running Back Josh Jacobs About Celebration
Jacobs had just been reinstated from the NFL after facing domestic violence charges. He had been charged with a misdemeanor of battery and criminal damage to property.
On Thursday Night Football, with a national audience watching, he did a touchdown celebration with his hands behind his back, looking as though he was being locked up.
Jacobs told reporters after the game that his celebration had nothing to do with the suspension and was more about a gospel song.
“They didn’t even get the whole celebration,” Jacobs said of the reaction. “It was one second that they just saw me. Anyways, me and (wide receiver Savion Williams), we came up with the celebration, if they would’ve seen the whole celebration, basically, last week, we said the first celebration, when I score, I was gonna thank God. That’s what I did last week. Second one was gonna be ‘Break Every Chain.’ It’s a gospel song. That was gonna be the next celebration. It’s just a correlation. But like I said, the media’s gonna run with it. They’re gonna make it something that it wasn’t. But it is what it is.”
Jacobs put the blame on the media for how they perceived it. Meanwhile, his coach said it is on him not to put that type of thought out there.
Jacobs Scores Three Touchdowns in Two Weeks
Jacobs has not been impactful every snap, but has made some solid contributions. He had 32 rushes for 75 yards and a rushing touchdown in the first two weeks. Jacobs has added 11 receptions for 68 yards and two receiving touchdowns so far.
The passing game’s impact has been more valuable than the running game. However, a lot of that can come down to the offensive line.
Now, the question is what celebration, or lack of celebration, Jacobs will do when he scores again?
Packers HC Confronts Josh Jacobs Over Celebration