Washington Commanders cornerback William Jackson III was noticeably missing on the field by the second quarter Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Jackson sat on the sidelines without his helmet while the Commanders reshuffled their cornerback alignment.
Jackson has struggled since signing a three-year, $40.5 million deal with Washington last season. Last week, Jackson got targeted by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush, leading to Jackson giving up several catches and accumulating over 70 yards in penalties.
On Sunday, Jackson missed a tackle in the backfield against Titans star running back Derrick Henry. The Commanders benched Jackson shortly afterward. Benjamin St-Juste shifted from the slot to the outside corner in place of Jackson opposite Kendall Fuller. Rachad Wildgoose got inserted at the slot.
Following the 21-17 loss, Washington head coach Ron Rivera was asked about the benching.
“We decided to make a change,” Rivera responded (h/t NBC Sports Washington).
When asked why, Rivera responded, “Because we decided to.”
Meanwhile, Jackson initially refused to talk to the media, telling reporters, “I got nothing to say. What am I gonna say?” according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post.
Eventually, Jackson agreed to talk at the urging of the team’s public relations. Jackson said he is dealing with a bulging disc in his back, indicating that is why he came out of the game.
Jackson missed Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles with a back injury.
Rivera is known for being tight-lipped about his players’ health with the media.
Last week, Rivera benched right guard Trai Turner after he struggled for much of four games. Rivera did not get into specifics, but he indicated a preseason quad injury restricted Turner from playing to expectations. More details may become clear about Jackson’s benching in due time.
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