One of the most notable moves in this off season’s free agency was the transition of former Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. Jacobs, who led the NFL in rushing yards last season, signed a lucrative four-year deal with the Green Bay Packers. However, Jacobs had several potential landing spots, including the Kansas City Chiefs, the Raiders’ biggest rivals. Despite the Chiefs’ strong interest, Jacobs was resolute about not joining them, as he had a deep-seated aversion to playing for a team he considers a rival.
In an interview with Dan Pompei of The Athletic published on August 29, Jacobs explained his decision, stating, “The Chiefs 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. And besides, I never wanted to be the guy that joined the dominant team.
I want to be the guy that beats the dominant team.” Jacobs’s disdain for the Chiefs is rooted in his competitive history against them. With a record of 1-8 against Kansas City, Jacobs has developed a strong sense of rivalry. Despite the Chiefs’ recent Super Bowl successes, which might have seemed enticing to a player seeking playoff victories, Jacobs chose to join the Packers, where he believes he can make a more significant impact.
Jacobs’s frustration with his previous team, the Raiders, was palpable throughout the 2023 season. Entering his contract year, Jacobs had a standout performance in 2022, leading the league with 1,653 rushing yards and accumulating a total of 2,053 yards from scrimmage. His efforts earned him a spot on the First-Team All-Pro list.
However, despite his impressive performance, the Raiders opted to place the franchise tag on him rather than offer a new long-term contract. This decision led to Jacobs holding out for the entirety of training camp. Eventually, he signed a one-year deal worth $11.8 million, but the situation left him disillusioned.
Reflecting on his dissatisfaction, Jacobs shared, “Trust was missing then. I wasn’t really mentally there, not happy to be there. Obviously, I loved my teammates so I was going to give everything I had for them, but I felt like I had been slapped in my face.” His unhappiness was reflected in his performance, as he managed only 805 rushing yards in the 2023 season, a career low.
Despite the fractured relationship with the Raiders, Jacobs was open to staying in Las Vegas under new management. Following the firing of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, Jacobs expressed a willingness to work with the new regime, particularly head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco.
When the Packers extended their four-year, $48 million offer, Jacobs attempted to negotiate with the Raiders, even offering to accept a reduced salary with added incentives to stay. Unfortunately, Telesco and the Raiders did not meet his demands, leading to Jacobs’s eventual departure.
Jacobs commented on his desire to remain with the Raiders, saying, “I really didn’t want to up and move. But I could tell that [expletive] was over with.” It appears the Raiders were not prepared to meet Jacobs’s financial expectations, and their lack of interest in retaining him may reflect broader trends in the NFL, where investing heavily in running backs has become less common. The decision to let Jacobs go will be scrutinized in the coming seasons to determine if the Raiders made the right call in allowing one of their key players to leave.
