Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones’ mysterious absence from the team is a “private matter,” Las Vegas head coach Josh McDaniels said Wednesday.
McDaniels declined to discuss Jones’ recent social media rant against the team and said he was not sure about the four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher’s status for Sunday’s opener at Denver.
“Right now, we’re going day to day … so we’ll kind of take it one day at a time,” McDaniels said. “It’s a private matter and, you know, if there’s something to report on it, then we’ll do that. But as of right now, there’s nothing.
“I’m not going to get into this. It’s a personal situation. It’s a private matter. If you want to talk about the game on Sunday, I’ll be excited to talk about the game.”
Jones, 33, claimed in a series of since-deleted posts on Instagram on Tuesday that he was unable to gain access to the team gym over the Labor Day weekend.
“F— IT. I DON’T WANNA PLAY FOR THE RAIDERS IF THAT’S MY HC, OR GM,” Jones posted.
It was not clear why Jones was unable to enter the team facility.
“It’s a shame that I am a top athlete with 112 sacks in the NFL and I have to go to a local gym to work out during the season for no apparent reason this is wild to me Josh and you know it you need to do what’s right,” Jones also posted, part of an apparent text string with McDaniels.
Jones signed a three-year, $51 million deal with Las Vegas as a free agent in March 2022. He restructured his contract in April to lower his base salary to $1.165 million this season by converting some of the money due to a bonus.
Jones recorded 38 tackles, 4.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries in 15 games (all starts) last season, his first with the Raiders. His signature moment with Las Vegas came in Week 15 against New England when he grabbed a Patriots lateral in the closing seconds and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown to give the Raiders an unlikely 30-24 victory.
A two-time All-Pro, Jones has 511 tackles, 112 sacks and 13 fumble recoveries — including two returned for TDs — in 154 career games (151 starts) with the Patriots (2012-15), Arizona Cardinals (2016-21) and Raiders.
–Field Level Media