The team has confirmed that the Raiders are releasing struggling defensive end Chandler Jones after he was arrested in Las Vegas for violating a protective order.
Jones has had a tumultuous week in which he posted hundreds of times on social media, shared conspiracy theories and burst into tears on a livestream.
On Friday, the Raiders released a statement saying they are “confident that Chandler Jones will receive the care he needs. “He, his family and everyone involved are in our thoughts.”
Less than 24 hours later, ESPN reported the team’s intention to release Jones. The Raiders confirmed the news on Saturday evening.
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Chandler Jones was arrested late Thursday night in Las Vegas, police records show
Jones became concerned about his own mental health after posting a tearful social media clip
Jones has faced questions about his mental stability for weeks after the Raiders sidelined him with a non-football injury early in the season. Since then, he has been tirelessly posting on X, formerly Twitter, about a range of troubling topics.
That behavior continued Thursday when he appeared to suggest that McDaniels had somehow orchestrated Hernandez’s 2017 suicide in a Massachusetts prison. Hernandez, a tight end for the New England Patriots, hanged himself in 2017 after his arrest and conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd. McDaniels worked directly with Hernandez during the struggling star’s three-year career from 2010 to 2012.
“You don’t know what Josh McDaniels really did to Aaron Hernandez,” said Jones, who played with Hernandez in New England as a rookie in 2012. ‘Did you all think Chico killed himself in prison?’ Do you all think my idiot killed himself in prison?’
Josh McDaniels has been the subject of several recent posts by Chandler Jones on X
Hernandez, a tight end for the New England Patriots, hanged himself in 2017 after his arrest and conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd. McDaniels coached Hernandez with the Patriots
Jones, who had been laughing just moments before, quickly began to cry as he remembered his former teammate.
At one point in his online rant, Jones said he was “done with social media for a while,” but soon after made outrageous and unbelievable claims again.
“Josh McDaniels had my twin Aaron Hernandez killed in the industrial park, not in prison,” Jones wrote on X.
The football world reacted with great concern to Jones’ latest defeat.
“Let’s all pray for Chandler Jones and his family,” former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III wrote on he must feel like this.” he is heard in this moment. I reached out to him and encouraged all of his NFL brothers to do the same.”
The football world reacted to Jones with great concern, including Robert Griffin III
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter also reached out to Jones, who didn’t follow his advice
Jones didn’t hear it.
“Bro, you washed up,” Jones replied. “RG so and so… sit down. I’m still in the league. Your Twitter finger.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter apparently reached out via direct message, but again, Jones didn’t hear it.
“The only news that matters is that you are feeling better and doing well,” read the message Jones posted on X, which was supposedly from Schefter. “Your family takes care of you, your friends take care of you and all that matters is that you take care of yourself now.” “Everyone is committed to getting you well as quickly as possible.”
Jones responded directly to Schefter with a direct message of his own: “Get well soon?” I’m fine bro… Praying for you and your family… I’m worried about you and them lol.”
The 33-year-old defensive end is currently sidelined with a non-football illness amid questions about his mental health.
He recently accused Raiders owner Mark Davis of protecting someone who is supposedly his goddaughter: “I wish I could play with my brothers, but Marky Mark has a big secret that only I know!”
Ultimately, Jones backed down and said his phone had been hacked, but claimed he was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital by the Las Vegas Fire Department last week.
In an alarming social media post on Monday night, Jones said he was injected against his will and forced to sleep on the floor.
“In case my fans and friends were wondering on day one, I was arrested against my will by the Las Vegas Fire Department last week,” he wrote.
“I was injected with something, I don’t know what.” They say it was a court hearing and the Las Vegas police put me on it. I hadn’t done anything wrong. Police said people were worried about me because of my online posts.
“I opened my front door and a group of five to seven people were there to take me into an ambulance where I was later given an injection and I asked them not to do that. “I had no cell phone or communication . I was taken to Southern Hills Hospital and then transferred to Seven Hills where they tried to force me to take medication and injections.