“As a professional and as a man, you just really have to handle things. I can admit to some things that I’ve done, that I need to better, which I think everybody at a period of time in their life figures out what it is,” said Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson on Monday.
Jackson was deactivated by the Eagles for Sunday’s game after he missed a team meeting on Saturday. The Eagles lost to Arizona 21-17 to fall to 3-6 in a season that began with Super Bowl aspirations.
Jackson didn’t deny that he purposely skipped the meeting to make a statement because he’s upset about his contract situation. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract and made it clear he wants a new deal.
“Everybody knows the contract situation,” Jackson said. “As a human being, there are things you have to go through in life. I realize what it is. I’m just ready to just continue and just go forward. I’m not thinking about nothing else that happened. Whatever I did in the past, it’s over. It’s done. I know what I need to do and I’m going to make it happen.”
“Well I think any time a team sees that you don’t have one of your best players on the field, they can change their strategy and their game plan in an instant,” said Michael Vick. “They’re smart professional players and good ones at that, so they were able to make adjustments and made it tough for us.”
Jackson said he respected Reid’s decision and doesn’t have any hard feelings. Reid said the situation is behind them.
