When the New England Patriots starting defense took the field against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, J.C. Jackson was suspiciously absent.
Typically, the former Pro Bowl cornerback would have been part of the top group on that side of the ball. His place was taken by rookie in-season pickup Alex Austin, however, and Jackson did not make an appearance throughout the afternoon. Despite being part of the game day roster, he was neither spotted on the field nor the sideline.
Speculation started to spread quickly, especially on social media and not always coming from serious sources.