Chandler Jones Live Video Makes Wild Allegations About Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels And Other Things
The dimly lit video by a fire pit began shortly after 5 a.m. Thursday and served as a glimpse into the bizarre and obviously troubled life Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones is living now.
Jones, who has collected 112 sacks in his 11 NFL seasons, should be with the Raiders but isn't. He hasn't played all season, is not and hasn't been with the team for weeks, and was placed on the NFI (Non-Football Injury) list last week.
And in the last couple of weeks he's been making strange and unsubstantiated claims about the Raiders, NFL owners, including Mark Davis of the Raiders, coach Josh McDaniels, his life away from the game, including a club-forced trip to a mental hospital, and other wild stuff.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 04: Defensive end Chandler Jones #55 of the Las Vegas Raiders walks off the field after the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
Chandler Jones Live Video Troubling
You name it, Jones has been commenting about it on social media.
And then Thursday morning dawned in Las Vegas and unusual became downright abnormal when Jones engaged in a 24 minute live video on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Here's the video and, warning, it contains language not suitable for work:
Chandler Jones Makes Wild Allegations
The video starts harmless enough.
"I’m very sane," Jones, 33, says. "I just want to play for the Raiders."
But by the end of the video session, Jones is visibly upset. He's fighting back tears as he discusses former New England Patriots teammate Aaron Hernandez, who was convicted of first degree murder in 2015.
Hernandez killed himself while serving a life sentence. He was found hanged in his jail cell in 2017.
"Y’all don’t know what Josh McDaniels really did to Aaron Hernandez …" Jones says on the video.
"If y'all don't know what really happened with Aaron Hernandez ... y'all thought Aaron Hernandez killed himself in jail?
"Y'all thought my n***a chico killed himself in jail?"
Jones and Hernandez were Patriots teammates while McDaniels was the team’s offensive coordinator.
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 10: Chandler Jones #55 of the Las Vegas Raiders stands for the national anthem against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on October 10, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Raiders Not Commenting On Defensive End
McDaniels has been asked numerous times about Jones and his and the Raiders have continually said it is a personal and private matter and have declined to discuss the matter further.
That hasn't stopped Jones from making some wild accusations, including two days ago when he said he was hospitalized against his will.
But Jones went to another troubling level Thursday.
In a stream of consciousness rant he alleges drug use by McDaniels, calling the coach a "coke boy."
He said former Cardinals teammates Larry Fitzgerald and Terrell Suggs "are being controlled."
"As I'm going through these dimensions, it's making me turn against my own people," Jones says. "The slave masters they make civil wars. They make everybody turn against each other. That's what I've been going through."
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 18: Defensive end Chandler Jones #55 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates after their victory against the New England Patriots at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Patriots 30-24. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
Chandler Jones Says He's Sane
Multiple times Jones makes the point that he is not delusional or crazy. And he rejects the idea he is suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) which is a brain disease associated with repeated brain injuries, such as suffered by football players.
"There's no CTE," Jones says. "CTE is not real. That's what they put in the media to say I'm going crazy. I am not going crazy. My favorite food is lasagna. I like Italian food."
Jones says he's not leaving Las Vegas and still wants to play for the Raiders.
"I don't want to play for nobody else," Jones says. "I want to live here. There's too many souls that need to be free here. There's too many lost souls in Las Vegas. They want to be free. They need me.
"I sound crazy, I know I do. But just listen to me. Listen to me."
Jones goes on to mention and talk about the illuminati, Obama, Raiders owner Mark Davis, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye, Antonio Brown, ISIS, Tom Brady, Micah Parsons, who he says is a freemason and more.
At one point Jones goes on a walk around his neighborhood with his Presa Canario dog. He spots a neighbor and asks about his "dirty looks."
He then invited his neighbor to share a bowl of gumbo.
And then he tells the neighbor, "I come in peace," but later suggests his dog will "eat his *ss alive." Jones warns the neighbor not to "pull up behind me."
"That's how you get popped," Jones adds. "Don't try to spook me, bro."
Chandler Jones needs help.