Josh Jacobs Felt ‘Disrespected’ By Raiders Franchise: ‘I Did Everything In My Power To Stay’

Following his departure from the Las Vegas Raiders at the end of the 2023 season, running back Josh Jacobs has been clear about his problems with the team. Jacobs revealed some details in an interview earlier this year, but was even more explicit about the breakdown of his relationship with the Raiders as a guest on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast.

“It gets to a certain point, you’re not going to keep disrespecting me,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs was drafted by the Raiders 24th overall in 2019 and spent the first five years of his career with Las Vegas. He put up 5,545 yards and 46 touchdowns in those five years, making the Pro Bowl twice and being named first-team All-Pro once, in 2022. But when contract negotiations came up, Jacobs claimed, the Raiders didn’t want to pay up.

“I was legitimately 65% of the offense that year, and you telling me you will not pay the guy that did everything for the team,” Jacobs said. “How does that make sense? … It really hurt my heart because I tried to stay. I did everything in my power to stay.”

Jacobs had built a house in Las Vegas and planned to call it home for the rest of his career. But he felt scorned by what he claimed was a lowball, $10 million per year deal without incentives or the benefit of term. He ended up signing with the Green Bay Packers at $48 million over four years, with millions in roster and signing bonuses built in.

Jacobs has discussed the negotiations before. This time, though, he took aim at the Raiders as an organization – their coaching carousel and one particular “decision-maker” he declined to name.

“I’m not going to say who it was, but it’s a guy that make decisions,” Jacobs said. “He’s talking too much and thinking it’s not going to get back to me and everything is getting back to me… He’s basically like ‘[Josh] needs the money.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t need no money. I could quit playing right now. I’m great.’”

“So I’m like, ‘Where are you getting this information from? Why do you think that you got the leverage when I just led the NFL in everything there is for a running back?’”

And that’s what it boils down to, on Jacobs’ end: the feeling of disrespect.

“You’re bringing in these coaches every other year, new coaches, and now, these new coaches is telling me I didn’t already have three 1,000-yard seasons. You telling me I have to prove myself like I’m a rookie, you treating me like a rookie… Then afterwards you’re basically like, ‘Yeah, you played good, but we’re going to franchise tag you.’”

Jacobs posted 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024 for the Packers, who finished 11-6 and made the playoffs. The Raiders, who finished 4-13, had the lowest rushing yards per game in the NFL.

Las Vegas brought in a new head coach and general manager this offseason, and will be looking to hit it big on another drafted running back: Ashton Jeanty.