Before he left for the Green Bay Packers Josh Jacobs had every intention of continuing to spend his career with the Las Vegas Raiders. Jacobs, who the Raiders drafted in 2019, spent the first five seasons of his career in Las Vegas before joining the Packers.
Jacobs wanted to keep playing for the Raiders and was invested in the team. He built a house in the area and got involved in the local community, but he eventually couldn't get past how disrespected he felt by the team.
“It gets to a certain point you’re not going to keep disrespecting me," Jacobs said on the podcast (discussion starts at around 1:45:00 below). "… 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. You telling me I got to play in the Hall of Fame game. Then we start losing and then you feel like you need me and then you play me and I play good. Then afterwards you're basically like, ‘Yeah you played good, but we’re going to franchise tag you.’"
During his time with the Raiders, played for four different coaches and general managers with the Raiders. Jon Gruden,interim coach Rich Bissacia, Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce served as head coaches, while general managers Mike Mayock, Dave Ziegler, interim GM Champ Kelly and Tom Telesco led the front office. The lack of continuity clearly affected him and his relationship with the franchise.
Jacobs did not specify who, but he noted there was a decision-maker within the Raiders at the time was talking about him too much behind his back and that talk kept getting back to him. Jacobs did note that he "loves" Las Vegas owner Mark Davis, and that Davis was not an issue.
Jacobs was also uninterested in playing on the franchise tag. He felt he was deserving of signing a long-term deal, particularly after leading the league in rushing in 2022 with 1,653 yards.
"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 detailed that at one point the Raiders offered him $10 million per year, but they did not match the monetary offers from other teams, offer him a long-term deal nor were they willing to add incentives to a potential contract. At that point, Jacobs felt the team had let him know where they stood. He ended up signing with the Green Bay Packers, agreeing to a four-year, $48 million deal with the franchise.
After Jacobs's departure, the Raiders finished last in the NFL in rushing yards per game in 2024. The Raiders have since headed in a new direction as well, and are attempting to create stability with the hirings of general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll. Las Vegas drafted Ashton Jeanty as its new franchise running back in '25.
