Eagles cornerback Jaire Alexander is stepping away from football to focus on his physical and mental health, per FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer.
The eight-year veteran is evaluating his future and even considering retirement, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Alexander, 28, has been dealing with a knee injury since the start of the season. He joined the Ravens this offseason after a string of injuries limited him to just 34 games in his last four years with the Packers. His most recent was a PCL injury that required season-ending knee surgery, but it is unknown if that is related to his current issue.
Alexander only appeared in two games for the Ravens. A disastrous showing in Week 1 made it clear that he was not where he wanted to be physically, and he only played in Week 5 due to a slew of injuries to other cornerbacks. The Eagles, seeing that he was not in the Ravens’ plans, came calling with a Day 3 pick swap in a buy-low move that does not seem like it will pay off. Alexander did not travel with the Eagles in Week 11; his reason for being absent was listed as a knee injury and a coach’s decision.
Now, it appears that Alexander is a question mark, not just for the next few weeks, but for the rest of the season and beyond. When healthy, he has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. But he has not enjoyed an extended period of good health since 2022, and it’s fair to wonder if he will ever regain his Pro Bowl form.
Glazer’s mention of mental health suggests that Alexander is dealing with more than just his knee. He was expected to need some time to get up to speed physically and schematically in Philadelphia, making today’s news somewhat of a surprise based on his comments immediately after the trade, according to The Athletic’s Zach Berman.
Alexander is currently occupying a spot on the Eagles’ 53-man roster, but the team may consider placing him on the non-football illness list to free up a spot while he is away from the team.
He’s made 75million and he’s playing like he’s not going to get anything more than a one year prove it contract. Time to pack it up.
Well, needless to say Philly knew who they traded for…
Hope he gets things figured out, mental health is more important than football. Purely from a football standpoint though I’ll say cmon!what a bummer.
He’s always been an overrated flash in the pan. His NFL career is over.
He was truly great until hurting his shoulder in 2021. But that second contract he got never panned out that’s for sure.
In this situation would the eagles be entitled to some type of recourse? They just acquired him. I hope they don’t, bc F*c* the eagles, but its kind of bs even if they signed off on a physical – which I assume would be needed to complete the trade. Anyone?
Caveat Emptor
They didn’t give up much. Plus, I think they hold his rights if he gets well.
Thank god the packers got rid of him
If the guy has mental problems he could probably work as a Goodell advisor 🙂
If the man has a mental disorder I wish him all the best with his life. However as far as football goes he just seems one of many who had all the ability in the world and for whatever reason just couldn’t put it together on the field. Maybe he just couldn’t focus on football but he never really seemed to work hard enough to make it work. Too bad.
You would think that after Marshawn Kneeland passed, there would be a little more understanding of mental health problems. But the comments of a sports article is not the place for empathy, apparently. Better that Jaire take care of himself than he ends his life.
The comment section of the trade rumors websites will always be awful.
Hundreds of people commit suicide everyday. Do you empathize for all them too? Kneeland isn’t a big wow because he played in the NFL. He isn’t the first or last player to do it. It just made the news. Maybe he had CTE? Maybe his girlfriend broke up with him and he lost it. We have no idea if Alexander has an actual mental health problem, or if he just can’t play football anymore and is just saying that because he’s bummed.
Sympathy is a much better word. It’s absolutely horrible for families of suicide victims. I’ve seen plenty first hand. But at the end of day are you going to worry about Alexander jumping off a bridge? Are you going to internalize that? I hope not. Did you internalize, cry, and shake your fists when Kneeland did it? I hope not. Because then I would have sympathy for you. Pro tip for life: Worry about you and your loved ones. Not the whole world. Most people with suicidal ideations won’t tell you, let alone their families and friends. And yeah, this is a sports forum, not one for tears and kleenex because Jaire Alexander can’t play football anymore.
These comments… you know, people, a little empathy would be a pleasant change. To see so many more focused on the plight of their teams, and not on a fellow human’s well-being is disheartening. You all know there is a human under that helmet, right?
You’re expecting way too much of the average commenter on the trade rumors websites
Sympathy is much better word than empathy.