What Patriots Veteran Told Jack Jones During Practice Exit

FOXBORO, Mass. — Jabrill Peppers had an up-close view of the strangest sequence of Patriots training camp.

During last Thursday’s practice, cornerback Jack Jones abruptly left practice following a competitive 11-on-11 rep against wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, only to return roughly 20 minutes later.

As a visibly frustrated Jones walked off the field toward the locker room, veteran safety Jabrill Peppers walked next to him, his arm around the second-year pro. Peppers also came over to speak with Jones once the latter emerged and rejoined his teammates.

The reason for Jones’ departure remained a mystery Sunday afternoon, and Peppers didn’t reveal it when speaking with reporters after the Patriots’ 10th training camp practice. He also wouldn’t share specifics about the message he was trying to convey as Jones was exiting.

“I was just giving him some wisdom,” Peppers said. “He’s an ultra-competitive kid, so I was just giving him some wisdom. … It’s football. It’s training camp. Things come up. Things happen. But that’s all part of football.”

Peppers, a former New York Giants team captain who’s assumed a larger leadership role in his second year with the Patriots, downplayed the incident. Jones was back to full participation in Sunday’s practice, rotating in with the top defensive unit.

Jones allowed a deep completion to DeVante Parker on one 11-on-11 rep but later earned atta-boys from several of his defensive teammates when he swatted down a Bailey Zappe pass at the goal line.

“I don’t really want to get too much into (what happened Thursday), because it really wasn’t anything,” Peppers said. “It was training camp. I just wanted to give my guy some wisdom, and it all worked out. It is what it is.”

Jones addressed reporters Friday night for the first time since he was arrested on weapons charges at Logan Airport in June. He deferred questions about his legal situation to his lawyer and said Thursday’s exit and subsequent return was “just football.”

“When I get out here on this football field, it’s all ball, man,” Jones said. “I just come out here and play ball, give it my all and do what I’m supposed to for the team.”