Jaguars' Jalen Ramsey addresses trade request, says 'I want to f------ win'
The Jacksonville Jaguars are not off to a good start.
They lost quarterback Nick Foles, who they signed to a four-year contract earlier this year, before the first quarter of their first game was over. Foles will be back, but not for several weeks.
They also lost both of their first two games, and since a 3-1 start to the 2018 season, Jacksonville has gone 2-12.
It wears on players, and one in particular is frustrated with it all.
‘I want to f------ win’
On Monday night, there were reports that two-time Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey has asked for a trade. The news came on the heels of Sunday, when Ramsey and Jaguars coach Doug Marrone were nose-to-nose on the sideline in Houston, with Ramsey apparently unhappy that Marrone didn’t challenge a catch by the Texans’ DeAndre Hopkins.
Ramsey didn’t talk to media after the game, but he did on Tuesday.
“On Sunday after the game I was told I didn’t have to talk, that’s why I didn’t talk. But I wanted to talk as soon as I could today just because I don’t want it to be a distraction for my teammates getting ready for a game on Thursday. Right now I’m still a part of the Jacksonville Jaguars and I’m happy about that, and I’m getting ready for the game as well. That’s where my focus is right now.
“Also I’ve seen a couple of fake things out there in the media right now that I don’t love the city, I don’t love the fans...None of that is true. I love Duval. The city embraced me, the fans embraced me since I’ve been here. Just last night I was in Ruth’s Chris [Steakhouse], they were showing hella love. I love the city, I love the fans, ever since I was drafted here I’ve done nothing but give the city my all. I think everybody knows that. They’ve gotten some really good years out me and for however long I’m going to be here I’m going to continue giving my all out there.
“All I care about is winning, man. I want to [expletive] win. Straight up. Excuse my language, but everybody know that. That’s who I am. That passion, that fire, that heart, that’s what y’all love, and I’m going to continue giving that as long as I’m here.”
‘I didn’t leak that information’
Noting the larger-than-usual media contingent, Ramsey said he didn’t want to answer many questions. But the first question did get a strong reaction from him, when a reporter noted Ramsey’s words about not wanting to be a distraction to the team but that he’d become one because of the trade demand.
“Let’s be clear about something in regards to that: I didn’t leak that information,” Ramsey said. “Me and my agent, we are not the ones who leaked that information. And I was very strict about that, because I did not want it to get out and I didn’t want it to be a distraction, I didn’t want everybody asking my teammates all kinds of questions during the week. Let me be real clear about that: we were not the ones.
“You need to ask the other side, or whoever.”
Ramsey said several times that he won’t say anything negative about anyone within the Jaguars’ organization, and noted that he is good with many of his teammates, including Foles, whom he said he spent time with on Monday.
However, he had not yet spoken with Marrone.
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