Michael Irvin stirs pot with Jackson about benching

MONDAY, DeSean Jackson told reporters at NovaCare that he understood why he was inactive for Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, and that he respected Eagles coach Andy Reid for the decision he made after Jackson missed a special-teams meeting Saturday morning.

Last night, the NFL Network aired excerpts from a Michael Irvin interview with Jackson, in which the former Cowboys wideout seems to go out of his way to imply something was fishy about the team's discipline, and to get Jackson to say something incendiary about the Eagles.

Jackson does a decent job of parrying, until he is asked whether it is the usual policy to not let someone play after missing the Saturday special-teams meeting.

"Honestly, I've never seen coach Reid do anything like that. I've never seen him bench anybody for missing a meeting," Jackson tells Irvin.

Earlier in the interview, Irvin asserts that Jackson was a little more than 20 minutes late for the meeting; the Eagles have said he missed it. Then Irvin seemingly tries to get Jackson to say his contract dispute was the reason he was deactivated.

"There is speculation and things have been reported that the decision not to play you was because of other things that have been happening," Irvin says. "What are your thoughts on that?"

"I don't think so," Jackson says. "Being late to a meeting is unacceptable, of course. I understand that, but I've never been a problem, never been a distraction. I just come to work and do my thing."

Asked whether he wanted to play, Jackson says: "Of course. I want to play every game."

On NFL.com, in a piece authored by Irvin about the interview, Irvin asserts that Jackson "admitted it had happened once before since he's been with the Eagles, but it wasn't a chronic issue. DeSean also said he'd seen other players miss or be late for meetings and they still played the following Sunday."

Later, Irvin writes this: "DeSean made a point of saying there have been rumors about the people he associates with away from the field as being one of the reasons the Eagles haven't committed to a new deal. But he pointed out he hasn't gotten in any trouble off the field, and has been active in the community."

More of the interview will air on NFL Network's "Thursday Night Kickoff" at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

Click here to order Michael Irvin’s proCane Rookie Card.


(philly.com)