Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander nearly screwed up the coin toss before Sunday’s game against the Panthers. Three days later, the team suspended Alexander for the Week 17 game against Vikings.
Coach Matt LaFleur clarified during his news conference Wednesday that Alexander erroneously telling referee Alex Kemp that the Packers wanted to “play defense” rather than defer wasn’t the reason for Alexander’s suspension.
“It had nothing to do with that whole incident,” LaFleur said, via video from the team.
Alexander, though, anointed himself a captain and went to midfield with the three elected captains for Week 16. That might have served as the proverbial straw.
“I’ll just say this: It’s never for one thing,” LaFleur said. “I think there’s a lot of lessons along the way from everybody involved and hopefully we learn from them, and I think we will. I think there will probably be better communication moving forward.
“I think Ja is going to be here a long time. He’s a hell of a player and just looking to move past this and learn from it, and we’ll all move forward and be better for it.”
LaFleur said he had a “long conversation” with Alexander on Wednesday morning.
“That’s something that we made together,” LaFleur said. “It’s unfortunate that we’re at that juncture. [We] felt like it was in the best interest long term for our team and for Jaire. Certainly it was a tough decision, especially kind of where we’re at right now, and one we don’t take lightly, but there are standards we’re all held accountable for. When they’re not met, unfortunately sometimes you have to take some drastic measures. However, I will say that we are expecting to get him back, and we’re looking forward to getting him back.”
It’s been a long, weird season for Alexander, whose $21 million average per season makes him the league’s highest-paid corner. He forfeited a $700,000 workout bonus this spring when he skipped most of the team’s offseason program after staying in Green Bay after the season until voluntary workouts began in May.
Alexander has played only six games this season, with last Sunday’s return his first since Nov. 5. His long absence from game action had raised questions about the reasons for his absence.
Alexander has insisted his shoulder injury was the reason.
“Obviously, it’s been a very frustrating year for him,” LaFleur said. “By no means, I want to make sure this perfectly clear: This has nothing to do with that — with not being able to play. It’s been well documented he’s been battling through. So, it has nothing to do with that. It’s just every action could potentially have a consequence for it.
“I’m just looking forward to getting him back next week, and we’ll all learn from it, and we’ll all move forward, and I do think that just in terms of our ability to communicate with one another will be much better.”
