Jalen Ramsey right to clap back at comments from Jaguars executive

Jalen Ramsey had no problem explaining why he wasn’t at a voluntary practice this week, and the former FSU football star was 100 percent correct.

During his three seasons as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, former FSU football star Jalen Ramsey has not been afraid of telling you what he is thinking and what his opinion is about a subject. From the play of his team to quarterbacks across the league, Ramsey is vocal but has backed it up with his play on the field.

This past week, Ramsey was forced to defend himself after comments made by a team executive who doesn’t quite understand the definition of the word voluntary or maybe is just too old and past his time of being credible in the league.

First, a little bit of the backstory: along with fellow former FSU football teammate Telvin Smith, Jalen Ramsey did not attend a voluntary camp with the Jaguars that started last week. It’s not surprising considering the fact that Ramsey didn’t attend the camp last year and has worked out in Nashville the past two occurrences.

Well, Jaguars executive vice president Tom Coughlin – who someone apparently needs to get a dictionary for – threw somewhat of a hissy fit with his comments that screamed of an old man who wants you to get off his lawn and wishes it was the 1950s still.

"“…Quite frankly, our players should be here building the concept of team, working hard side-by-side, constructing our bond of togetherness, formulating our collective priorities and goals. Success in the NFL demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish and insensitive to the real values of team. “"

Now, if this were training camp or a mandatory camp and Ramsey was not there, Coughlin would be 100 percent in the right and there would be no argument that Ramsey, Smith and everyone else signed on to the Jaguars roster should be there.

Again, this past week was VOLUNTARY and after Jalen Ramsey’s agent clapped back at Coughlin for not understanding that word, Ramsey himself did the same thing.

Now, I get that Coughlin is a 72-year-old man who has been involved in coaching for half a century and is used to a time when players were completely subservient to their teams and coaches – doing exactly what they were told even it was just due to being pressured into it by team officials that didn’t fully understand about player safety and rights.

But, the fact that he would essentially call out Ramsey and Smith and whoever else didn’t attend a …wait for it…VOLUNTARY camp shows that the old school mentality is still alive and kicking. With two Super Bowl titles won as a coach with the New York Giants, Coughlin thinks that he can say what he wants and will get away with it.

Would it have been nice for all members of the Jaguars – or any team for that matter – were at their camps this past week? Of course. But is Jalen Ramsey or anyone else entitled to skip a voluntary camp if they want to do their workouts somewhere else? Absolutely.

I’m not one to tell Coughlin or anyone else how to do their job, but the organization has plenty of problems that go far beyond a player not attending an optional camp – but until those in the front office understand that, the team is destined for more 5-11 seasons.