Stephen A. Smith Claims Jalen Ramsey's Beef is With Jaguars VP Tom Coughlin and Not Doug Marrone
By Karl Rasmussen
By now you're well aware that Jalen Ramsey has requested a trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars, and while most assumed it was due to his sideline altercation with head coach Doug Marrone, it turns out that may not be the case after all.
While the public feud between coach and player was well-documented, it seems the driving force behind Ramsey's unhappiness on his current team has to do with the front office. Per Stephen A. Smith, who appeared on ESPN Thursday morning, Ramsey's strife with the team has "everything to do" with Jags vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin.
Stephen A. Smith just came on ESPN and said he got a text from a source close to the Jalen situation.
— Ben Murphy (@BenMurphyTV) September 19, 2019
Says it has nothing to do with Doug Marrone
It has everything to do with Tom Coughlin #Jaguars
That's definitely a new twist to the saga, since Coughlin's name has hardly been heard throughout this whole ordeal. Most had assumed, with good reason, that the defensive back's main issue was with his head coach.
Ramsey is widely expected to be dealt from the team by the end of the week, though he plans to suit up for Thursday night's clash with the Tennessee Titans.
At the beginning of this week, an NFL team reached out to the league office and asked whether Jalen Ramsey could play Sunday for that team after he played Thursday for the Jaguars, per source. League informed the team no, that it’s one game per player per week.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 19, 2019
It remains unclear what Coughlin did to upset Ramsey, though the defensive back has claimed about the way the team utilizes him on defense, preferring to play man-to-man but often being forced into zone coverage.
Whatever the gripe between Coughlin and Ramsey, one thing is clear: Ramsey has no intention of finishing the season in Jacksonville.