You. Could. Require. More.
A play in three parts here today for our TeamsOfMen blog (shoutout to Inner Circle member and long time practitioner Coach Chris Horton of Warren Wilson for the article share).
Step one: LA Rams offensive lineman is arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence in June 2026. He was also previously suspended by the NFL following allegations that he recorded sexual acts without his partner's consent. The civil lawsuit related to those allegations was later dismissed.
Step two: The Rams acknowledged awareness of the arrest in June 2026, stating they were gathering information and declining deeper public comment while the matter played out through legal channels. Jackson's case was eventually assigned to a prefiling diversion program that included anger management classes. No criminal charges were filed.
Step three: See for yourself (via the video of the postgame incident between Jackson and Buffalo Bills defensive end Bradley Chubb) how well that strategy and “remedy” played out.
Of course this is an emotional fluency issue. Of course this is a behavior choice in a high-stakes moment issue. Of course this is an example of a man highly fluent in anger and violence as his tools in conflict. But more importantly, this is why sports “teaching life lessons” is such a misnomer if it doesn’t include repeated, intentional repetition within a team/program/organization.
And here's where my frustration with the Rams comes in.
What evidence do we have that the LA Rams have actually “helped” Alaric Jackson? Beyond allowing him to complete the requirements of a diversion program, what have THEY done to help him develop different tools for handling conflict?
Because from the outside, it sure looks like the priority has been finding ways to keep him on the field on game days.
I don't know what has happened inside their building. But I do know what we've seen outside of it. And I think it's fair to ask whether whatever they've been doing is enough.
I would pay someone a lot of money to give me access to both HC Sean McVay’s conversation with Jackson after this punch...but also what he says to the team as a whole. Hell, I’d pay to be in the staff meeting where he and the O-line coach have to decide what accountability should actually look like.
Because now the NFL has suspended Jackson for two games without pay. And that's a consequence. But what happens beyond those two games?
What does the RAMS organization require of him?
What evidence of growth do they demand before simply putting him back on the field?
You could require verifiable proof over repeated exposure to stress where he was responding with restraint and nuance, rather than putting his hands on someone.
You could make clear that completing anger management classes isn't the same thing as demonstrating that you've learned how to manage anger.
You could.
Will you?
And that’s yet another example of “courage in the moment” being a cool slogan that very few of us live up to when it might cost us something.
COACH PROMPTS
When a player in your program repeatedly responds to conflict with aggression, what evidence of actual behavioral change do you require beyond completing a punishment or intervention?
Have you ever confused keeping a talented player eligible with actually helping him grow as a person?
If one of your best players punched an opponent after a game, what would accountability look like beyond whatever suspension your league imposed?
PLAYER PROMPTS
What's the difference between completing anger management classes and actually demonstrating that you can handle anger differently?
When a teammate repeatedly makes harmful choices, what responsibility do you have beyond telling him to calm down or stay out of trouble?
If your coach told you that you could return to the team only after demonstrating real growth, what evidence would you offer to prove you've changed?
