Seahawks’ Ernest Jones IV hits back at ‘locker room cancer’ allegation

Here’s something that sort of showed up out of nowhere regarding Seattle’s top free agent linebacker.

Did you know that Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV was getting “locker room cancer” labels and accusations? You probably didn’t until either this article or if you read his social media posts on Friday.

In a somewhat out of the blue statement, Jones went public about something that has obviously been on his mind for quite some time. Lest you think he is a problem in the locker room, Jones is having none of that nonsense.

If for whatever reason you cannot read his Twitter/X posts, here’s his full statement:

I’ve never been one to voice my frustrations publicly, but there’s something that’s been weighing on me for far too long. I’ve always prided myself on being a good teammate, and not a single person who’s ever shared a locker room with me can say I’ve disrespected them—coaches included. I wear the name ‘Jones’ with honor, because I was raised by an incredible woman who taught me that respect and being a good person are the foundations of life.

If you think I’m not good enough, that’s your right. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, and that’s what makes this country great. But when people label me as a ‘locker room cancer,’ it strikes at the very core of who I am—my character, my upbringing, and the values I stand by. God bless.

Jones’ current teammates Tyler Lockett and Tyrice Knight, as well as former Los Angeles Rams teammate Bobby Brown III and ex-Tennessee Titans teammate (and former Seahawks star) Quandre Diggs all voiced their support for Ernest.

Jones was traded from the Rams to the Titans in lieu of giving him a contract extension in the final year of his rookie deal. He was then traded again to the Seahawks for Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick, giving Seattle an instant upgrade at a position of weakness. Where did the “locker room cancer” accusation(s) come from? Well here’s one tweet from some random Rams fan and the subsequent response from Jones’ agent, Ira Turner.

(Shoulder shrugs)

Maybe there’s more to it than just that one person and it’s something that has circled a bit in more private settings.

Jones is set to become an unrestricted free agent in mid-March unless the Seahawks give him a new deal. One thing that seems clear based on the public support of his past and present teammates is that he’s very much respected by his peers. Keeping him should be a top priority for the Seahawks, otherwise they might be revamping their linebacker group yet again.