With father on his mind, it’s always family first for Raiders’ Josh Jacobs
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What Marty Jacobs says, his son, Las Vegas Raiders star Josh Jacobs will do.
According to NFL Network, Josh Jacobs was in Tulsa, Okla. this week because his father underwent emergency heart surgery.
Josh Jacobs did not participate in practice Wednesday and Thursday to be with his father. He said his father had a message for him.
“For me, family is always before anything, especially when you know the severity of what is going on,” Jacobs told reporters following a 31-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. “My dad had woken up and told me he wanted me to play, so that’s why I’m here.”
Jacobs booked a flight back to Las Vegas on Friday night and had little bit of sleep.
NFL Network said Josh Jacobs’ six-year-old son, Braxton, discovered Marty was in pain Tuesday and called 911. Marty underwent surgery Wednesday.
“My son and my dad are like best friends,” he said. “I’m just happy he’s really smart enough to understand what was going on in that situation. It was rough for me trying to explain to him what happened and stuff like that.”
No doubt Josh Jacobs was thinking about his father as he took the field at Allegiant Stadium wearing pops on his eye black. Jacobs finished the game with 17 carries for 45 yards and ends the season with 1,653 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
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He’ll find out Sunday if he finishes atop for the rushing title. Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns is second with 1,448 yards.
Never mind that, the father and son are extremely close to each other.
In 2020, the former Alabama star surprised his father, Marty, with a new house in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
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Marty Jacobs sacrificed a lot for Josh and his four siblings while living in a car and slept in hotels while growing up in Tulsa, Okla.
Jacobs was the Raiders’ No. 24 pick of the 2019 NFL draft.
Jacobs was recently named the team captain.
Jacobs said his father has “a unique heart” and “it’s hard as it’s backwards compared to a normal heart.”
He said the surgery took longer than it expected.
“It’s been a lot of hiccups in the last few days,” he said. “This was probably the hardest game I’ve ever played. Not in a physical sense or anything like that. Just mentally like trying to stay in it. Like being on the sideline and having too much time to think and think about what’s going on.
“It’s never easy when the person that’s your rock is going through it. It’s just been interesting time for me. I just wanted to be there for him. Let him know that he had my support and let him know that he’s a fighter and that we love him.”
