In his first expansive public comments about DeSean Jackson, Redskins owner Dan Snyder joked that he had grown tired of being torched by the former Eagles wide receiver and said he does not have any concerns about Jackson’s character.
“That’s going to be exciting — and not just the two games against Philly,” Snyder said Tuesday. “We got tired of seeing him score a lot of touchdowns against us and watching him on TV. So it’s great to have him here.”
Snyder made his comments at Park View High, where the Redskins donated $100,000 toward the installation of a multiuse synthetic turf field at the Sterling, Va., school. The NFL also contributed $100,000 toward the $1 million project.
After the announcement, Snyder met with reporters and discussed a number of topics. His most interesting remarks were about Jackson, the three-time Pro Bowler who inked a three-year, $24 million contract with the Redskins last month.
“I think that when you look at the fact that the head coach and the general manager said this is the right move, the only thing I can do is support it,” Snyder said, referring to Jay Gruden and Bruce Allen, respectively. “That’s what I’ve done and it’s been great.”
Snyder added: “I’ve spent some time with [Jackson], and he’s really a good guy.”
In the days leading up to and following Jackson’s surprising release in Philadelphia, media reports questioned his attitude and work ethic and suggested that he did not see eye-to-eye with Eagles coach Chip Kelly. Another said the Eagles had concerns about Jackson’s off-the-field associations.
Asked if he had any concerns about those reports, Snyder highlighted Jackson’s charitable endeavors, which include a book about bullying, “No Bullies in the Huddle,” and the DeSean Jackson Foundation, which supports, among other things, pancreatic cancer research.
“I was reading this morning that he’s got a book on bullying out,” Snyder said. “I look forward to reading that and I think he’s someone that’s done a lot in the community. I think you’ll see him here for the Redskins for many years. And he’ll be part of this community, and what we’re looking forward to is, obviously, great play but also the fact that — the stuff that I’d love to see reported — and deservedly so, is all of his charitable work. That is something that we ought to focus on. And he deserves a lot credit for that, and not enough credit has been given to him.”
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