We’re planning on writing a lot about Jarvis Jones over the next couple days.
But if he listens to Joey Porter, he won’t see any of it.
Speaking to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Porter suggested for Jones to ignore what us – the media – has to say.
“For him, he takes the challenge of what everybody thinks more than I think he should,” he told Fowler. “I’m glad I didn’t play in this era. I didn’t come up in the social media era. I don’t have none of that stuff now. In this era, people care what they say. They make themselves too available.”
The criticism certainly has been rampant during Jones’ three year career and though I like to think we’ve been fair to him, this site has certainly discussed his problems as much as anyone.
Fans, without a filter or need to be accountable, are the quickest to criticize. In one forum in November of 2013, Jones’ rookie year, someone created the threat “Jarvis Jones looking like a bust.” The next year, the “Jarvis Jones Sucks Forum,” was posted on another website, readers failing to adhere to the forum’s plea of “do not post inappropriate comments.” I’ll let you fill in the blanks.
That was obviously knee-jerk and crass but Jones has simply not lived up to the expectations of his draft status. Five sacks after three years, never more than two in a regular season. His playing time has been limited by James Harrison, a topic we’re going to explore a little more tomorrow. Harrison, even at 37 last year and often dropping into coverage like Jones, still paced him on the sack sheet.
Despite the universal criticism, Jones says he’s entering this season – a make or break year with Pittsburgh – with confidence.  He’ll need that, and a big season, to turn his perception around. And to stomach the Internet’s comments.
