Why Jabrill Peppers disobeyed Patriots coaches

FOXBOROUGH – Jabrill Peppers couldn’t help himself.

On Sunday, the Patriots safety lined up as a punt returner for the first team in nearly two years. With rain falling down from the sky, coaches asked Peppers to step onto the wet turf and signal for a fair catch if the punt came his way inside MetLife Stadium.

However, when Thomas Morstead’s 52-yard punt descended, Peppers saw nothing but open field. That’s why the veteran called an audible and ran back two punts in the Patriots’ 15-10 victory over the New York Jets.

“It was a good feeling. I was a little rusty. I was really supposed to fair catch them, but when I looked, I saw I had green grass,” Peppers said. “I couldn’t (resist) – especially in that type of environment, having an effect on the game, try to move the offense as close to scoring position as I could. It is what it is.”

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The moment was significant for Peppers. MetLife Stadium was the site where the safety suffered a torn ACL during the 2021 season. Peppers, 27, said he didn’t feel like himself until late last season.

The last time Peppers returned a punt was also inside MetLife Stadium before he suffered that season-ending torn ACL and an ankle sprain. On Sunday, he returned to the scene and found himself back on that same turf, returning punts for the first time since that game.

Peppers’ first punt return came at 7:15 of the first quarter. It was a good thing he didn’t call for a fair catch as his return gained 18 yards. The next punt, at 3:14 of the first quarter, Peppers returned for a gain of seven yards.

Peppers revealed that the coaches didn’t scold him for not signaling for a fair catch on those punts.

“They just gave me a little laugh. They smiled a little bit,” Peppers said. “I definitely think I left some out there. First time being out there in a couple years. I still got it. I felt good. Still got the burst, made a couple guys miss, so I still think I got it.”

In college, at Michigan, Peppers was one of the most dynamic players in the nation. In 2016, he won the Paul Hornung Award, given to the most versatile player in college. That year, he finished third in the nation in punt return yards while averaging 14.8 yards per punt return, including a touchdown.

With punt returner Marcus Jones on the injured reserve, the Patriots have used Demario Douglas and Peppers as returners. Maybe next time, he’ll have a green light to take the ball out.

“We’ll see,” Peppers said. “Whatever I can do to help the team. It definitely hurts losing Marcus. Whatever I can help the team with, you’ve got to do it.”