Packers' Josh Jacobs says touchdown celebration referenced gospel song, not handcuffs
After scoring against the Carolina Panthers, Packers running back Josh Jacobs put his hands behind his back, which some read as mimicking handcuffs. He said it was a planned nod to the gospel song "Break Every Chain", not his arrest.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs scored in the Packers' Thursday night win over the Carolina Panthers, then put his hands behind his back in celebration. NewsweekN “Jacobs celebrated by placing his hands behind his back, appearing to mimic himself in handcuffs.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “Jacobs put his hands behind his back in celebration.” Read at Fox News ↗ Mixed · 2Speculation spread on social media that the gesture referenced his off-field issues, and Jacobs denied it. Fox NewsR “He insisted the celebration had nothing to do with his arrest as speculation spread on social media” Read at Fox News ↗ NewsweekN “Jacobs vehemently denied that his touchdown celebration was mimicking himself in handcuffs.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Jacobs told reporters that the broadcast showed only one second of a longer celebration he and wide receiver Savion Williams had planned together. NewsweekN “me and Savion came up with the celebration, if they would have seen the whole celebration.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “it was f------ one second that (the broadcast) just showed me” Read at Fox News ↗
Mixed · 2He said the plan was to thank God on the first touchdown, as he did the week before, and to do "Break Every Chain", a gospel song, on the next. He added that the media would "run with it" and make it something it wasn't. NewsweekN “Second was going to be 'Break Every Chain.' It’s a gospel song.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “the media going to run with it.” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1Fox News reported that the Packers won 27-19 and that, in the previous game, a loss to the Detroit Lions, Jacobs dropped to his knees and raised his arms after his first touchdown. Fox NewsR “in the team's 27-19 win over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night”“he dropped to his knees and raised his arms.” Read at Fox News ↗ Centre · 1The game was Jacobs' second since he came off the Commissioner Exempt List. He was arrested in May after a domestic disturbance, was placed on the list on Aug. 30 and was removed on Oct. 19, missing the first six games. NewsweekN “was arrested in May following a domestic disturbance, was originally placed on the Commissioner Exempt List on Aug. 30 and removed from the list on Oct. 19.”“after missing the first six contests of the year while on the Commissioner Exempt List.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Right · 1Fox News added that the May altercation was with his then-girlfriend, who said he threw her to the ground, that Jacobs pleaded no contest last month to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property, and that the NFL's investigation into his conduct is ongoing. Fox NewsR “Jacobs pleaded no contest last month to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property.”“even though the NFL's investigation into his conduct remains ongoing.” Read at Fox News ↗ Mixed · 2On the field, Jacobs had 39 rushing yards on 21 carries against Carolina, plus six receptions for 13 yards and a receiving touchdown. Through two games he has 75 rushing yards on 32 carries and 11 catches for 68 yards and two receiving touchdowns. NewsweekN “just 39 rushing yards on 21 carries, though he added six receptions for 13 yards and one score through the air” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “catching 11 passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns.” Read at Fox News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek treats it as a short sports item: Jacobs rejects the handcuff reading, with his quote sourced to Pro Football Talk.
- Emphasis
- The denial, the pre-planned celebration with Savion Williams, and Jacobs' limited production this season.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the no-contest plea, the ongoing NFL investigation or the Packers' score.
- Charged language
- “Adamantly Denies”“embattled”
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Fox News (OutKick) leads with Jacobs' gospel-song explanation, calls the celebration "controversial", and sets it against his arrest.
- Emphasis
- The arrest background: the no-contest plea, the accuser's account and the continuing NFL investigation, plus the song's origin.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not name the Pro Football Talk source used by Newsweek, and gives no second-quarter timing.
- Charged language
- “controversial”“SPARKS OUTRAGE”
What every side reports
- Jacobs put his hands behind his back after a touchdown against the Panthers.
- He said the gesture was a planned celebration referencing the gospel song "Break Every Chain", worked out with Savion Williams.
- It was his second game since coming off the Commissioner Exempt List after a May arrest.
- He has 75 rushing yards on 32 carries through two games.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the gesture referenced his arrest
- Centre
- Newsweek says it appeared to mimic handcuffs and reports Jacobs' denial.
- Right
- Fox News says speculation spread on social media and reports Jacobs' insistence that it had nothing to do with his arrest; its headline calls the celebration controversial.
Josh Jacobs person
Says the celebration was a pre-planned nod to a gospel song with Savion Williams, that the broadcast showed only a second of it, and that the media would make it something it wasn't.
“The media is gonna run with it. They’re gonna make it something that it wasn’t.” — Newsweek
“He insisted the celebration had nothing to do with his arrest” — Fox News
Green Bay Packers organisation
The coverage gives no team statement. The Packers are 5-3 after the win, and Jacobs is back from the exempt list while the NFL investigation continues.
“returning to the 5-3 Packers” — Fox News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Packers' Josh Jacobs Adamantly Denies TD Celebration Theory Involving Handcuffs
Neutral Reports the denial and the planned celebration, with game context and stats.
Right1 article
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Mixed Presents Jacobs' explanation alongside detailed arrest and legal background, and calls the celebration controversial.
- 30 Oct 15:25 First NewsweekN Packers' Josh Jacobs Adamantly Denies TD Celebration Theory Involving Handcuffs
- 30 Oct 20:32 +5h 7m Fox NewsR Packers star Josh Jacobs says his controversial touchdown celebration referenced a gospel song, not his arrest
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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