Following the Seattle Seahawks’ 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Sunday in San Francisco, linebacker Ernest Jones IV addressed a brief social media exchange involving former teammate Puka Nacua. Jones spoke out publicly after Nacua posted a message on X referencing Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold during the intense postseason period.
Jones Explains Loyalty Behind His Online Reply
Jones, who previously played alongside Nacua with the Los Angeles Rams, shared his perspective during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. He described his decision to respond to Nacua’s tweet as stemming from loyalty to his Seahawks teammates.
It was crazy to me. One thing about me, and I’m going to stand on this. Don’t say nothing about my teammates, nothing. And then you talk about my quarterback. I’m not going for it,
Jones explained.
So I get on my phone and people are texting me, telling me congratulations. And this pops up, and I’m the ultimate teammate. Don’t say nothing about my guys like I said. So of course I had to respond to an old teammate of mine.
Context Behind Nacua’s Viral Comment and Jones’s Reply
Nacua’s original post on X featured the words “sam darnold” followed by a laughing emoji, which immediately caught attention given Darnold’s pivotal role in Seattle’s playoff success. Jones directly replied to the post with a pointed message, writing,
Ain’t you at home. Goofy a**,
underscoring his protectiveness of his current team.
Additional context revealed that Nacua’s laughter was in response to Darnold refusing a helping hand from a Patriots defender late in the game, rather than mocking the Seahawks’ win. This clarification was shared on social media by analyst Kev Mahserejian shortly after the incident.
ok we owe puka an apology he was laughing at sam darnold refusing a lift up from the patriots not darnold winning this game https://t.co/U4Zmc2WZZC pic.twitter.com/fFikYdvit2
— kev mahserejian (@RotoSurgeon) February 9, 2026
Jones’s Leadership and Impact Throughout Seattle’s Season
Jones concluded his first full season with the Seahawks as a defensive cornerstone, appearing in 15 regular-season games and leading the team with 126 combined tackles, including 60 solo stops. His contributions extended beyond tackling, highlighted by a career-best five interceptions covering 150 yards and a touchdown, along with seven passes defended and eight tackles for loss.
His strong regular-season form carried into the playoffs, where over three games he totaled 25 tackles (20 solo), forced a fumble, recorded an interception, defended a pass, and made a tackle for loss. At 26 years old, Jones has now earned two Super Bowl rings — one previously with the Rams and his second following Seattle’s championship run this year.
Seattle’s Championship Journey and Jones’s Rivalry with Former Teammates
The Seahawks’ road to Super Bowl LX included a dramatic 31-27 NFC Championship Game win over the Los Angeles Rams, intensifying the underlying tensions between Jones and his former Rams teammate Nacua. Despite the on-field rivalries, Jones emphasized that his reaction was rooted more in loyalty to his current teammates than any personal feud.
As Seattle moves forward into the offseason as Super Bowl champions, Jones’s comments reflect both his strong team-first mentality and the emotional volatility that can arise during such high-stakes competitions. The defensive leader’s passion reinforces his importance to Seattle’s continued success and sets the tone for how the team approaches future challenges.
ok we owe puka an apology he was laughing at sam darnold refusing a lift up from the patriots not darnold winning this game https://t.co/U4Zmc2WZZC pic.twitter.com/fFikYdvit2
— kev mahserejian (@RotoSurgeon) February 9, 2026
