GREEN BAY, Wis. – Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs spoke to reporters on Friday for the first time since the team suspended him for last Sunday’s game against the Rams.
Contrary to a Sports Illustrated report from last Thursday night, Doubs said wanting a bigger role in Green Bay’s offense had nothing to do with not attending practice last Thursday and Friday.
“I had some things going on mentally,” Doubs said, before later saying his mental health is fine. The third-year wideout didn’t want to delve into why exactly he didn’t show up to practice, but said he wished he had handled last week differently by communicating better with the team.
“I had to make sure that I got the family together again,” Doubs said. “I’d say there was some things going on off the field, so as far as just the organization and just the staff, players, there’s nothing going on within that area, so I just wanna make myself clear there.”
However, head coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that he told Doubs that his job as the head coach is to do what’s best for the team before adding that individual accolades will follow team success. Not only that, but wide receiver Christian Watson said it would take time to get the “family feeling” back in the locker room after Doubs missed two practices.
Asked about his role in the offense, Doubs said, “No comment, man. It’s a great offense here. Got some ball players in our room. … It’s much bigger than just obviously me individually finding my role. In this league, it’s just winning football games.”
Doubs repeatedly said Friday that he’s thankful to be back with the team. When asked if he needed to earn back the trust and respect of his teammates in the context of Watson’s aforementioned quote, Doubs said he didn’t feel comfortable answering that.
Regardless of what truly happened, the Packers move forward with a game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Lambeau Field in which Doubs will play after practicing in full each day this week.
“It’s not as big as what they think it is,” Doubs said of his absence. “I know narratives are always created. Just hearing it from me, it wasn’t that big of a deal. … There’s just some things I have going on off the field. I just had to make sure that I had that under control.”
Through his first four games this season, Doubs has hauled in 12 of 20 targets for 169 yards.
Required reading:
- Packers mailbag: Defense grade, Xavier McKinney’s success, case for open locker room
- Packers’ Tucker Kraft making a name for himself as all-around tight end
(Photo: Joe Sargent / Getty Images)
