Carolina Panthers fans roast Donte Jackson after 'trap game' capitulation

Donte Jackson should know what a trap game is now.

The former Carolina Panthers cornerback threw shade at his former employers this week, mocking their perennial underachievement of which he was part. Things are different for Jackson these days on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are once again exceeding expectations under head coach Mike Tomlin and lead the AFC North.

Pittsburgh's game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football was a chance to cement their playoff aspirations versus one of the league's bottom feeders. Many thought this would be an easy outing for the Steelers given the trajectory of the two division rivals. Others pointed to Tomlin's record on Thursdays as a reason for concern with very little time to prepare for the clash.

As it turned out, the latter was accurate.

The Steelers battled hard in the snow before eventually falling to a late defeat. Jackson gained three tackles and an interception throughout the contest, but he was burned for a big gain in the third quarter as the Browns secured success in the contest's closing stages to celebrate only their third triumph of the campaign.

All hope is not lost for the Steelers despite this surprising loss. As for Jackson? It didn't take long for Panthers fans to roast the defensive back for his ill-advised comments without backing them up fully on social media.

Carolina Panthers fans roast Donte Jackson after Steelers' loss on TNF

Play with fire, you might get burned...

This is a case of something getting blown out of proportion and coming back on the person who made the original comment. Jackson didn't exactly shine consistently enough in Carolina and was going to be released before the Steelers came forward with a trade offer. He probably didn't think much of it, but the statement represented a receipt that Panthers fans kept in their back pocket just in case.

There hasn't been much for Panthers fans to cheer this season. Jackson's late pick raised concern that they wouldn't have a fleeting moment of joy at the expense of a former player. But as has been the case throughout his rollercoaster career, quarterback Jameis Winston kept on swinging and willed his team to victory against all odds.

The Panthers don't miss Jackson and the former second-round pick doesn't miss the Panthers. General manager Dan Morgan went in a different direction and did right by the player. That should have come with a little more respect rather than ridiculing the team's failings.

Something he would later come to regret...

More Carolina Panthers news and analysis