SANTA CLARA, Calif. — There was so much intensity in Ernest Jones IV’s eyes when he looked at us and defended Sam Darnold that night in Inglewood, Calif. He was so convicted. “If you got anything to say,” Jones stated, sternly, “quite frankly, f— you.” It was evident in that moment Nov. 16 that Jones, the All-Pro spokesman for the best team in the NFL, was speaking on something bigger than himself or even his quarterback, who had thrown four interceptions in the Seattle Seahawks’ loss to their division rival. It was as if he was insulted by the idea that everything wasn’t going to be OK just because the scoreboard wasn’t in their favor. Jones, in his own way, was channeling the same energy...
