Former B Team athlete Jay Rodriguez, widely known as J Rod, has issued a public apology following his confirmed ban from the prestigious grappling team.
The controversy came to light after Rodriguez initially broke his silence in a video statement released on social media, acknowledging his removal from the team founded by Craig Jones, Nicky Rodriguez, and Ethan Crelinsten.
“You may have heard that I have been banned from B Team and this is true,” Rodriguez stated in his original video. “Essentially I’ve had some unhealthy interactions with women in the gym.”
The athlete revealed that these issues prompted him to seek professional help, specifically mentioning therapy for what he described as a “p*rn addiction that I’ve had for quite some time now.” Rodriguez indicated he had been attending therapy for “the past few months” while also “further building my relationship with my beliefs, my religion.”
In that initial statement, he expressed commitment to personal growth, stating he is “working towards being a better person” and “changing my lustful ways.”
Now, in a follow-up apology posted under his social media handle “jayrod2.0,” Rodriguez has directly addressed those affected by his behavior:
“I want to publicly and sincerely apologize to those who were directly affected by my past actions. I recognize the harm I’ve caused and take full accountability. To those individuals, I am truly sorry.”
Rodriguez was initially criticized for talking in third person during his video apology and not actually apologizing.
Rodriguez also made a plea to the public regarding those impacted: “I also ask that the public show them the respect and consideration they deserve by refraining from contacting or attempting to identify them. Their privacy and well-being should be the priority, and I hope everyone can honor that moving forward.”
B Team leadership has maintained a firm stance on the situation. Both Craig Jones and the team’s official accounts simply announced: “Jay Rod is no longer a part of B Team. He has stated the reasons for his removal. B Team is a safe training place for all and we have a zero tolerance policy for anyone breaching that trust.”
Craig Jones subsequently reposted Rodriguez’s apology, adding: “Respect the privacy of all involved.”
In previous statements, Rodriguez had expressed agreement with B Team’s decision, noting: “Despite this stuff coming out, life has been very peaceful. I’m very happy, and grateful for the people around me.”
Reports indicate that Rodriguez has been training at East Austin Jiu-Jitsu in the meantime. Neither the team nor Rodriguez has commented on whether the ban is permanent or if there’s a potential path for reinstatement in the future.
