J.C. Jackson is going to have payback on his mind when he returns to Gillette Stadium this December.

The former Patriots cornerback inked a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Chargers last offseason. It’s a deal Bill Belichick wasn’t willing to extend to Jackson, and apparently he took that personally. On NFL Network Thursday, Jackson says he’s eager to show New England that they made a mistake.

“It’s a revenge game for me,” Jackson said. “I’m excited to go back, pick Mac Jones off, and show them why they should’ve never let me go.”

Jackson was a takeaway machine in Foxborough, intercepting a league-high 25 passes in four seasons with the Patriots, and recovering three fumbles for good measure, too. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. But Jackson’s first season with the Chargers was a disaster that crescendoed with a Monday Night Football benching in Week 6 and ended with a torn patellar tendon a week later.

In New England, the Patriots cornerbacks didn’t fall off much, if at all. Jonathan Jones shifted outside and played admirably, while rookies Jack Jones and Marcus Jones both excelled during their first seasons in Foxborough.

Jackson’s Chargers will visit Gillette Stadium on December 3. For a detailed analysis of the Patriots’ schedule, click here.