After his 2021 Week 1 injury ended up sidelining him for the remainder of the season, more questions arose about Mekhi Becton’s weight and motivation level.
Many analysts and fans have openly criticized the New York Jets 2020 first-round pick for not fighting his way back onto the field, as athletes commonly do in the modern era. If anything, his recovery seemed prolonged and delayed but without all the behind-the-scenes information, it’s hard to know exactly what happened with Becton in year two.
All we know for sure is the obvious, year three will be crucial for the offensive tackle prospect. The positive? Becton seems to understand that better than anyone.
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Becton Is ‘Keeping the Receipts’
On March 1, the Jets big man blew up on social media for a number of reasons. The first was a quiet but strong message for NFL analyst Jason La Canfora on his Instagram story.
A fan shared it on Twitter, writing: “Mekhi reposting this on his IG… Man is keepin the receipts for when he makes his comeback.”
Mekhi reposting this on his IG 👀
Man is keepin the receipts for when he makes his comeback 🛫 #Jets
The post was a CBS sports graphic from La Canfora that noted “critical moves each [AFC East] team should make.” For the Jets, there was a picture of Becton, captioned: “Prepare as if Mekhi Becton is not the answer at left tackle.”
This comes after head coach Robert Saleh practically confirmed there will be an open competition at the position in 2022.
That wasn’t the only thing Becton posted on his Instagram story though, adding a string of videos from a recent workout with famed O-line trainer Duke Manyweather. Each one was captioned with a different ‘motivational’ word — “Bust, Overweight, Lazy, Fat, Not Working.”
#Jets OT Mekhi Becton shared videos of him working out with @BigDuke50 on IG. Adds the captions “Bust, Overweight, Lazy, Fat, Not Working.” @BigTicket73 seems motivated.
uSTADIUM reposted the videos of Becton giving his all in the weight room on Twitter.
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Workouts Only Go so Far
This is definitely a step in the right direction for Becton but most fans only care about what happens on the field. The O-tackle must take all this extra self-belief and hard work and transform it into something tangible — a healthy season as an impact blocker.
If he can do that in 2022, maybe he can finally put all the talk and rumors to rest.
Manyweather made it a point to quote tweet a share from Cali Jets that read: “Here we go folks, Mekhi Becton is back working with Duke Manyweather.”
The trainer replied: “He never stopped…”
Becton isn’t shy about speaking his mind on social media. He has not been a fan of critics early in his career and the first-round talent has been both blunt and subliminal in portraying that to any and all doubters.
This time feels different. Becton is using that anger and operating in silence, feeding off it as he works to prove naysayers wrong.
It’s easy to forget that the mammoth of a man only turns 23 in April. Despite his size, he’s still just a kid and every young athlete learns what it takes to be a professional at a different pace.
Becton may finally be turning the corner that unlocks his true potential and if that occurs, it changes everything for this Jets offense going forward.
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Mekhi Becton’s Quiet Response at NFL Analyst Has Loud Results [WATCH]