Getty Former New York Jets wide receiver Mecole Hardman and current punter Thomas Morstead.
Former New York Jets wide receiver Mecole Hardman is making a lot of headlines around the league for his comments about his old team.
However, Thomas Morstead delivered a warning to anyone who might take Hardman’s comments to heart.
“Be careful getting information from disgruntled former employees. Getting beat out by a rookie free agent after being guaranteed millions of dollars is tough to deal with. Entitlement is a killer of opportunity. You have to earn it every year,” Morstead posted on X previously Twitter.
Be careful getting information from disgruntled former employees. Getting beat out by a rookie free agent after being guaranteed millions of dollars is tough to deal with. Entitlement is a killer of opportunity. You have to earn it every year.
Jets’ Joe Douglas Strongly Responds to Hardman
Hardman made a wide array of comments during his 78-minute-plus appearance on “The Pivot” podcast.
One of the ones making the most traction is Hardman seemingly admitting to illegally tampering with the Kansas City Chiefs before he became a member of the team.
“I was so checked out like it’s over I already talked with [Brett] Veach & Pat [Mahomes] like bro come get me boy. What are y’all doing? Who we talking about? Come get me,” Hardman explained.
Jets general manager Joe Douglas met with the media in Indianapolis and was asked about those comments from Hardman.
“I’ll just say those are comments that resonated with us,” Douglas said emphatically.
Rich Cimini of ESPN said “it’s unclear” if the team will pursue “tampering charges” against the Chiefs. However, I’ve heard that is something the team plans on exploring. Brian Costello of the New York Post told me on “The Boy Green Show” that the Jets “are not happy” with what Hardman said.
“According to NFL rules, teams aren’t permitted to have contact with another team’s players or coaches. That’s considered tampering and could result in the loss of draft picks,” Cimini explained.
Hardman Responds, Jets Teammates Make Indirect Accusation
In a since-deleted tweet, Hardman responded to Morstead’s post on social media.
“Disgruntled? Entitled? lol I fw you 5 but clearly you don’t know the whole story,” Hardman said.
The Hardman potential tampering charge seemed like the most potent thing on social media on Wednesday, February 28. However, something new rose to the surface following Hardman’s comments.
Jets tight end Kenny Yeboah tweeted that Hardman is “tripping out, he ain’t talk about his own work ethic and how the Georgia eagles got our game plan.”
@ShermsWrld @jets_rebellion He’s tripping out, he ain’t talk about his own work ethic and how the Georgia eagles got our game plan 🤔
Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner also posted something similar on social media, “We ain’t gon talk about how our offensive gameplan got leaked vs. the Eagles tho.” Gardner ended up deleting the tweet a short while later.
Deleted tweet from Sauce Gardner
Connor Hughes of SNY reacted to the series of social media activity, “That @iamSauceGardner tweet [is] more noteworthy than Morstead’s.”
That @iamSauceGardner tweet more noteworthy than Morstead’s. 👀
If the Eagles truly did have the Jets offensive game plan ahead of time it sure didn’t help. Gang Green ended up beating Philadelphia in Week 6, 20-14, in one of the biggest and most surprising upsets of the 2023 season.
Before that win, the Jets had never beaten the Eagles in franchise history. New York gave Philadelphia its first loss of the season in that game. The Eagles entered the contest at 5-0.
UPDATE
Hughes of SNY did some more digging and dropped a bombshell on social media:
“Yes, I’m told there was validated belief from the Jets that WR Mecole Hardman, frustrated by his lack-of-usage, leaked game plans to the opposite, as implied by several players (Sauce Gardner, Kenny Yeboah) today. Not just the Eagles game, but also the Chiefs. Ironically, the Eagles victory was arguably the best of the season for the Jets while Zach Wilson enjoyed the best game of his career against the Chiefs.”
Yes, I’m told there was validated belief from the #Jets that WR Mecole Hardman, frustrated by his lack-of usage, leaked game plans to the opposition, as implied by several players (Sauce Gardner, Kenny Yeboah) today.
Gardner also added one more hit on social media by responding, “lol” to an old tweet from Hardman in April of 2013.
Hardman’s old post said, “People say don’t snitch ? Ion see it like that . ! If your life on the line I’m telling on everybody .. !”