new york jets daily clips - national...
TRANSCRIPT
NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS
December 20, 2014
1 | P a g e
Table of Contents
ASSOCIATED PRESS ................................................................................................................................................ 2
Jets' Ryan on sense of humor: 'I'm not dead yet' (Dennis Waszak) .......................................................................... 2
Playing Patriots still special for Ryan, Jets (Dennis Waszak) ..................................................................................... 3
Jets' Rontez Miles has emergency surgery on leg (Dennis Waszak) ......................................................................... 5
NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Rex Ryan remains lighthearted despite his job situation (Jim Baumbach) ............................................................... 5
THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Jets Muhammad Wilkerson not giving up on the season (Jeff Roberts) ................................................................... 6
Jets notes: Rex Ryan said, 'I'm not dead yet.' (Jeff Roberts) ..................................................................................... 7
NJ ADVANCE MEDIA .............................................................................................................................................. 8
Jets safety Rontez Miles suffers season-ending shin injury two days after promotion from practice squad (Darryl Slater) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Even with his Jets at 3-11, Rex Ryan says, 'I'm not dead yet (Darryl Slater) ............................................................. 9
NFL Mock Draft 2015: Jets will pick Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, says Sports Illustrated (Darryl Slater) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Jets' Rex Ryan on relationship with Patriots' Bill Belichick: 'It's the opposite of what people think' (Dom Cosentino) ............................................................................................................................................................... 11
Jets' Michael Vick on Jameis Winston: 'The future of the NFL,' will be 'hard' for him to thrive in New York (Darryl Slater) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey receives modest fine for punching Jets' Geno Smith (Darryl Slater) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Why did Jets safety Rontez Miles need emergency leg surgery? (Darryl Slater) .................................................... 14
Why did Jets safety Rontez Miles need emergency leg surgery? (Darryl Slater) .................................................... 15
Jets' John Idzik has a supporter in Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider, per report (Dom Cosentino) ............................................................................................................................................................... 16
Jets' Muhammad Wilkerson (toe) has better chance of playing vs. New England Patriots, but will he? (Darryl Slater) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 17
NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 18
Deep-seated hate gives Jets chance to spoil Patriots’ season (Justin Terranova)................................................... 18
Jets, Harvin brace for the return of Revis Island (George Willis) ............................................................................. 19
Calvin Pace drools over great Brady, Patriots: ‘Tip your cap’ (Bart Hubbuch) ........................................................ 20
Rex Ryan now quoting Monty Python for self inspiration (Bart Hubbuch) ............................................................. 21
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 23
Rex Ryan stays positive despite uncertain future with NY Jets: ‘I’m not dead yet’ (Justin Tasch) ........................ 23
Daily Clips Cont.
2 | P a g e
Rex Ryan laughs at ex-NY Jets CB Josh Thomas' criticism of coaches (Justin Tasch) ............................................... 23
NEW YORK TIMES ................................................................................................................................................ 24
New England Patriots at New York Jets Preview (Benjamin Hoffman) ................................................................... 24
WALL STREET JOURNAL ....................................................................................................................................... 25
Patriots Game Is the Jets’ Super Bowl (Stu Woo) .................................................................................................... 25
ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 26
Belichick's exit? Jets' worst day, ever (Ian O’Conner) ............................................................................................. 26
THURSDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS .................................................................................................................. 28
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jets' Ryan on sense of humor: 'I'm not dead yet' (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press December 20, 2014
http://pro32.ap.org/article/jets-ryan-sense-humor-im-not-dead-yet
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Rex Ryan's sense of humor is still going strong.
Despite a 3-11 record and facing an uncertain future, the New York Jets coach has kept the one-liners and self-deprecating jokes coming. He refuses to pout, even if Sunday's game against the New England Patriots might be his last at home with the team.
"I'm just going to be myself," he said Friday. "I'm not dead yet. I'm always going to be me and that's just my personality. That's just who I am every day. Regardless of the good times, the bad times, or whatever, I think I'm consistent that way."
Ryan has been in relatively good spirits this week, cracking jokes about himself, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. That's all while possibly facing his final days with a franchise he's led for the last six seasons.
"No, I haven't thought about that at all," Ryan said. "I thought you were going to ask me what I thought of Belichick."
Ryan famously declared soon after he was hired by the Jets in 2009 that he didn't come to New York to kiss the Patriots coach's rings. Under Ryan, the Jets are 4-8 against Belichick, including a playoff victory during the 2010 season, but the Patriots have won the AFC East title every year during that span.
So, for Ryan, mission not accomplished. But just because he has tried — and mostly failed — to beat Belichick, that doesn't mean he dislikes the Patriots coach.
"I probably think he's a lot better coach than he thinks I am, I think that's safe to say," a smiling Ryan said. "We'd like everybody to think that we don't like each other, but that's not the facts. He's not somebody that you can hang out with or something like that, at least I don't. We're cordial. Anytime we see each other off the field or we talk to each other, it's just the opposite of what people think."
Ryan is nowhere near the brash, no-holds-barred guy whose daily press conferences were filled with bold statements and wild guarantees. He toned that down a bit in the last few years when he learned that it was negatively affecting his players. But Ryan has managed to be loose during tense times, particularly this season.
His players noticed that effort, and it's endeared him over the years.
Daily Clips Cont.
3 | P a g e
"Man, he's the ultimate players' coach," said wide receiver Percy Harvin, who joined the Jets in a trade in October. "He's always going to go to bat for you and he always has your back. He keeps it real. If you ask him a question, he's going to give you the answer. If he don't have it, he's going to find a resource to get it for you."
Harvin said he "definitely" thinks Jets players could appeal to owner Woody Johnson and the front office to keep Ryan beyond this season.
"But I don't even think that's necessary," said Harvin, adding he could have called it a season two weeks ago instead of aggressively working back from a severely sprained ankle. Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is also trying to get back on the field after missing three games with turf toe.
"Guys will run through the wall for Rex," Harvin said. "When you've got a players' coach, and do things the way he does it, your team is going to be all in."
And, if this is Ryan's last home game with the Jets, beating the Patriots would be a satisfying ending for the players and coach.
"Definitely," linebacker Calvin Pace said. "Best way to go out — if that's the case."
NOTES: Ryan said claims by former CB Josh Thomas, now with Detroit, that he didn't receive enough coaching while with the Jets were "humorous." Thomas was waived Tuesday after limited action. "I never heard it ever in my life," Ryan said. "I've been coaching a long time, and not just about me or anybody else. That's a new one." ... Pace on the Jets' showdowns with the Patriots in the seven years he's been with New York: "It's been a pleasure to play against them, man. I think they bring the best out of us, and I'd like to think they'd say the same thing."
Back_to_Top
Playing Patriots still special for Ryan, Jets (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press December 20, 2014
http://pro32.ap.org/article/playing-patriots-still-special-ryan-jets
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Rex Ryan still isn't backing down.
Sure, his future with the New York Jets appears dim. But the coach is conceding nothing, and that means he has every intention of beating the New England Patriots on Sunday.
And, no, he wouldn't take back his statement shortly after he was hired in 2009 that he didn't come to New York to kiss Bill Belichick's rings.
"Oh, hell no, because I never came here to do that," Ryan said. "I came here to kick his butt."
That hasn't exactly been the case, though, with the Patriots winning eight of the 12 meetings between the teams since Ryan was hired — including six of the past seven.
"Obviously, I haven't been very successful at it, but that list is long," Ryan said. "I'm not just the only name on that list. I might be the only one that had the guts to say something about it, but that's how I am. That's how I feel this week, too. No different than any other time I've been here."
The Jets (3-11) are struggling through a miserable season, one that very well could cost Ryan and general manager John Idzik their jobs. The showdown Sunday at MetLife Stadium could mark Ryan's last home game as the Jets' coach, and it seems somewhat fitting that it comes against the rival Patriots (11-3).
Daily Clips Cont.
4 | P a g e
"I can sit back and say, 'Well, it's not (special). It's just another opponent," Ryan said. "But, no, it is because obviously, they've won six division championships in a row, so that's the one to beat. I don't care what our record is now. ... Believe me, they're not looking at us as a 3-11 team, I can promise you."
The Jets nearly pulled off an upset victory at New England in October, but Chris Jones blocked Nick Folk's 58-yard field goal attempt on the last play to preserve a 27-25 win for the Patriots.
"It's a great rivalry," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said. "We've always had some pretty interesting games against them. A lot of them have come down to the wire, especially recently."
Here are a few things to know about the Jets' home finale against the Patriots:
PLAYOFF PICTURE: The Patriots wrapped up their 11th division title in 12 years last week, but still have lots to play for.
New England can clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs with a victory over the Jets, who are looking for their first winning streak of the season. The Patriots can also clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win and if Denver loses to Cincinnati.
REVIS' RETURN: Darrelle Revis used to call the Meadowlands home. Now, he's the enemy.
The star cornerback is playing against the Jets in New Jersey for the first time as a member of the Patriots, the team he learned to despise during his first six NFL seasons with New York. He returned last year, but as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This homecoming will likely be a bit different considering the uniform he now wears.
"I really haven't been paying attention to those guys," Revis insisted. "We have things that we have to focus on here and that's all I've been trying to do."
FRUSTRATED FANS: Jets fans disappointed with their team's dire situation are expected to make their presence seen — with yellow "penalty flags" aimed at the front office.
One fan site has been distributing about 10,000 yellow towels at area bars for fans to bring to the home finale, urging owner Woody Johnson to fire Idzik, along with team president Neil Glat and senior personnel executive Terry Bradway. A banner-toting plane reminding people of the "penalty flag day" circled above the practice field at the Jets' facility in Florham Park, New Jersey, for several minutes Wednesday.
BRADY'S DOMINANCE: The last guy the Jets probably want to see is Brady, who seems to have their number.
The Patriots quarterback holds a 19-5 regular-season record — 20-6 overall — as a starter against New York. In his past six games facing the Jets, Brady has thrown 12 touchdown passes and just one interception. His only loss to New York in that span came in October 2013, when he threw that one pick in a 30-27 overtime defeat at MetLife Stadium.
"It's a good challenge for us," Brady said. "We lost going into the Meadowlands last year, so we're anticipating getting their best game."
FLAG FOOTBALL: The Patriots already have exceeded their output from all of last season in one category. Their 110 penalties are 35 more than they were assessed in 2013 and are fifth-most in the NFL this season.
Part of that is the officials' increased emphasis on defensive holding and pass interference.
"It has to stop," special teams captain Matthew Slater said. "At some point, it's going to come back to bite us if we don't start playing with a little more discipline."
Back_to_Top
Daily Clips Cont.
5 | P a g e
Jets' Rontez Miles has emergency surgery on leg (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press December 19, 2014
http://pro32.ap.org/article/jets-rontez-miles-has-emergency-surgery-leg
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets backup safety Rontez Miles had emergency leg surgery Thursday night after he was injured in practice.
The team confirmed Friday that Miles, promoted from the practice squad this week, injured his right shin area when he got tangled with a teammate. Coach Rex Ryan says it appeared to be just a bruise, but team doctors determined it was more serious as the pain increased throughout the day.
Neither Ryan nor the Jets could immediately confirm the exact nature of the injury, but the coach said the pressure in Miles' leg "kept getting worse and worse and worse." His symptoms appear similar to compartment syndrome, which usually results from bleeding or swelling after an injury and causes pressure in the injured area and impedes blood flow.
Back_to_Top
NEWSDAY
Rex Ryan remains lighthearted despite his job situation (Jim Baumbach) Newsday December 20, 2014
http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/rex-ryan-won-t-change-ways-despite-his-job-situation-with-jets-1.9732927
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Rex Ryan insists the uncertainty regarding whether Sunday's game against the Patriots represents his final home game as coach of the Jets is not on his mind.
"No, I haven't thought about that at all," he said Friday.
Instead, the Jets' sixth-year coach said he's trying to do what he's always done best -- keep the atmosphere as light and collegial as possible.
There obviously is no playbook for an NFL coach on how to handle oneself at a time like this. The Jets have been out of the playoff hunt for months, and it feels -- at least to people outside of the Jets' offices -- as if Ryan's fate has been all but determined for quite a while, too.
Already this week, former Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis -- a Ryan favorite -- called it "kind of sad for the position that Rex is in right now."
And Friday, longtime Jets linebacker Calvin Pace, whose days with the Jets predate Ryan's, said he thinks it will be "emotional," at least at the start of the Patriots game, because of Ryan's precarious status.
But Ryan has not let his uncertain status affect his folksy public persona.
Asked Friday how he's been able to keep a lighthearted mentality throughout this mess of a season, Ryan said: "I'm just going to be myself. I'm not dead yet. I'm always going to be me and that's just my personality. That's just who I am every day."
Ryan even got a good laugh Friday during his post-practice news conference when he responded to some criticism lobbed his way by one of his former players. Cornerback Josh Thomas, whom the Jets cut earlier this week a day after he lost his playbook, signed with the Lions and told Detroit reporters that he "wasn't
Daily Clips Cont.
6 | P a g e
getting the attention necessary" from Jets coaches. He added, "It became where I was there as a player and wanting and desiring some feedback that wasn't given."
Ryan didn't need to have those words relayed to him. When they were brought up, he looked down but couldn't hold back his smile. When he looked up, he threw his arms up and laughed.
"Obviously the young man has a right to his opinion and things, but that's funny," Ryan said. "I've never heard it ever in my life and I've been coaching a long time -- not about me or anybody else. That's a new one."
If this is Ryan's final home game with the Jets, it's almost fitting that it comes against the Patriots, continuing a rivalry Ryan always enjoyed stoking with public barbs. But on Friday he kept the jokes at his own expense.
Asked about his relationship with Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Ryan said, "I probably think he's a lot better coach than he thinks I am, I think it's safe to say."
Notes & quotes: Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (left big toe) is questionable and expects it to be a game-time decision. "It still hurts," he said. "I mean, it's getting a little better each and every day, but it's still bothering me on the field." . . . Ryan said safety Rontez Miles had emergency surgery Thursday night after suffering what appeared to be a bruised shin in practice . . . Willie Colon was fined $8,268 for his involvement in last week's brawl in Nashville.
Back_to_Top
THE RECORD
Jets Muhammad Wilkerson not giving up on the season (Jeff Roberts) The Record December 20, 2014
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets/wilkerson-won-t-give-up-on-season-1.1173042
FLORHAM PARK — The words came out in a series of soft, clipped grunts.
Muhammad Wilkerson was short on complete sentences and even shorter on insight Friday as he sat at his locker, his back facing reporters. The tone of his voice — even, but terse — gave the not-so-subtle hint of continued frustration.
The defensive lineman is tired of talking about his injured left big toe. He's tired of talking about when, or even if, he will return this season, sidelined the past three games with turf toe.
Wilkerson is questionable for Sunday when the Jets host the playoff-bound New England Patriots at MetLife as the two bitter rivals again are headed in different directions.
Discomfort continues to linger for Wilkerson, despite trying a second specialized cleat.
The pain simply won't go away.
"It still hurts," said Wilkerson, who again was limited in practice. "I mean it's getting a little better each and every day. But it's still bothering me out there on the field."
The new shoe hasn't helped as much as you hoped?
"Ah, no."
This is not how the season was supposed to end.
Daily Clips Cont.
7 | P a g e
Wilkerson, 25, will complete his rookie contract next season (the Jets picked up his fifth-year option in the spring, guaranteeing him $6.96 million in 2015). He is coming off a 2013 season in which he established himself as one of the league's best defensive linemen (a career-high 10 1/2 sacks, two forced fumbles and 63 tackles).
Pro Football Focus, an analytic website, rated him as the NFL's second-best 3-4 defensive lineman in 2012 behind J.J. Watt. Last season, it ranked him No. 8.
But this year could end with him missing the final five games; the dismissal of Rex Ryan, the only coach he has played for as a pro; and more upheaval as he seeks a long-term deal (the Jets could slap the franchise tag on him for 2016).
Wilkerson does not want to be a 6-foot-4, 315-pound man undone by a sore big toe on a team limping to the finish of an 11-, 12- or 13-loss season.
He will test it before Sunday's game and find out himself if he can play.
"I have no idea. We'll see," Wilkerson said. "If I can go, then I'll go. If I can't, then I can't go."
It would have been easy for him to pack it in and shut himself down for the season.
But because doctors told Wilkerson he cannot do further damage, he continues to push, even with only two games remaining in a lost season.
"I'm the type of person that I don't like being in the training room, so I try to get back out there on the field," he said.
That quiet determination has only earned him more respect in the locker room.
"He easily could have hung it up with a severe turf toe," said Percy Harvin, himself limited by a sprained ankle. "He's trying to get back to action."
Back_to_Top
Jets notes: Rex Ryan said, 'I'm not dead yet.' (Jeff Roberts) The Record December 20, 2014
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets/jets-notes-rex-ryan-said-i-m-not-dead-yet-1.1173022
Not dead yet’
Even with a 3-11 record and his dismissal widely expected at the end of the season, Rex Ryan will not lose his sense of humor.
"I’m just going to be myself. I’m not dead yet," Ryan said. "I’m always going to be me. That’s just my personality. Regardless of the good times, the bad times, I think I’m consistent that way."
The potential final home game in Ryan’s six-year tenure could come Sunday, as could his last meeting with Bill Belichick and the Patriots.
"I haven’t thought about that at all," he said, before cracking a joke about being asked about his relationship with Belichick twice by reporters.
Emergency surgery
S Rontez Miles, who was promoted to the active roster from the practice squad this week, is out after undergoing emergency surgery Thursday night on his lower leg. Miles was inadvertently kicked in the shin
Daily Clips Cont.
8 | P a g e
during Thursday’s practice, and pressure continued to build as the day went on. He could miss the final two games.
"I was shocked by it. It just sounded like a bruise, but apparently the pressure in it just kept getting worse and worse and worse," said Ryan.
Harvin healing
WR Percy Harvin’s third-degree ankle sprain left him so sore last week before the flight to Tennessee that RT Breno Giacomini had to carry him up the stairs of the plane.
"I had to jump on big Breno’s back. He carried me up there," Harvin said with a smile.
Harvin is "feeling a whole lot better" and is listed as probable despite playing a limited role in the victory over the Titans. He expects to be covered by former Jets All-Pro Darrelle Revis.
WR Saalim Hakim (quadriceps) and S Jaiquawn Jarrett (shoulder) are questionable.
Briefs
Ryan called former CB Josh Thomas’ contention that the Jets coaching staff did not adequately instruct him "kind of humorous to be honest with you. I don’t know how to react to that."
The Lions claimed Thomas off waivers on Wednesday, one day after the Jets cut him.
RG Willie Colon was fined $8,268 for unnecessary roughness for his role in Sunday’s brawl in Tennessee.
Back_to_Top
NJ ADVANCE MEDIA
Jets safety Rontez Miles suffers season-ending shin injury two days after promotion from practice squad (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media December 19, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/jets_safety_rontez_miles_just_promoted_to_active_roster_now_out_for_year_with_injury.html
Just two days after he was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, Jets safety Rontez Miles saw his season end at Thursday's practice.
Miles sustained an unspecified injury that will require surgery, and he will miss the rest of the season, he wrote on his Facebook page.
The announcement came as a surprise. Jets coach Rex Ryan had not mentioned Miles on Thurdsay among the players who were limited by injuries at practice.
The Jets clarified Friday morning that Miles injured his shin area.
Miles, a 2013 undrafted free agent, spent almost all of last season on the practice squad. He had spent all of this season on the practice squad. He was set to make his 2014 debut in Sunday's home game against the Patriots, and Ryan said Miles might even see action on defense, in addition to special teams.
Last season, Miles played in one game, against the Saints. He received 15 snaps, all on special teams.
So the timing of his injury is pretty horrible for him. This is what he wrote about it on his Facebook page Thursday night:
Daily Clips Cont.
9 | P a g e
Gods plan is Gods plan and I would be a fool to forsaken him!! Today at practice I got hurt and will miss the rest of the season!! I'm very upset and hurt!! But I believe Gods plan and he will place me back to where i was before the injury!! Just want to thank my family and friend for the support! And my FANS sorry I let y'all down guys ! Gods my witness ima come back stronger and faster and make up for the lost time !!!! Much love y'all surgery went well #freedom #ganggreen
Miles was promoted to the active roster Tuesday, as the Jets released cornerback Josh Thomas, whose playbook was stolen.
Ryan said Thomas having his playbook stolen had nothing to do with the release, and that it had a lot to do with Miles's performance in practice.
"Last year, he did a great job on scout team," Ryan said of Miles. "Doing the same thing this year. We think we can use him as a special teams contributor and maybe give him a little role on defense as well. He's the guy that deserves it. Just the type of work ethic he has, I thought he really earned it. So when we made that decision, a lot of it was based on Rontez Miles."
Now that the Jets have a spot available on the active roster, don't expect them to turn back to Thomas. For one, the Lions scooped him up after the Jets cut him. And two, Thomas spent his first day with the Lions basically ripping the Jets' coaches, who he said never coached him.
Back_to_Top
Even with his Jets at 3-11, Rex Ryan says, 'I'm not dead yet (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media December 19, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/with_jets_at_3-11_rex_ryan_says_im_not_dead_yet.html
FLORHAM PARK -- If you've noticed one thing about Rex Ryan in recent weeks, it's that he doesn't sound or act like a coach whose team is 3-11, as his Jets are.
Ryan likely has just two games left in his six-year tenure as the Jets' coach -- Sunday at home against the Patriots, and then a trip to Miami.
Even as the Jets' season has continued to spiral this month, Ryan maintained his usual jovial, loose disposition. This week, heading into a game he desperately wants to win, Ryan managed to crack jokes about Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
How has Ryan remained to stay so upbeat?
"I'm just going to be myself," Ryan said. "I'm not dead yet. But I'm always going to be me. That's just my personality. That's just who I am every day. Regardless of the good times, the bad times or whatever, I think I'm consistent that way."
About two months ago, Ryan used basically the same line to describe his team, which was 1-5 at the time, having lost five straight games.
"We might be counted out," Ryan said then. "We're not dead."
Of course, the Jets were never able to resurrect their season. After beating Oakland in the opener, they dropped eight straight games. Before last week's win at the Titans, the Jets had lost 11 of their previous 12 games.
And now, Ryan is inching closer to being fired. But you wouldn't know it by talking to him.
Back_to_Top
Daily Clips Cont.
10 | P a g e
NFL Mock Draft 2015: Jets will pick Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, says Sports Illustrated (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media December 19, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/nfl_mock_draft_2015_jets_projected_to_pick_florida_state_quarterback_jameis_winston_by_sports_illust.html
FLORHAM PARK -- The NFL season is winding down, which means mock draft season is getting into full swing.
We've already presented you with a few of these mock drafts. Back in October -- yes, October -- Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com projected the Jets would pick Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston. Then came the projection from Tony Pauline (of DraftInsider.net) that the Jets would opt for Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper.
This week, ESPN's Todd McShay echoed Pauline's projection of Cooper to the Jets. Earlier this month, Brugler changed course and went with Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory for the Jets' first-round selection. Brugler then put out another mock draft, more recently this month, and stuck with Gregory to the Jets.
Got all that? Good, because it's only going to change a couple dozen times before the actual draft, April 30 to May 2 in Chicago.
Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke chimed in with his own mock draft Thursday, and once again, Winston goes to the Jets. Burke based his projections on the current draft order, which will change.
Here's how he projected the top six picks in the draft:
1. Tampa Bay: QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon
2. Tennessee: DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska
3. Jacksonville: DT Leonard Williams, Southern California
4. Oakland: WR Amari Cooper, Alabama
5. Washington: OT Brandon Scherff, Iowa
6. Jets: QB Jameis Winston, Florida State
And here's what Burke wrote about the pick:
The other shoe drops. There would be understandable angst among Jets fans with this one, given the apparent misfire on Geno Smith two years ago, coupled with Winston's infamous off-field antics. The talent is unmistakable, however, even if Winston will have to become a better decision-maker (an all-compassing critique). He could be the franchise quarterback the Jets have been seeking.
In his first projection, last month, Burke had the Jets picking second and selecting Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, who almost certainly will now be gone before the Jets pick.
The Jets have plenty of needs entering this offseason, and quarterback is chief among them. Unless, of course, you count their upcoming search for a new head coach or perhaps even a new general manager, too.
At this point, Winston and Mariota are not considered immediate-impact, franchise-changing quarterbacks. But that doesn't mean they can't develop into productive players.
Daily Clips Cont.
11 | P a g e
One talent evaluator, former NFL personnel executive Greg Gabriel, is particularly down on Winston, saying in a critical scouting report that he wouldn't draft Winston in any round.
The Jets are currently behind three potentially quarterback-needy teams in the draft order: Tampa Bay, Tennessee and Washington. But Burke projects that only Tampa Bay will pick a quarterback, Mariota, leaving Winston available for the Jets at No. 6. If the Jets lose to the Patriots on Sunday, they will lock themselves in for a top-six pick. But they have pretty much zero shot at climbing all the way to No. 1.
There are a lot of what-ifs here, especially since the Jets might be overhauling their entire front office, along with their coaching staff. But it has been clear since midseason that the Jets would have to consider replacing Smith this offseason. And the upcoming free agent quarterback market is looking weak.
Let's go ahead and assume the Jets do pick Winston. As Burke mentioned, this is a risky pick, because of Winston's history of making terrible off-field decisions. Beyond the absurd stuff, like yelling an obscene phrase in public and stealing crab legs, there is the very serious rape allegation against Winston. He was never charged, but authorities in Tallahassee, Fla., are widely considered to have botched the investigation.
How would Winston fare in New York? Do the Jets want to a draft a quarterback badly enough to potentially find out the hard way?
What do you think, folks? Leave your thoughts in the comments section down below.
Back_to_Top
Jets' Rex Ryan on relationship with Patriots' Bill Belichick: 'It's the opposite of what people think' (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media December 19, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/rex_ryan_on_relationship_with_bill_belichick_i_think_its_the_opposite_of_what_people_think.html
FLORHAM PARK — The last Jets-Patriots game with Rex Ryan squaring off against Bill Belichick is likely going to be Sunday, so it's natural to wonder what the dynamic between the rival head coaches is really like.
It's easy to have the impression that both men are icy toward each another, that the rivalry between the two teams is maybe best exemplified by Ryan's bombast and Belichick's icy reticence, a contrast that makes it difficult to imagine the two of them shooting the breeze while seated on adjacent bar stools.
And while Ryan and Belichick aren't close enough to go grab a beer with each other, Ryan said they do get along and that there is a mutual respect.
"We like everybody to think that we don't like each other, but that's not the facts," Ryan said Friday. "He's not somebody that you hang out with or something like that—at least I don't. But we're cordial and things.
"Anytime we see each other off the field, we talk to each other. It's just the opposite of what people think."
New York Jets coach Rex Ryan famously said before his first year with the team, "I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick's rings." As the Jets and Patriots prepare to play each other this Sunday, Ryan still feels the same way, saying, "I came here to kick his butt." (Video by John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
When he was hired in 2009, Ryan did make a point of publicly targeting Belichick, who had already won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, as who the Jets planned to beat. It hasn't quite worked out that way,
Daily Clips Cont.
12 | P a g e
of course: The Jets did win the one playoff matchup between the teams during Ryan's tenure, but the Jets since then have beaten the Pats just once and failed to make the playoffs at all.
Ryan is highly likely to get fired once the season concludes one week from Sunday. Belichick and the Patriots, meanwhile, are their usual playoff-bound (if not also Super Bowl-bound) selves.
Ryan noted that he's known Belichick for a lot longer than they've been matched up as rivals via Jets-Pats. Ryan's brother, Rob, the Saints' defensive coordinator, served as Belichick's linebackers coach with the Pats from 2000-03, and the pair won two Super Bowls together.
"I have a good relationship with him," Ryan said of Belichick. "Like I said, we're cordial. We're not best buddies. And if we see each other it's not like we avoid each other."
Back_to_Top
Jets' Michael Vick on Jameis Winston: 'The future of the NFL,' will be 'hard' for him to thrive in New York (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media December 19, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/jets_michael_vick_says_jameis_winston_is_the_future_of_the_nfl_but_will_find_it_hard_to_thrive_in_ne.html
FLORHAM PARK -- Back in 2001, when the Falcons drafted a 20-year-old dual-threat quarterback from Virginia Tech named Michael Vick first overall, many considered him a player who could change the face of professional football.
To a degree, Vick did. Now, Vick is 34 and in the twilight of his career with the Jets. As next spring's draft nears, Vick sees another player as "the future of the NFL" -- Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who might wind up with the Jets next season.
But Vick admitted it will be "hard" for Winston to thrive in New York, especially if he is surrounded by other young players.
"I think he's a great player," Vick said Friday in the Jets' locker room. "I've been around so long, I appreciate guys coming out of college. I look forward to watching him. I have high expectations for him. I think he, over time, has made some poor decisions. Have I been there to know exactly what happened? No.
"But I do know one thing: He may make some poor decisions, but he gets on that football field and he plays his ass off. Yeah, he can mature. He'll mature. I see him maturing as time goes on. Like, this year hasn't been as bad of a year as the first year was for Jameis. I think the kid will continue to improve. I think he's the future of the NFL."
Like Vick, Winston is expected to turn pro early, after playing just two college seasons, plus a redshirt year as a freshman. Like Vick, Winston would enter the NFL as a very young man. He turns 21 in January. Like Vick did later in his career, Winston will face significant scrutiny and criticism because of his poor off-field decisions. And like Vick, Winston could find himself facing that scrutiny in a major media market.
Their paths aren't exactly the same. Vick was 29 when he landed with the Eagles (and then resurrected his career and life) after going to federal prison for running a dog-fighting ring. Winston has been accused of rape, but never charged, in what is widely considered a seriously flawed investigation. If Winston winds up in a big market like New York, he will do so as a much younger player than Vick was in Philadelphia.
Vick thinks it would be difficult, but not impossible, for Winston to succeed in a big market.
Daily Clips Cont.
13 | P a g e
"I think it's hard," Vick said. "I think his support cast just has to be around him. You can't put him in a room with a group of young guys."
As Vick said this, he gestured his hands out toward the Jets' locker room.
"The more veterans around, the more he'll pick up on things and he'll mature quickly," Vick continued. "That's the trend I've been around since I've been in the league."
So does Vick believe, based on his gesture, that the Jets' locker room is too young, with not enough veteran players to support a young talent like Winston who needs guidance?
"I don't think it's too young," Vick said. "It's just (that) some young guys have got to step up, like anywhere, not here just in particular. Young guys evolve into leaders. The young guys on the team are the future leaders of the team. So all the leaders on the team, (young players) should vicariously learn and watch them and pick up on any type of vibe that they give off, so that the team can be better."
Vick emphasized that Winston will need "veterans around him, guys who are going to take him under their wing, make sure he's doing things accordingly, the way he's supposed to, supporting him on the field and off the field. Teamwork, that's what he needs. And that's any guy."
Winston has claimed innocence on the rape allegations, but he has acknowledged other less serious, but nonetheless idiotic mistakes, including publicly shouting an obscene phrase and stealing crab legs from a grocery store.
Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota are regarded as the two best quarterback prospects available for the 2015 draft, but most observers believe Mariota will be picked higher. Sports Illustrated projects the Jets to draft Winston sixth overall.
Veteran Jets players have recently chafed at the notion that one quarterback draft pick, such as Winston or Mariota, would immediately change a franchise's fortunes. Indeed, the Jets have plenty of other pressing needs, besides quarterback, as they enter this offseason.
But as someone who helped turn the Falcons from a 4-12 team in 2000 into a 9-6-1 playoff team in 2002 and an 11-5 squad that made the NFC Championship Game in 2004, does Vick think a quarterback drafted high could transform an organization by himself?
"I don't know how," he said.
Without the right amount of support, neither Winston nor Mariota will thrive, Vick said.
"A quarterback needs players around him," he said. "I don't care who he is. That's it, man. You need an offense, you need a defense, you need special teams, and you need good coaching. Other than that, guys won't succeed. Mariota is going to need an offense, a defense and good coaching, and a good line. Every time I've ever succeeded, we had a great offense that had talent around me. We had a good defense. And we had good coaching.
"If he ain't got guys blocking for him, then he ain't going to succeed. If he ain't got guys catching the ball, he ain't going to succeed. If the defense can't stop nobody, then there's pressure on him to score, (on) the whole offense. This is the total team game. There's no other game like the NFL. One quarterback can't do it. One receiver can't do it all. And it's been proven year after year after year."
Back_to_Top
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey receives modest fine for punching Jets' Geno Smith (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media
Daily Clips Cont.
14 | P a g e
December 19, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/tennessee_titans_defensive_tackle_jurrell_casey_receives_modest_fine_for_punching_jets_geno_smith.html
FLORHAM PARK -- The NFL fined Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey and Jets right guard Willie Colon the same amount for their roles in a brawl during last Sunday's game.
Casey, who started the melee when he punched Jets quarterback Geno Smith in the helmet, was fined $8,268 for unnecessary roughness, because he unnecessarily struck an opponent after the play was over. Smith had been trash talking with Casey and Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard before Casey hit him.
Colon, who sprung to Smith's defense and pulled off Casey's helmet, was also fined $8,268 for unnecessary roughness, because he grabbed an opponent by the face mask after the play was over. Colon also grabbed safety George Wilson by the helmet and threw him to the ground.
Jets center Nick Mangold and right tackle Breno Giacomini were also involved in the skirmish, to lesser degrees than Colon. But nobody else besides Casey and Colon was fined by the NFL for involvement in the brawl. Casey also punched Giacomini in the helmet during the dust-up.
Casey and Colon were fortunate they did not get fined for fighting. It is the most costly violation on the NFL's fine schedule -- $27,562 for the first offense, $55,125 for the second.
Colon said Thursday he was fined for his role in the Jets-Titans brawl, but declined to specify the amount. He said he wouldn't take back what he did.
This fine pales in comparison to the $35,000 Colon was fined last year, for throwing a punch and (more seriously) making contact with an official during a melee in a Jets game at the Patriots, who the Jets host on Sunday. During this year's preseason, Colon was fined $8,268 for a late hit on Bengals cornerback Terence Newman during a skirmish.
In the fourth quarter of Jets-Titans, Woodyard drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag after he jawed at Jets receiver Eric Decker on the sideline. The two players were teammates in Denver last season. Woodyard was not fined for this penalty.
Back_to_Top
Why did Jets safety Rontez Miles need emergency leg surgery? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media December 19, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/what_happened_that_led_to_emergency_leg_surgery_for_jets_safety_rontez_miles.html
FLORHAM PARK -- Jets coach Rex Ryan didn't think it was a big deal. Safety Rontez Miles, who had been promoted from the practice squad two days earlier, got kicked in the leg at Thursday's practice. This sort of stuff happens all the time.
But later Thursday, around 8 p.m., Ryan received a phone call. Miles' lower leg, around his shin, had significantly swelled. Miles needed emergency surgery to relieve the pressure.
And now, he won't make his 2014 debut in Sunday's game against the Patriots. He might not play for the rest of the season, since the Jets have just one game left after Sunday. But Ryan on Friday would not officially rule Miles out for the season finale at Miami.
Miles, at least, believes his season is done. He wrote as much on his Facebook page Thursday night, as he announced his surgery, though he did not specify what happened to him.
Daily Clips Cont.
15 | P a g e
This is terrible timing for Miles, who went undrafted in 2013 and spent almost all of last season, and then all of this season, on the Jets' practice squad. He played in one game last year, getting just 15 snaps, all on special teams. Ryan had talked about perhaps giving Miles some defensive snaps against New England.
Ryan was surprised by how quickly Miles' situation progressed from a simple accidental kicking incident in practice to potentially season-ending surgery.
"At the time, I never even thought it was really anything," Ryan said. "It's unfortunate. I was shocked by it. It just sounded like a bruise or whatever, but apparently the pressure in it, it just kept getting worse and worse and worse. And at that time, you have to have emergency surgery. I understand the pressure in it or whatever was so great that they had to go in and relieve it."
Ryan said that if Miles had waited longer to have surgery, "they would've had to slice that whole leg open and they would've had dead muscles and things like that, is what was explained to me."
Ryan said Miles did not have a blood clot. It sounds like Miles had compartment syndrome, but Ryan said he wasn't sure about the specific nature of the medical condition. Ryan said Miles underwent surgery "shortly after" the coach received the phone call at 8 p.m. Thursday about Miles' situation.
Ryan said the Jets' medical staff pays close attention when players sustain bruises at practice, because of the pressure that can build up afterward.
"Their biggest fear with any kind of bruise, or something like that, is that something like this could happen, so they're very observant of it," Ryan said. "And as he had treatment after (practice), it never got better. It was getting worse, and so they took him over to the hospital or to the docs. That's when it was decided he needed the surgery."
Back_to_Top
Why did Jets safety Rontez Miles need emergency leg surgery? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media December 20, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/what_happened_that_led_to_emergency_leg_surgery_for_jets_safety_rontez_miles.html
FLORHAM PARK -- Jets coach Rex Ryan didn't think it was a big deal. Safety Rontez Miles, who had been promoted from the practice squad two days earlier, got kicked in the leg at Thursday's practice. This sort of stuff happens all the time.
But later Thursday, around 8 p.m., Ryan received a phone call. Miles' lower leg, around his shin, had significantly swelled. Miles needed emergency surgery to relieve the pressure.
And now, he won't make his 2014 debut in Sunday's game against the Patriots. He might not play for the rest of the season, since the Jets have just one game left after Sunday. But Ryan on Friday would not officially rule Miles out for the season finale at Miami.
Miles, at least, believes his season is done. He wrote as much on his Facebook page Thursday night, as he announced his surgery, though he did not specify what happened to him.
This is terrible timing for Miles, who went undrafted in 2013 and spent almost all of last season, and then all of this season, on the Jets' practice squad. He played in one game last year, getting just 15 snaps, all on special teams. Ryan had talked about perhaps giving Miles some defensive snaps against New England.
Ryan was surprised by how quickly Miles' situation progressed from a simple accidental kicking incident in practice to potentially season-ending surgery.
Daily Clips Cont.
16 | P a g e
"At the time, I never even thought it was really anything," Ryan said. "It's unfortunate. I was shocked by it. It just sounded like a bruise or whatever, but apparently the pressure in it, it just kept getting worse and worse and worse. And at that time, you have to have emergency surgery. I understand the pressure in it or whatever was so great that they had to go in and relieve it."
Ryan said that if Miles had waited longer to have surgery, "they would've had to slice that whole leg open and they would've had dead muscles and things like that, is what was explained to me."
Ryan said Miles did not have a blood clot. It sounds like Miles had compartment syndrome, but Ryan said he wasn't sure about the specific nature of the medical condition. Ryan said Miles underwent surgery "shortly after" the coach received the phone call at 8 p.m. Thursday about Miles' situation.
Ryan said the Jets' medical staff pays close attention when players sustain bruises at practice, because of the pressure that can build up afterward.
"Their biggest fear with any kind of bruise, or something like that, is that something like this could happen, so they're very observant of it," Ryan said. "And as he had treatment after (practice), it never got better. It was getting worse, and so they took him over to the hospital or to the docs. That's when it was decided he needed the surgery."
Back_to_Top
Jets' John Idzik has a supporter in Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider, per report (Dom Cosentino) Nj Advanced Media December 20, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/jets_john_idzik_has_a_supporter_in_seattle_seahawks_general_manager_john_schneider_per_report.html
FLORHAM PARK — Not everyone wants to see general manager John Idzik get the boot from his job with the Jets after this season. John Schneider, the Seahawks' general manager, went to bat for Idzik in an interview with Newsday's Bob Glauber.
With the Jets mired in miserable season that's two games away from its merciful conclusion, Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan are both on the hot seat. But Schneider, who worked with Idzik for three years in Seattle, think Idzik deserves more time than the two years he's had on the job with the Jets—in addition to the opportunity to hire his own head coach.
Here's what Schneider told Glauber:
"I think [Idzik] should be able to hire his own coach and see how it goes. He's steady, he's strong-minded, he's not a roller-coaster-ride guy. It's too bad there aren't more people like that, because you need core people in your building, and you need to have a consistent culture that you're building, instead of flipping cultures all the time."
The Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champs. And Glauber pointed out that Schneider's first two teams in Seattle went 7-9 before things improved. But one of those losing teams won a playoff game. And the Seahawks drafted well—so well they even hit it on the head when they selected quarterback Russell Wilson in the 2012 third round.
Idzik's drafts have been a mixed bag: He landed a stud defensive end in Sheldon Richardson last year, but quarterback Geno Smith has thus far failed to live up to the expectations that came with picking him in the second round. And while this year's draft class looks like a failure because only safety Calvin Pryor and
Daily Clips Cont.
17 | P a g e
tight end Jace Amaro have been impact players, eight of 12 draftees are still with the organization, so it's probably too soon to definitely judge the group as a whole.
But missing on Smith at quarterback and failing to land a suitable veteran cornerback last offseason have had a giant impact on the Jets' implosion this year. Those moves are Idzik's albatross. The Jets were clearly hoping Smith would develop and improve this year. And injuries that compounded the situation at cornerback left them constantly fending for a personnel solution with a variety of players.
Nonetheless, Schneider said, Idzik deserves more time. Also from his interview with Glauber:
"I feel like [Idzik] is going to do the right thing. It might not be sexy, it might not be overnight instant change, but I feel like you have to be able to build something. You have to have a strong core of people. You can see that happening [in Seattle] now . . . But it took a couple of years to get there."
After six years, Ryan's time looks like it's up. Idzik's only had a couple of years. It's now on owner Woody Johnson to determine whether Idzik deserves a couple more.
Back_to_Top
Jets' Muhammad Wilkerson (toe) has better chance of playing vs. New England Patriots, but will he? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media December 19, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/jets_injuries_new_england_patriots_muhammad_wilkerson_percy_harvin.html
FLORHAM PARK -- The Jets still aren't sure if they will have their best player, defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, for Sunday's game against the Patriots. But there is a better chance it will happen this week than in any of the past three weeks.
Wilkerson missed the past three games with a turf toe injury sustained Nov. 24 against the Bills in Detroit. He is listed as questionable for this week's home game against New England, after initially being listed as out, out and doubtful the past three weeks.
He was limited in practice every day this week. He returned to practice last week, and was limited on Thursday and Friday, after not practicing last Wednesday.
Wilkerson could be a game-time decision Sunday, but Jets coach Rex Ryan hopes Wilkerson can be cleared before that. Wilkerson said he expects to be a game-time decision.
Wilkerson said he participated "a little bit" during team periods in Friday's practice -- the same as he had the past two days. He said this minimal participation is what the Jets' trainers asked him to do, so he did it.
"It still hurts," he said of his left big toe.
He is now on his second specialized cleat, to guard against further injury to his toe, because he didn't find his first cleat comfortable. Wilkerson said the cleat has helped "a little bit," but not as much as he hoped.
"It's getting a little better each and every day, but it's still bothering me, though, out there on the field," Wilkerson said.
He said the Jets' medical staff stills believes he won't need offseason surgery on his toe. He said the team's doctors told him he "wasn't going to make it worse" by continuing to try to practice and play on his injured toe.
Daily Clips Cont.
18 | P a g e
• Wide receiver Percy Harvin was limited in Friday's practice, but is listed as probable for Sunday's game. The Jets planned to rest him in practice this week by limiting his participation, in hopes that it would help his ankle recover.
Harvin severely sprained his ankle two games ago in Minnesota, and played through the injury last week at the Titans, though he was limited in that game, after being listed as questionable. Ryan expects him to play against the Patriots.
"It's feeling a whole lot better," Harvin said. "Compared to last week around this time, it's a night-and-day difference. I think I'll be able to be a little more effective than I was last week, especially coming out of my breaks. Sometimes (against the Titans), it got a little sore, in a couple of my cuts. But I was expecting that. As long as I was able to cut and able to move out there, I was going to give it a go. After I got tackled (for the first time), I felt a little something. But after I got tackled, I knew I would be able to finish the game, based on how I was feeling."
Harvin had zero catches on three targets against the Titans, while playing 39 of 65 offensive snaps. He said Friday that he still expects former Jets star cornerback Darrelle Revis to cover him in Jets-Patriots on Sunday, which should be a fascinating matchup.
• Also questionable for Sunday's game: safety Jaiquawn Jarrett (shoulder) and wide receiver/special teams player Saalim Hakim (quadriceps). Both players were limited in Friday's practice. Ryan said he is hopeful about Hakim's chances of playing, because he was able to run during Friday's practice.
Back_to_Top
NEW YORK POST
Deep-seated hate gives Jets chance to spoil Patriots’ season (Justin Terranova) New York Post December 19, 2014
http://nypost.com/2014/12/19/why-patriots-hate-runs-so-deep-for-jets/
Erik Coleman proudly hangs a photo in his office of an interception he made eight years ago.
What separates that play from some of the others in his career? It came against Tom Brady and the Patriots.
“That’s the picture I want because I can’t stand them. I still can’t stand them,” Coleman, a former Jets safety turned SNY analyst, said of the 2006 interception that came in a rare Jets victory over Brady.
“That’s out of respect because they are a great organization and a team that gave us trouble. That’s especially true now when you don’t know Rex Ryan’s future and this would be a good way to send everyone off.”
That’s about all the Jets have left this season and about all Ryan has left in his Jets career, when the Patriots come to MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The head coach came to the Jets with a goal of dethroning Brady and Bill Belichick in the AFC East, and his failure to do so is why, in large part, his run here likely will end after six seasons.
The 3-11 Jets and 11-3 Patriots are on opposite ends of the division and football hierarchy, but Ryan’s team has a chance to knock New England from the AFC’s top seed and give Denver an opportunity to earn home-field advantage.
“Whoever plays at home for that game has a huge advantage,” Coleman said of a potential Broncos-Patriots AFC Championship rematch.
Daily Clips Cont.
19 | P a g e
“Whatever team has that will, in my opinion, win that game. If the Jets can be the team that knocks the Patriots out of first place and give the Broncos that advantage, it’s incentive to play their best game of the year. You always want to see the Patriots lose.”
Wanting and doing have been the issue for the Jets in this rivalry, though. Ryan has had his moments against Belichick, most notably in a stunning upset in the 2011 AFC Divisional playoffs. He almost had another when the Jets lost a 27-25 Week 6 heartbreaker in one of the best games they have played in this miserable season.
“For the most part, Rex has a good grasp of how New England tries to attack teams,” Coleman said. “They are very familiar being division opponents. I think the Jets are pretty athletic at safety and linebacker and match up pretty well with the tight ends of the Patriots. … They are going to have to play a perfect game, but it can be done.”
Coleman said he believes that, despite the disappointment of this season, Ryan deserves a chance to be a head coach somewhere next season.
“I think the team is ready to move on, but Rex is a great coach and he’ll have a job in 30 seconds,” said Coleman, who is in his first season as a Jets analyst. “You see guys still fighting for Geno Smith [last week against Titans]. These guys are continuing to work hard and play for each other and Rex. It’s a tribute to Rex for keeping this team together. You haven’t heard too much about riffs in the locker room. Most teams with the record they have, have a lot of turmoil. But this team has continued to fight.”
Back_to_Top
Jets, Harvin brace for the return of Revis Island (George Willis) New York Post December 20, 2014
http://nypost.com/2014/12/19/jets-harvin-brace-for-the-return-of-revis-island/
Percy Harvin meant no disrespect when he mentioned he was “licking my chops” at the thought of going against Darrelle Revis Sunday night when the Jets meet the Patriots at MetLife Stadium.
“Licking my chops wasn’t based on anything other than the excitement of the matchup,” Harvin said Friday. “I have nothing but the utmost respect for him and the work that he’s put in. I just like to go against the best. That’s what I meant by licking my chops.”
Watching Harvin battle against Revis is some sort of poetic justice for what figures to be Rex Ryan’s final home game as the Jets coach. He’ll be playing against the Patriots, the team he couldn’t get past, a team that now has the cornerback Ryan planned to build his defense around. When historians look back on Ryan’s tenure as the Jets coach at the top of the “How the heck did that happen?” list will be Revis winding up with the Patriots.
Ryan figures to be gone at the end of the season, but the Jets can rectify the mistake they made this past offseason by signing Revis if he is released by the Patriots as expected. It’s a move that ensures the Jets will immediately improve at cornerback, a position that was decimated by injury and exposed for a lack of depth. Revis also can serve as a mentor to youngsters Dee Milliner, Dexter McDougle and Calvin Pryor.
Revis is set to count about $25 million against the cap next year if he remains with the Patriots under current terms. That won’t happen, raising the likelihood he could be on the open market if he doesn’t renegotiate to stay in New England.
“I don’t know what my future holds,” Revis said in a conference call earlier this week.
Daily Clips Cont.
20 | P a g e
He wouldn’t comment on a potential return to the Jets, the team for which he played for six seasons after being a first-round draft pick in 2007.
Revis had called the Jets after being released by the Buccaneers last year, but the club had no interest in the cornerback and his contract demands. He wound up in New England and the Jets wound up exposed when cornerbacks Milliner, the top-pick in 2013, and McDougle, a third-round choice last year, were lost early in the season to injuries. Free agent signing Dimitri Patterson was cut before the season started for going AWOL.
Forced to play reserves, the Jets have allowed 38 passes of 20 yards or more, including a 56-yard completion for a touchdown to start the game at Minnesota last week and an 87-yard catch-and-run by Jarius Wright to give the Vikings a 30-24 victory in overtime.
Jets owner Woody Johnson and general manager John Idzik were seen huddled together in the hallways of the team’s facility on Thursday in what could be viewed as a show of solidarity. They smiled and were cordial as reporters were ushered past them.
If Idzik remains or if Johnson ultimately makes the decisions, signing defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson to an extension and getting Revis back, if he becomes available, would send a strong message to a fan base starving for positive news.
Revis might still be the best shut-down corner in the game, though the Seahawks’ Richard Sherman is stealing the spotlight these days. Revis still commands the respect of his opponents, including Harvin, who is looking forward to the mental chess match of going against the former Jet.
“You’d better study going against him because he’s going to be studying you,” Harvin said. “You can tell by watching film. There are a lot of times where he finishes routes for the receivers. He’ll have me figured out. So I have to have him figured out.”
Johnson was said to be fed up with having to negotiate Revis’ contract seemingly every other year. But that’s the nature of the business these days. It was no coincidence the Jets’ best years under Ryan came when he had the best cornerback in the game. Ryan may be on his way out, but the Jets should welcome a return of Revis Island.
Back_to_Top
Calvin Pace drools over great Brady, Patriots: ‘Tip your cap’ (Bart Hubbuch) New York Post December 20, 2014
http://nypost.com/2014/12/19/calvin-pace-drools-over-great-brady-patriots-tip-your-cap/
As much as Calvin Pace would like to hate the Patriots, the veteran outside linebacker just can’t bring himself to do it.
New England might be the Jets’ biggest and nastiest rival, but the impressiveness of the Patriots’ sustained success with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick was just too overwhelming for Pace to deny Friday.
So instead of filling up their bulletin board with motivational material like good rivals do, Pace showered New England with compliments heading into Sunday’s AFC East matchup at MetLife Stadium.
Hide your eyes, Jets fans.
“It’s not ideal and not what we’re playing for, but at some point as a player, you have to tip your hat to your opponent,” Pace said after practice. “They’ve been at the top of this division for a reason, and that’s because they execute in every facet.
Daily Clips Cont.
21 | P a g e
“It’s been a pleasure to play against them, man. They bring the best out of you, because if you’re not on point, they’ll blow you out. They bring the best out of us, and I would like to think we bring the best out of them.”
While high praise directed at the Patriots likely wasn’t among the things Rex Ryan wanted to hear as he prepared for what could be his final home game as coach of the Jets, Pace said he was just being realistic.
After all, talking trash sounds pretty silly when you’re 3-11 and headed to the golf course for the fourth winter in a row while your 11-3 opponent is getting ready for the playoffs after its 11th division title in 13 years.
“[New England] gets the best out of a lot of good teams, but when you see them, they’re always 13-3 or 12-4,” Pace said. “And that’s for a reason. That’s because they’re going to do what they do, no matter who they’re playing against.”
With Ryan earlier proclaiming Belichick to be “a first-ballot Hall of Famer” and saying that “anytime you’re fortunate enough to find a way to beat them, that’s always special,” Pace’s comments Friday officially meant it was a bad week for Jets fans fond of bad blood.
Even the one comment from Pace that could be construed as a tiny dig at the Patriots was a compliment for Brady.
Asked how much credit No. 12 deserves for the Patriots’ 15-year run of dominance, Pace replied: “It doesn’t hurt to have a first-ballot Hall of Famer quarterbacking for you.”
Pace signed with the Jets in 2008 when they were still coached by Eric Mangini, so his Gang Green experience with the Patriots predates Ryan. The Jets are 3-9 against New England with Pace on the field, with the obvious highlight being their 28-21 playoff upset in Foxborough, Mass., in 2011.
The games were close more often than not, though, which is why Pace feels like he can still hold his head up when talking about the rivalry.
“We’ve always felt like we had a chance to beat them, even when Mangini was here,” Pace said. “We just haven’t been able to beat them twice. There’s always a couple of plays here and there.
“When you play them, you have to execute. They’re not going to beat themselves. They’re not going to fumble the ball away or have excessive penalties.”
Pace said the Jets players always enjoyed Ryan — at least until this week — trying to fuel the rivalry with New England with verbal jabs at Belichick and the Patriots.
“You can’t go into [a game against them] scared and on your heels,” Pace said. “They’ve got to put their shoes on just like us, and you’ve just got to bring it to them and play your best. And that’s what Rex was always trying to do. He was trying to say some things in the media to make us bring our best.”
And with Ryan seemingly headed for the exit, Pace appreciates the NFL schedule maker giving the Patriots the final slot on the Jets’ home schedule.
“It’s definitely fitting,” Pace said. “It’s the best way to go out, if [Ryan getting fired] ends up being the case.”
Back_to_Top
Rex Ryan now quoting Monty Python for self inspiration (Bart Hubbuch) New York Post December 20, 2014
Daily Clips Cont.
22 | P a g e
http://nypost.com/2014/12/20/rex-ryan-now-quoting-monty-python-for-self-inspiration/
Rex Ryan channeled Monty Python on Friday when asked how he keeps his sense of humor despite being Dead Coach Walking.
“I’m not dead yet,” Ryan said with a smile, quoting a line that “Monty Python and The Holy Grail” made famous. “I’m always going to be me and that’s just my personality. That’s just who I am every day. Regardless of the good times, the bad times, or whatever, I think I’m consistent that way.”
Ryan’s mood has been under the microscope lately with the Jets at 3-11 and speculation rampant that owner Woody Johnson will fire him at the end of the season after missing the playoffs four years in a row.
That streak began the season after the high point of Ryan’s tenure — a 28-21 playoff upset of the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., in January 2011.
With New England the opponent Sunday in what looks like his last home game as the Jets’ coach, Ryan was asked Friday if he ever thought that 2011 game would have marked a changing of the guard in the AFC East.
“I never thought that was going to be the changing of the guard,” Ryan replied. “The year after that, we had 19 free agents when the new collective bargaining thing was signed, so it was totally different. Had the team stayed the same or whatever, who knows? The way it is, everything changed then.
“From that point on, a lot of things changed. We lost a lot of good players and we kind of had to rebuild the team, stack the deck a little different.”
Safety Rontez Miles won’t play Sunday and likely will miss the season finale next week after a freak injury in practice Thursday resulted in emergency surgery to stave off potential amputation of his leg.
Miles was kicked in the shin and suffered what the Jets initially thought was just a deep bruise, but so much pressure built up after Miles went home — a condition known as compartment syndrome — that he was rushed into surgery Thursday evening.
“At the time, I never even thought it was really anything,” Ryan said. “He kind of got kicked in practice on his leg, but unfortunately he had to have surgery and will miss the game.”
Miles had recently been activated, and Ryan said the Jets had been “real excited to watch him play” until the injury.
Percy Harvin is probable Sunday despite being limited in practice all week by an ankle injury, but the Jets might be without defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson because of an injured toe.
Wilkerson said he would be a game-time decision, while the Jets listed him as questionable on the official injury report.
Ryan was miffed at former Jets cornerback Josh Thomas for comments critical of Ryan and his coaches after Thomas signed with the Lions this week.
Thomas, who had his Jets playbook stolen out of his car just days before being released, told the Detroit media that Ryan and his coaches do a poor job of coaching and developing young players.
“I think it’s kind of humorous to be honest with you,” Ryan said Friday when asked about Thomas’ claims. “I don’t know how to react to that, to be honest with you. I don’t know. Obviously, the young man has a right to his opinion, so that’s fine.”
Ryan said that criticism had never been aimed at him “in my life.”
Daily Clips Cont.
23 | P a g e
“I’ve been coaching a long time, and [I’ve never heard that] not just about me, [but about] anybody else,” Ryan said. “That’s a new one.”
Jets guard Willie Colon was fined $8,268 by the NFL for his role in the brawl with the Titans last week.
The league cited Colon for “grabbing an opponent by the facemask after the play was over.”
Tennessee defensive tackle Jurrell Casey also was docked $8,268 for his role in the fight for striking Geno Smith in the head after the play was over.
Back_to_Top
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Rex Ryan stays positive despite uncertain future with NY Jets: ‘I’m not dead yet’ (Justin Tasch) New York Daily News December 19, 2014
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/rex-ryan-puts-brave-face-uncertain-jets-future-article-1.2051268
Amid all the disappointment and scrutiny that has come with a 3-11 season, Rex Ryan has somehow maintained his typically upbeat personality during interactions with his players and the media. Even as the losses piled up, Ryan has always found a way to lighten the mood despite the fact that this horrid season is likely to cost him his job.
How does he do it?
"I'm just gonna be myself," Ryan said Friday. "I'm not dead yet."
He likely has just two games left as Jets head coach though, with what's probably his final home game on Sunday against the rival Patriots.
It was back on Oct. 13, a day after the Jets lost their fifth straight game to fall to 1-5, that Ryan declared his team wasn't yet dead. That came three days before the Jets played a primetime game in Foxborough and lost by two points.
"I'm always gonna be me and that's just my personality," Ryan said. "That's just who I am every day, and regardless of the good times, the bad times or whatever, I think I'm consistent that way."
That attitude has endeared Ryan to Percy Harvin, who's only played for him for two months since coming over from Seattle in a midseason trade. He spoke Friday as glowingly about Ryan as any player has during Ryan's six-year tenure.
"Since I've known him, since I've been here, he's been the exact same," Harvin said. "Even talking to some of the players that's been here two, three years, four years, five years, they say he's been the same way when those guys were making the AFC Championship games. He's been the same way, that's why I think when you see the players, that why we love him so much."
Back_to_Top
Rex Ryan laughs at ex-NY Jets CB Josh Thomas' criticism of coaches (Justin Tasch) New York Daily News December 20, 2014
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-insider-rex-chuckle-josh-thomas-article-1.2051570
Daily Clips Cont.
24 | P a g e
Rex Ryan couldn’t help but laugh Friday when he was asked about former Jets cornerback Josh Thomas’ criticism Thursday of his old coaches.
Thomas, who was claimed by the Lions on Wednesday after his playbook iPad was stolen earlier in the week, told reporters he didn’t feel he was coached well enough and did not receive enough attention at One Jets Drive.
“I think it’s kind of humorous, to be honest with you,” Ryan said. “I don’t know how to react to that, to be honest with you. I don’t know. Obviously, the young man has a right to his opinion, so that’s fine.”
Asked if he was surprised by the comments, Ryan said, “Well, I never heard it ever in my life. I’ve been coaching a long time. And not just about me or anybody else. That’s a new one.”
UNEXPECTED KNIFE
Safety Rontez Miles needed emergency surgery on his leg Thursday night after he was kicked in the shin during Thursday’s practice. He had pressure building in a bruise, according to Ryan, and as it kept getting worse, it was determined he needed the surgery.
Miles wasn’t even on the injury report Thursday. Ryan found out about Miles’ condition around 8 p.m. Thursday and said the defensive back had surgery shortly afterward. Miles was promoted from the practice squad earlier this week and was set to make his season debut Sunday against New England.
Ryan hopes Miles can play in the Jets’ last game in Miami, but Miles wrote on his Facebook page that his season is over.
PAYING FOR FIGHT
OG Willie Colon was fined $8,268 for his role in Sunday’s brawl against the Titans. It was sparked by Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey throwing a punch at Jets quarterback Geno Smith’s face after the two jawed at each other.
Casey was fined the same amount. Colon and OT Breno Giacomini were heavily involved in the scrum, although Giacomini avoided a fine.
DE Muhammad Wilkerson, who has missed the last three games with turf toe, is questionable for Sunday’s game, as are WR Saalim Hakim (quad) and S Jaiquawn Jarrett (shoulder.). . . . WR Percy Harvin (ankle) was limited in practice but is probable.
Back_to_Top
NEW YORK TIMES
New England Patriots at New York Jets Preview (Benjamin Hoffman) New York Times December 19, 2014
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/20/sports/football/new-england-patriots-at-new-york-jets-preview.html?ref=football&_r=0
Patriots (11-3) at Jets (3-11)
Cleveland Browns at Carolina Panthers PreviewDEC. 19, 2014
Playoff Chase: N.F.L. Standings and Playoff Scenarios, Week 16DEC. 18, 2014
1 p.m. Sunday, Line: Patriots by 10 ½
Daily Clips Cont.
25 | P a g e
The Jets can run the ball, and they still play elite defense, but passing for an average of 169 yards a game is not going to result in a lot of wins. Coach Rex Ryan has a history of giving New England a harder time than most, but his inability to find a quarterback solution could cost him his job.
Pick: Patriots
From The Upshot
Ranking This Week’s N.F.L. Games, 1 to 16: A Viewer’s Guide
No. 10: The Patriots need to keep winning to take the A.F.C.'s top seed and avoid a January trip to Denver. This game may also be Rex Ryan’s last at home as the Jets’ coach. It is somehow fitting that he will face the team he vowed to dislodge atop the A.F.C. East. The Jets enter the game 3-11, the Patriots 11-3.
Back_to_Top
WALL STREET JOURNAL
Patriots Game Is the Jets’ Super Bowl (Stu Woo) Wall Street Journal December 20, 2014
http://www.wsj.com/articles/patriots-game-is-the-jets-super-bowl-1419024977
For the Jets’ Rex Ryan and Geno Smith, Sunday’s game against the Patriots is their Super Bowl.
After beating the Tennessee Titans in a battle between the league’s worst teams last week, the Jets face the New England Patriots on Sunday in what is probably Rex Ryan’s final home game as “HC of the NYJ.” It might also be Smith’s last game at MetLife Stadium as a Jets quarterback.
Ryan, who holds a 4-8 head-coaching record against New England, has been upfront about his yearning to beat his nemesis, Bill Belichick, and he hams up the Patriots rivalry before each matchup. Last year, some players incorrectly inferred that Ryan ordered them to conserve their energy by avoiding sex in the week before the New England game, after the coach told the team to take it easy and “don’t do nothing for your wife.”
Ryan continued to hype the matchup this week, even though his team’s record, 3-11, is the opposite of the Patriots’ 11-3 mark.
“I can sit back and say, ‘Well, it’s not [special]. It’s just another opponent,’ ” he said. “But no, it is because, obviously, they’ve won six division championships in a row, so that’s the one to beat. I don’t care what our record is now.…We’re approaching it as if we’re 11-3 also.”
Oddsmakers don’t agree. The Jets are 10-point underdogs to the Patriots. The Jets haven’t been such a long shot in a home game since 1978, when the Steelers were 12.5-point favorites.
The Jets say they are going all-in to win, and they should do so since losing still won’t help them get a high-enough draft spot to select Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston. But the Patriots have a better incentive: A win, combined with a Denver loss to Cincinnati on Monday night, would give them a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs.
To beat New England, the Jets should pass often, even with former Jets’ star cornerback Darrelle Revis playing well for the Patriots.
Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said this week that he would prefer more throwing. “In this league you need to pass the ball very efficiently to score points, typically,” he said.
Daily Clips Cont.
26 | P a g e
Under Smith and backup Michael Vick , the Jets rank last in the league in passing yards, averaging 169 yards a game. They’re not even close to the second-to-worst team, the Jaguars, who put up 193 passing yards per contest.
Yet Smith played one of his better games last week in Tennessee, a rare turnover-free performance in which he completed 16 of 28 pass attempts for 179 yards and one touchdown. That came against a Titans defense that ranks 10th in the league in pass defense—better than the Patriots’ 22nd-ranked pass defense, which is allowing 249 aerial yards a game.
That’s despite Revis. Quarterbacks this year have just a 68.7 passer rating when throwing toward Revis, who has intercepted two passes and allowed two touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. Against Miami last week, he surrendered only four catches for 29 yards.
Smith didn’t avoid Revis in the first Jets-Patriots game, which New England won, 27-25, after blocking Nick Folk’s last-second field-goal attempt. Smith threw toward Revis four times, completing three of those passes for 43 yards. And that was before the Jets acquired their most explosive receiver, Percy Harvin.
Smith has endured many humiliations this season: throwing interceptions, getting hurt while making a tackle after one of his interceptions, getting benched in front of the home fans. The nadir, perhaps, was attempting just 13 passes against Miami earlier this month. Ryan said the game plan called for a run-focused offense, but fans viewed it as a lack of trust in Smith.
If the Jets are serious about both beating the Patriots and evaluating Smith as their 2015 quarterback, they should let Smith air it out on Sunday.
Back_to_Top
ESPN NEW YORK
Belichick's exit? Jets' worst day, ever (Ian O’Conner) ESPN New York December 19, 2014
http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/12052005/bill-belichick-exit-was-worst-day-new-york-jets-history?ex_cid=espnapi_public
Imagine if Bill Belichick trotted out of the MetLife Stadium tunnel Sunday dressed in a green hoodie as he led the best team in the AFC -- the home team in this case -- in pursuit of his fourth Super Bowl ring.
Imagine the reception awaiting the head coach of the New York Jets, a three-time champ for a franchise that, until he took over, hadn't won it all since Richard Nixon became the 37th President. Imagine how Belichick would be celebrated in the big city after serving as an invaluable defensive coordinator for Bill Parcells' two title teams with the Giants and then taking the Jets places Parcells could not take them.
Imagine if Belichick stood before the microphone on that early January day in 2000 and told reporters that he was grateful for a second chance as an NFL head coach after failing in Cleveland, and that he planned to finish the job Parcells started by taking the Jets to the AFC Championship Game a year earlier.
Imagine if Belichick hadn't shown up 24 hours after agreeing to succeed Parcells looking and sounding more nervous than a teenager on his first date when saying, "Due to various uncertainties surrounding my position as it relates to the team's new ownership, I've decided to resign as head coach of the New York Jets."
Of course, nobody knows for sure if Belichick would've won the same three rings with the Jets that he's won with the New England Patriots, or if he would've run away from the job like Al Groh did after one
Daily Clips Cont.
27 | P a g e
season. Remember, Belichick had four losing seasons in five tries in Cleveland and had lost 13 of his first 18 games in New England before the 199th pick in the 2000 draft, Tom Brady, made his first start and ultimately allowed his coach to grow into one of the all-time greats.
But this much we do know: The Jets have gone through four coaches since Belichick quit on them in the mother of all surreal press conferences, including Rex Ryan, who will almost certainly be fired eight days after facing Belichick for the last time and one day after finishing what will likely be a 3-13 season. Back in brighter says, Ryan was heard guaranteeing parades and promising to be the one to topple the evil empire to the north.
If he never did kiss Belichick's rings, Ryan did spend enough time this week kissing his you-know-what.
For good reason: Belichick has already clinched his 12th AFC East title in 15 years, and his sixth in a row. The Jets have seized a grand total of one divisional crown -- Herm Edwards took it in 2002 with a 9-7 record -- since Belichick handed then-team president Steve Gutman a note in his own chicken-scratch words that he was done as "the HC of the NYJ."
So even if we don't know exactly what Belichick would've achieved with the Jets, we do know that greatness can't be suppressed forever. Through the force of his will, Belichick was destined to do big things as a head coach whether or not Mo Lewis knocked out Drew Bledsoe on the first NFL Sunday after the 9/11 attacks and unwittingly started Brady's Hall of Fame career.
In other words, Belichick likely would've found a way to win at least one title for a franchise still living on the 46-year-old prophecy of a now 71-year-old man, Joe Namath. The Patriots had never won the Super Bowl until Belichick arrived and had made it to the big game twice in 30 post-merger years; Belichick has made it there five times in 14 years.
10 Most Embarrassing Jets Moments
As you can imagine, there's no shortage of blush-worthy Jets moments. We rank the 10 "best." Top 10 Photo Gallery NYJ blog »
That's why his wild and crazy departure represents the most devastating development in the wild and crazy history of the Jets. The alternate candidates fill up a familiar house of horrors to the long-suffering fan who now passes his or her time calling for John Idzik's head.
They include: The hirings of Idzik, Rich Kotite, and Lou Holtz. The A.J. Duhe game in the Miami mud. The Edwards and Ryan playoff losses in Pittsburgh, and the Parcells playoff loss in Denver.
Mark Gastineau's late hit on Bernie Kosar. The Butt Fumble. The fake Dan Marino spike. The decision to draft every first-rounder from Johnny "Lam" Jones to Blair Thomas to Vernon Gholston, and the decision to let Darrelle Revis sign with New England. The Tim Tebow deal. The Parcells resignation. The day Santonio Holmes was named a captain. The day Chad Pennington returned to the Meadowlands with the Dolphins to win the division and kill off the Brett Favre Jets.
Yes, the Belichick exit trumps them all. In his book "Parcells," written with Nunyo Demasio, Parcells said of his longtime aide: "He made a deal and then tried to get out of it. A deal's a deal. You want out? You're going to pay. Simple." The same Jets who sent four draft picks to Robert Kraft for the right to hire Parcells received three picks from Kraft for letting Belichick sign with the Patriots, including a first-rounder that would be used in a deal to take Shaun Ellis, a two-time Pro Bowler who wasn't in Belichick's ballpark as a franchise player.
Strange how it worked out, too. Leon Hess was a disengaged owner blamed for almost everything that went wrong with his sad sack Jets ("I just hope we don't get embarrassed," Hess would tell friend and
Daily Clips Cont.
28 | P a g e
Giants owner Wellington Mara before games), at least until Parcells arrived and changed everything. But if Hess hadn't died in 1999, and if the Jets weren't caught in a tug-of-war between two billionaires (Woody Johnson and Cablevision's Charles Dolan) fixing to pay more than $600 million to buy them, Belichick almost certainly would've stayed.
Though he worried about Parcells' looming presence in the front office, Belichick was willing to coach for Hess, the oilman who had paid him a handsome salary and a $1 million bonus to stick around. In his famous getaway press conference, Belichick said of the ownership situation: "There are a lot of unanswered questions here. I have been concerned about it since Leon Hess died."
Belichick made some claims that day he'd surely want to take back. He said that he wanted to spend more time with his wife and kids, and that he had an epiphany while running on a treadmill next to a Jets cornerback named Kevin Williams, who had dealt with a serious lung infection. Belichick was suggesting he needed a break from coaching while he was scheming to coach the Patriots the entire time.
Gutman repeatedly described the fleeing employee as a man "in turmoil," and it turned out the team president couldn't have made a worse read. Belichick knew exactly what he was doing. He was leaving for more stability, more power, and more money, and soon enough he lucked out, big time, when Brady walked into his life. Nothing has been the same about the AFC East since.
When the 11-3 Patriots face the 3-11 Jets on Sunday, a lot of attention will be paid the 3-11 guy, Ryan, who will be working his final home game. But the man on the other side of the field had a bigger impact on the franchise, as in much.
A safe bet says Bill Belichick would've won a ring with the Jets, and a safer one says Rex Ryan and Joe Namath would be willing to guarantee it.
Back_to_Top
THURSDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS
BASEBALL
COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE — Named outgoing commissioner Bud Selig commissioner emeritus, effective Jan. 25.
American League
BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Agreed to terms with LHP Wesley Wright on a one-year contract. Named Scott Coolbaugh hitting coach.
CLEVELAND INDIANS — Assigned RHP Bryan Price outright to Columbus (IL).
DETROIT TIGERS — Assigned RHP Melvin Mercedes outright to Toledo (IL). Promoted Oliver Arias to director of the Dominican Academy club.
HOUSTON ASTROS — Named Arthur "Ace" Adams pitching coach, Bryan Baca trainer and Trey Wiedman strength and conditioning coach of Fresno (PCL); Rodney Linares manager, Doug Brocail pitching coach, Dan Radison hitting coach, Tom Lawless developmental specialist, Grant Hufford trainer and Mark Spadavecchia strength and conditioning coach of Corpus Christi (TL); Omar Lopez manager, Michael Rendon trainer and Taylor Rhoades strength and conditioning coach of Lancaster (Cal); Josh Bonifay manager and Tim Garland developmental specialist of Quad Cities (MWL); John Gregorich trainer and James McNichol strength and conditioning coach of Tri-City (NYP); Wladimir Sutil coach and Julio Diaz strength coach of the GCL Astros; Rick Aponte developmental specialist of the DSL Astros; Ralph Dickenson
Daily Clips Cont.
29 | P a g e
roving minor league hitting instructor; Mark Bailey roving minor league catching instructor; Gary Ruby minor league pitching adviser; and Mike Freer minor league training adviser.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Waived OF Carlos Peguero. Agreed to terms with OF Alex Rios on a one-year contract. Traded INF Johnny Giavotella to the L.A. Angels for RHP Brian Broderick.
MINNESOTA TWINS — Named Mike Quade manager of Rochester (IL); Doug Mientkiewicz manager of Chattanooga (SL); Ivan Arteaga pitching coach of Fort Myers (FSL); Henry Bonilla pitching coach of Cedar Rapids (MWL); Luis Ramirez pitching coach of Elizabethton (Appalachian); Virgil Vasquez and J.P. Martinez pitching coaches of the GCL Twins; and David Jeffrey minor league video coordinator.
NEW YORK YANKEES — Traded RHP David Phelps and INF Martin Prado to Florida for RHPs Nathan Eovaldi and Domingo Germen and INF Garrett Jones.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS — Released INF Nick Punto.
TAMPA BAY RAYS — Promoted third base coach Tom Foley to bench coach. Named Rocco Baldelli first base coach, Charlie Montoyo third base coach and George Hendrick special adviser to baseball operations.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Agreed to terms with LHP Andrew Albers on a minor league contract. Claimed LHP Juan Oramas off waivers from San Diego. Named Jason Dowse strength and conditioning coach of Buffalo (IL); Bob Stanley pitching coach and Stubby Clapp hitting coach of New Hampshire (EL); Vince Horsman pitching coach and John Tamargo Jr. hitting coach of Dunedin (FSL); Ken Huckaby manager, Jeff Ware pitching coach and Kenny Graham hitting coach of Lansing (MWL); Jim Czajkowski pitching coach of Vancouver (NWL); and Cesar Martin manager of the GCL Blue Jays.
National League
ATLANTA BRAVES — Traded OF Justin Upton and RHP Aaron Northcraft to San Diego for LHP Max Fried, INFs Jace Peterson and Dustin Peterson, OF Mallex Smith and international bonus compensation.
CHICAGO CUBS — Agreed to terms with RHP Jason Motte on a one-year contract. Claimed OF Shane Peterson off waivers from Oakland and C Ryan Lavarnway from the L.A. Dodgers. Designated RHP Donn Roach and INF Logan Watkins for assignment.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Traded OF Matt Kemp, C Tim Federowicz and cash to San Diego for C Yasmani Grandal, RHP Joe Wieland and RHP Zach Eflin. Released RHP Brian Wilson.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Traded C Shawn Zarraga to the L.A. Dodgers for OF Matt Long and LHP Jarret Martin.
NEW YORK METS — Traded RHP Gonzalez Germen to the N.Y. Yankees for cash considerations.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES — Traded SS Jimmy Rollins and cash to the L.A. Dodgers for RHP Zach Eflin and LHP Tom Windle.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Agreed to terms with 1B/OF Corey Hart on a one-year contract.
SAN DIEGO PADRES — Traded C Rene Rivera, RHP Burch Smith and INF Jake Bauers to Tampa Bay and RHP Joe Ross and a player to be named to Washington. Tampa Bay sent OF Wil Myers, C Ryan Hanigan, LHP Jose Castillo and RHP Gerardo Reyes and Washington sent OF Steven Souza Jr. and LHP Travis Ott to the Padres. Send C Ryan Hanigan to the Boston Red Sox for 3B Will Middlebrooks.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Acquired 3B Casey McGehee from the Miami Marlins for RHP Kendry Flores and RHP Luis Castillo.
American Association
Daily Clips Cont.
30 | P a g e
LINCOLN SALTDOGS — Signed OF Matt Forgatch.
ST. PAUL SAINTS — Signed 1B Angelo Songco.
WICHITA WINGNUTS — Signed RHPs Chase M. Johnson and Daniel Bennett and OF Jayce Ray.
Frontier League
FLORENCE FREEDOM — Traded OF Buddy Sosnoskie to Fargo-Moorhead (AA) for a player to be named. Signed SS Travis Weaver.
JOLIET SLAMMERS — Exercised 2015 contract options on RHPs Travis Bradshaw, Sam Moore, David Kubiak, John Maloney, Andrew Strenge, Kody McFarland and Kevin McNorton; LHPs Matt Costello and Luke Westphal; INFs Grant DeBruin, Adam Giacalone, Max Casper, Russell Moldenhauer and Matt Weaver; C J.D. Dorgan; and OFs Chris Epps and Chadwin Stang. Declined the options on RHPs Andrew Busby, Ethan Carter, Bobby Hillier and Tyler Thicke; OF Seth Granger; C Adam Lewis; and INF Josh Scheffert.
BASKETBALL
National Basketball Association
ATLANTA HAWKS — Assigned F/C Mike Muscala to Fort Wayne (NBADL).
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES — Reassigned F/C Jarnell Stokes to Iowa (NBADL).
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS — Released G Gal Mekel.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS — Acquired Houston Rockets 2015 second round pick, F Ronny Turiaf and the rights to F Sergei Lishouk for G Alexey Shved.
NBA Development League
RIO GRANDE VALLEY VIPERS — Traded G Gary Talton to Fort Wayne for a 2015 first-round draft pick.
FOOTBALL
National Football League
NFL — Fined Washington WR Santana Moss $22,050, Cleveland LB Barkevious Mingo $16,537 and Tennessee DT Jurrell Casey and N.Y. Jets G Willie Colon $8,268 for their actions during last week's games.
BALTIMORE RAVENS — Placed LS Kevin McDermott on injured reserve. Released TE Emmanuel Ogbuehi from the practice squad. Signed LS Patrick Scales. Signed RB Tauren Poole to the practice squad.
BUFFALO BILLS — Activated RB C.J. Spiller from injured reserve.
OAKLAND RAIDERS — Signed WR Greg Jenkins to the practice squad.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Signed G Ronald Patrick to the practice squad.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — Signed NT Mike Purcell from the practice squad.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS — Signed DE Cliff Avril to a four-year contract extension and TE Gator Hoskins to the practice squad. Released S Dion Bailey from the practice squad.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS — Placed S Brandon Meriweather on injured reserve. Signed LB Steve Beauharnais from the practice squad.
Canadian Football League
B.C. LIONS — Named Jeff Tedford coach.
Daily Clips Cont.
31 | P a g e
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS — Named Jacques Chapdelaine offensive coordinator.
HOCKEY
National Hockey League
COLORADO AVALANCHE — Assigned D Gabriel Beaupre from Lake Erie (AHL) to Fort Wayne (ECHL).
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS — Placed C Brian Gibbons on injured reserve. Recalled C Alexander Wennberg and D Cody Goloubef from Springfield (AHL).
DALLAS STARS — Signed LW Cole Ully to a three-year, entry-level contract. Reassigned LW Curtis McKenzie to Texas (AHL).
LOS ANGELES KINGS — Placed D Robyn Regehr on injured reserve.
MONTREAL CANADIENS — Assigned G Dustin Tokarski for conditioning and F Eric Tangradi to Hamilton (AHL). Recalled F Sven Andrighetto and G Joey MacDonald from Hamilton.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS — Placed F Paul Gaustad on injured reserve. Called up F Viktor Stalberg from Milwaukee (AHL).
SAN JOSE SHARKS — Assigned F Rylan Schwartz from Worcester (AHL) to Allen (ECHL).
WASHINGTON CAPITALS — Reassigned C Andre Burakovsky to Hershey (AHL).
American Hockey League
BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS — Assigned D Mark Nemec to Colorado (ECHL).
CHICAGO WOLVES — Assigned F Nathan Longpre to Kalamazoo (ECHL).
LAKE ERIE MONSTERS — Returned G Pat Nagle to Fort Wayne (ECHL). Assigned F Reid Petryk to Fort Wayne.
OKLAHOMA CITY BARONS — Assigned Fs Connor Jones and Kellen Jones to Bakersfield (AHL).
SPRINGFIELD FALCONS — Reassigned D Mike DiPaolo from Kalamazoo (ECHL) to Ontario (ECHL).
ECHL
FORT WAYNE KOMETS — Released F Brett Beebe. Released G Larkin Saalfrank as emergency backup.
ONTARIO REIGN — Loaned D Ryan Parent to St. John's (AHL).
WHEELING NAILERS — Added G John McFarland as emergency backup.
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
ORLANDO CITY SC — Signed M Brek Shea.
North American Soccer League
ARMADA FC — Signed F Jemal Johnson.
NEW YORK COSMOS — Signed M Andres Flores to a multi-year contract.
COLLEGE
BARTON — Announced the resignation of women's soccer coach Todd Clark, to take the same position at Canisius.
Daily Clips Cont.
32 | P a g e
HOFSTRA — Promoted women's assistant soccer coach Tobias Bischof to associate head coach.
HOLY CROSS — Named Brendan Sullivan associate director of athletics for finance and business/chief financial officer, effective Feb. 2.
KENTUCKY — Named Shannon Dawson offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
NEW JERSEY CITY — Announced baseball strength and conditioning coach Justin McGhee and assistant pitching coach Connor Medler will not return next season.
Back_to_Top