The New York Jets had a stellar start to the season this time around. In fact, many believed the Jets could potentially make the playoffs this year. However, as weeks passed by, things started looking direr and direr. The offense started collapsing, and their franchise QB Zach Wilson wasn’t able to deliver. However, it seems the Jets had more problems to deal with, specifically with second-year receiver Elijah Moore.
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Reportedly, Moore had a meltdown at then offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur during a training session in week 7. The reason for the meltdown was the lack of passes he received in the win over the Green Bay Packers in week 6. “Lack of passes” is probably an understatement, since he was not targeted at all. This apparently left him frustrated, and all hell broke loose just days after.
Moore’s explosive words reportedly surprised players and coaches around him. Apparently, he told LaFleur to “go f**k yourself”, and that “you suck”. However, the worst was yet to come. Moore’s behavior on the practice field prompted the team to send him home early. Hours later, Moore sent in a request, asking to be traded at the earliest.
Elijah Moore needed some time off to cool down, patch up with Mike LaFleur
In order to let Moore simmer down and think about things with a cooler head, the Jets allowed him to take the weekend off. That weekend, the Jets paid a heavy price for a victory against the Denver Broncos, losing two of their vital offensive players to injuries. Their only good news came when Moore finally set things right with his offensive coordinator and returned to training.
“I know he’s happy to be back and he’s ready to go,” LaFleur said when Moore showed up for training. “We’re all on the same page with everything. We’re just trying to move forward. We have a tough opponent in New England. I know that’s where his focus is, getting himself prepared. And that’s where my focus is.”
Apparently, Elijah Moore wasn’t the only one who wanted to leave the Jets. Denzel Mims, the Jets’ second-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft, reportedly asked to be traded as early as August. It seems the only thing that kept both these high-profile receivers on the team was the timely intervention from head coach Robert Saleh. Both times, he took the players’ aside, and that seemed to help the case.
The Jets are now embarking on a reformation path. Since they did not make the playoffs, they have ample time to restructure their team, and make changes as necessary, to come back stronger next season. Their first move in that direction, however, came in the form of Mike LaFleur’s sacking. It seems the team no longer feels the OC can contribute to their success.
Another head sitting ripe on the chopping block is QB Zach Wilson. With his run of dismal performances this season, it is becoming increasingly clear that Wilson cannot lead the team to the heights they need to reach. Not to think that Wilson is a bad QB. However, the lack of experience is definitely an issue to overcome. With several veteran QBs set to enter the market, who will end up leading their offense?
Also Read: Brittany Mahomes’ Net Worth: How Much Has Patrick Mahomes’ Wife Earned From All Her Ventures?
