Mecole Hardman denies leaking Jets’ recreation plans to Chiefs, Eagles

Kansas Metropolis Chiefs huge receiver Mecole Hardman, responding to a broadcast report and social media posts by former New York Jets teammates that accused him of leaking recreation plans to 2 opponents, issued a denial Friday.

“There have been FALSE accusations made about me and MY CHARACTER!” Hardman wrote on X, previously Twitter. “To set the report straight, I’ve by no means and would by no means leak recreation plans to a different crew. I’ve by no means been an individual to offer an opponent an higher hand. I all the time wish to win regardless of the circumstances!!!!”

There have been FALSE accusations made about me and MY CHARACTER! To set the report straight, I’ve by no means and would by no means leak gameplans to a different crew. I’ve by no means been an individual to offer an opponent an higher hand I all the time wish to win regardless of the circumstances!!!!!

— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) March 1, 2024

The controversy was sparked Wednesday, when Jets gamers Sauce Gardner and Kenny Yeboah — upset that Hardman ripped the crew and its coaches on a podcast — raised the problem in since-deleted posts.

Gardner was the primary to submit on X, saying, “[Hardman] is tripping out. We ain’t (going to) speak about how our offensive recreation plan received leaked versus the Eagles, [though].”

A short while later, Yeboah shared an identical sentiment, additionally mentioning the Eagles recreation.

Later, SNY reported that the Jets group suspects Hardman leaked their offensive recreation plans earlier than their video games towards the Chiefs (Oct. 1) and Eagles (Oct. 15). The report did not cite particular proof.

The Jets performed certainly one of their finest offensive video games of the yr in a 23-20 loss to the Chiefs, they usually upset the Eagles 20-14.

The Jets declined to remark.

Hardman, upset together with his enjoying time, was traded again to the Chiefs on Oct. 18 after signing a one-year contract with New York in March.

Throughout his look on “The Pivot,” a podcast hosted by Ryan Clark, Hardman was extremely crucial of the Jets and their tradition. He stated he was so disgruntled in New York that he refused to return punts in a recreation and begged to be traded.

“I am telling you proper now, I used to be so checked out, like, it was over with,” Hardman stated on the podcast. “I had already talked to [Chiefs GM Brett] Veach and Pat [Mahomes], like, ‘Come get me.'”

These feedback instantly fueled hypothesis of potential tampering expenses. The Jets did nothing to defuse that notion, with common supervisor Joe Douglas telling reporters on the scouting mix, “These are feedback that positively resonated with us.”

Hardman denied on X that he talked to the Chiefs, his crew from 2019 to 2022, earlier than the commerce. Hardman, who caught the successful landing in Tremendous Bowl LVIII, is a pending free agent.