The only bit of entertainment Jets quarterback Sam Darnold provided Monday Night Football viewers this week was when he candidly admitted into a microphone that he was “seeing ghosts” during his four-interception performance against the Patriots. Because no NFL team can ever just let one of their players be interesting and human on camera, the Jets are pissed that Darnold’s comment made it to air.
Darnold was mic’d up for the game by NFL Films, which is responsible for clearing which comments get cleared for air. ESPN reports that an NFL Films representative was at Monday night’s game and approved the “ghosts” comment. Good job by that representative!
Jets head coach Adam Gase does not agree with that assessment, and yesterday told reporters how steamed he is that NFL Films dared reveal to viewers at home that his quarterback, who threw for 86 yards and four interceptions in the game, was having trouble reading the defense. From ESPN:
“It bothers me, it bothers the organization,” coach Adam Gase said Tuesday, 12 hours after a 33-0 loss to the New England Patriots. Gase acknowledged it’s “part of the deal,” coaches and players being miked for prime-time games, but he added: “Obviously, you never anticipate something like that happening. The fact that it did, it gives us pause to really cooperate anymore because I don’t know how we can allow our franchise quarterback to be put out there like that.”
If Gase is so concerned about his franchise quarterback not looking stupid on national TV, maybe he should work a littler harder during the week to make sure his offense doesn’t get its pants pulled down by some disguised blitzes.
Jets running back Le’Veon Bell was also mad:
To his credit, Darnold is the one guy involved in this dumb controversy who is not actually upset about the clip making it to air. He went on Michael Kay’s radio show yesterday and said, “I’m not embarrassed by it.” That’s a good way for Darnold to handle the situation, because he’s already got enough things to be embarrassed about.