Mecole Hardman denies leaking Jets’ game plans to Chiefs, Eagles،
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman, responding to a published report and social media posts from former New York Jets teammates that accused him of leaking game plans to two opponents, has issued a denial on Friday.
“There have been FALSE accusations made against me and MY CHARACTER!” Hardman wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “To set the record straight, I have never and will never divulge game plans to any other team. I have never been one to give an opponent the upper hand. I always want to win , whatever the circumstances!!!!”
There have been FALSE accusations made against me and MY CHARACTER! To set the record straight, I have never and will never disclose game plans to any other team. I have never been one to give an advantage to an opponent. I always want to win regardless of the circumstances!!!!!
– Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) March 1, 2024
The controversy was sparked Wednesday, when Jets players Sauce Gardner and Kenny Yeboah — upset that Hardman ripped the team and its coaches on a podcast — raised the issue in since-deleted posts.
Gardner was the first to post on X saying: “[Hardman] is tripping. We won't talk about how our offensive game plan was leaked against the Eagles, [though]”.
Shortly after, Yeboah shared a similar sentiment, also mentioning the Eagles game.
Later, SNY reported that the Jets organization suspected Hardman of leaking their offensive game plans before their games against the Chiefs (October 1) and Eagles (October 15). The report does not cite any specific evidence.
The Jets played one of their best offensive games of the year in a 23-20 loss to the Chiefs, and they upset the Eagles 20-14.
The Jets declined to comment.
Hardman, unhappy with his playing time, was traded to the Chiefs on October 18 after signing a one-year contract with New York in March.
During his appearance on “The Pivot,” a podcast hosted by Ryan Clark, Hardman was very critical of the Jets and their culture. He said he was so unhappy in New York that he refused to return punts in one game and begged to be traded.
“I tell you right now, I was so exhausted, like it was over,” Hardman said on the podcast. “I had already spoken to [Chiefs GM Brett] Veach and Pat [Mahomes]Like, 'Come get me.'”
These comments immediately fueled speculation about possible accusations of tampering. The Jets did nothing to defuse the idea, with general manager Joe Douglas telling reporters at the scouting center, “Those were comments that definitely resonated with us.”
Hardman denied on X that he spoke to the Chiefs, his team from 2019-2022, before the trade. Hardman, who caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII, is a pending free agent.
