When the story of this NFL season is finally written, outside linebacker IK Ememkpali may be the New York Jets’ Most Valuable Player. He also won’t be on the team.
Ememkpali punched quarterback Geno Smith in the face so hard that he broke his jaw, sidelining him for at least six weeks. Smith, according to radio personality and waste of space on your weekly NFL television pregame shows, Boomer Esiason, Smith owed Ememkpali money, but no one knows for what. There’s been speculation it was a gambling debt. Ian Rapoport is reporting that it was over a $600 camp fee.
My understanding of why Geno Smith & Enemkpali fought: Smith no-showed at Enemkpali’s camp without warning & hadn’t paid him back $600 yet.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 11, 2015
But regardless of what happened. Word were exchanged. Smith reportedly put his finger in Ememkpali’s face at which point Ememkpali put his fist into Smith’s.
“IK went up to him. I guess some words were exchanged and he (Ememkpali) fired off a punch and he dropped him (Smith),” Jets coach Todd Bowles said at his press conference Tuesday. “It was a personal issue that one of them can tell you. I told them I wouldn’t tell you but one of them can tell you. It was childish either way and it was stupid, but we’ve got to live with the results. If you don’t put your hands on somebody and somebody punches you regardless of the situation, barring anybody messing with your kids or your family, you shouldn’t have to hit another man.”
https://instagram.com/p/6QKBL5lBXL/
Now, I don’t necessarily think that’s true and while it’s been more than 20 years since my fist has gently caressed another man’s face, I can tell you there are plenty of reasons for such an action to take place. Regardless of that, Ememkpali, a second-year player, was immediateley cut by the team and might find it tough to find another job in the league since his inability to control his behavior was a red flag even before he was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana Tech.
“He (Ememkpali) came in with a new-found attitude and he was doing some good things and was making a lot of progress,” Bowles said. “From that standpoint you feel for the guy. You want him to get better as a person and get better as a player so hopefully this doesn’t set him back too far.”
The most damning statement from Bowles on Smith came when he was asked if Smith would get his starting job back when he was healed up. Bowles answered, “Not if (quarterback Ryan) Fitzpatrick plays well.”
Todd Bowles: No guarantee Geno Smith gets job backhttp://t.co/AO5FuVMO6c
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) August 11, 2015
And therein lies the case for Ememkpali’s team MVP campaign. Geno Smith was not the answer for the Jets as a starter (though he’ll be a fine back up and have a long NFL career as one). Neither is Fitzpatrick, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone on planet Earth right now who doesn’t think the Jets are in far better shape at starter after Ememkpali’s punch than they were before he threw it.
Ememkpali released a statement of his own, trying to do damage control and continue his career. I don’t see it happening.
“I apologize to the Jets organization, coaches and fans. Geno and I let our frustrations get the better of us,” Ememkpali said. “I should have just walked away from the situation. I deeply regret and apologize for my actions. It was never my intent to harm anyone. I appreciate the opportunity I had with the Jets.”
The Jets job was going to belong to rookie Bryce Petty out of Baylor before the year was up anyway and all this does is maybe move that timetable up. There’s talk of a redshirt season with him and maybe that’s the plan, but there’s no question of the four QBs currently on the roster (Smith, Fitzpatrick, Petty and undrafted rookie Jake Heaps out of Miami) that he has the most talent and the most physical tools. He’s the long-term answer. Ememkpali may have just got his ticket punched, if you will, a little sooner.
Geno Smith: "My only goal is to heal quickly and get back to playing with my teammates so I can be the best QB possible for the NY Jets."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 11, 2015
There are free agent options out there for the Jets and word is they’ve already reached out to Rex Grossman, but he’s currently injured and not ready to sign anywhere. Recently released Matt Flynn has the same problem.
What’s telling about this whole event, from Smith’s perspective, is how ridiculous he comes off, even as the victim of the punch. Why would a grown man make a bet with another one and then refuse to pay it? If it wasn’t a bet, why would a third-year player, a second-round pick, owe an UDFA money at all? Why did no other player in the locker room come to Smith’s defense or care that a back-up linebacker at the bottom of the depth chart was in their QB’s face? Can you imagine a UDFA getting in Peyton Manning’s face? Aaron Rodgers’? The very idea is ridiculous.
It's not that Geno Smith didn't pay back IK Enemkpali. He just didn't do it yet. He intended to pay him back, per sources. Just not in time.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 11, 2015
In contrast, look at the photos of Cam Newton’s altercation with Josh Norman yesterday. It was heated, but Newton was in complete control and not only that, his teammates swarmed around him and Norman to break up the fight. Norman came off looking like a moron and Newton like $20 million bucks. Meanwhile, Smith will be eating lunch through a straw for the next six weeks and Ememkpali is putting in applications at the nearest Fudruckers.
The only thing this Geno Smith situation is missing is for the Bills to claim IK Enemkpali tomorrow. Would help Rex Ryan build that bully.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 11, 2015
As inglorious ends go it’s not even a good one. But it’s probably the one Geno Smith deserves.
