Jets Punter Calls Out Mecole Hardman: 'Disgruntled Employee'

New York Jets punter Thomas Morstead didn't take kindly to comments made by Kansas City Chiefs receiver and former teammate Mecole Hardman.
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Kansas City Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman clearly did not enjoy his brief stint with the New York Jets earlier this season, and he's not shy about letting everyone know.

Earlier this week on The Pivot Podcast, Hardman, who caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII, went on a lengthy rant about his personal issues with the Jets. In said rant, Hardman described the Jets' offense as "Aaron's show," referring to how quarterback Aaron Rodgers got anything he wanted, and claimed that the organization lied to him repeatedly.

Hardman clearly ruffled some feathers in the Jets organization, and the first to speak out of all people is punter Thomas Morstead. Although he didn't call Hardman out by name, it doesn't take a detective to figure out who the veteran special teamer is talking about.

Jets' punter Thomas Morstead returns to the sideline
© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

"Be careful getting information from disgruntled former employees," Morstead wrote. "Getting beat out by a rookie free agent after being guaranteed millions of dollars is tough to deal with. Entitlement is a killer of opportunity. You have to earn it every year."

Hardman saw minimal playing time in the five games he played for the Jets, catching just one pass for six yards on three targets. The exact reason why he was buried on the depth chart was a mystery to many, but Morstead claims that he just simply lost his role to undrafted free agent Xavier Gipson, who emerged as a serviceable weapon later in the season.

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The Jets have constantly been in the line of fire recently, with some pieces of that criticism being fair and others not so much. At the very least, Morstead, a 15-year veteran who commands tremendous respect from his peers, has shown some public faith in the organization.



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