New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson just doesn’t get it.
The team hoped that he had changed his ways after his arrest last year for excessive speeding with a child in the car with the smell of marijuana wafting out of the vehicle (more on that here). Then he and Muhammad Wilkerson were benched earlier this year after showing up late to a team meeting.
Then on Saturday, before the Jets were torched on national television against the Miami Dolphins, Richardson made a vulgar statement on Snapchat in which he said “[explitive] this game,” before using a slur asking where he could find women.
Before. The. Game.
Sunday morning, when the video had become publicized, head coach Todd Bowles (who must be dying a little bit inside after the events of this season) said he’d deal with Richardson.
“We don’t condone any of that,” Bowles said via conference call (h/t NJ.com). “We’re going to have a discussion and take care of it.”
At this point, it seems safe to say that any discipline the Jets impose should also include discussions about dumping Richardson, whether by trade or release.
Though the Jets did pick up Richardson’s fifth-year option from his rookie contract, the money is guaranteed for injury only and they can cut him after the season without any financial liability as long as they do it before the first day of the new league year in 2017.
Once a promising prospect, he has failed to produce this year and is more of a headache than a productive member of New York’s franchise.