Mecole Hardman makes big admission about his time with Jets

Dec 5, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman (17) greets fans while leaving the field after the win over the Denver Broncos at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman was blessed with a storybook ending to his 2023 NFL season. He would never have gotten it had he remained a member of the New York Jets.

The Jets signed Hardman last year to add some veteran depth to their wide receiver room. But Hardman was barely used in the five games he played with the team. The 25-year-old was targeted just thrice and made one catch for six yards before being traded back to the Chiefs in October.

Hardman appeared on “The Pivot” podcast earlier this week and opened up about his tumultuous tenure with the Jets.

The former Pro Bowler condemned the Jets and their coaching staff for not having a set standard, particularly on offense. He also said that the offense was simply “the Aaron show,” referring to Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But after Rodgers went down with a season-ending injury in Week 1, Hardman claimed that the team fell apart internally.

The 3-time Super Bowl winner added that he knows what a winning team is supposed to look like — and the Jets were not that.

“This was what my thing was. Y’all can’t tell me about winning,” said Hardman. “I’ve been to four Super Bowls in five years. … I know what winning looks like. I know what winning is. So [the Jets] keep telling me certain things, I’m not going for that. Because y’all not doing it right.

Hardman admitted that he had basically checked out on the team, which he believed suffered from having “too many individual egos” that had gone unchecked.

Hardman etched his name in the history books when he caught the game-winning touchdown to win Super Bowl LVIII earlier this month.