The Mecole Hardman-Jets feud continues.
On Friday afternoon, the ex-Jets receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs barked back on X after Sauce Gardner appeared to imply earlier this week that Hardman leaked game plans to opponents this past season.
“There were FALSE accusations made about me and MY CHARACTER! To set the record straight, I have never and would never leak gameplans to another team.” Hardman posted. “I have never been a person to give an opponent an upper hand I always want to win no matter the circumstances!!!!!”
The back-and-forth comments started after Hardman called out his old team this week on “The Pivot” podcast, where he claimed the Jets’ offense had “no standard,” and he admitted he “was so checked out” toward the end of his time in East Rutherford, N.J., before his October trade to the eventual Super Bowl-winning Chiefs.
“It’s the lies and the way they handled me. I didn’t like it at all,” he said on the show, explaining why his career didn’t work out with the Jets. “You can’t do that to a player.”
Upon hearing his comments, a few Jets spoke up on social media.
Gardner, in a since-deleted post on X, gave his take on Hardman.
“We ain’t gon talk about how our offensive gameplan got leaked vs. the Eagles tho,” Gardner wrote.
Gardner also seemingly shaded Hardman by reacting with an “Lol” to 2013 post of Hardman that read: “People say don’t snitch ? Ion see it like that . ! If your life on the line im telling on everybody .. !”
Jets punter Thomas Morstead also responded Wednesday morning, writing “careful getting information from disgruntled former employees.”
“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,” Morstead wrote on X, likely referring to rookie wideout Xavier Gipson.
Hardman, during his podcast interview, also said he spoke with Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and quarterback Patrick Mahomes before the trade was made.
The comment sparked something in Jets general manager Joe Douglas.
“I’ll just say those are comments that definitely resonated with us,” Douglas said this week at the NFL Combine when asked if the Jets would ask the NFL to initiate an investigation over potential tampering into the claim.
The relationship between Hardman and the Jets was seemingly on the rocks before his midseason departure, as he appeared in five games and made one catch for six yards.
But Hardman went on to grab his third Super Bowl ring and secured the overtime game-winning pass to lead the Chiefs to a 25-22 overtime win over the 49ers.