Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman has written yet another chapter in his ongoing feud with his former team, the Jets.
Hardman wasn't in New York very long. After spending the first four years of his career in Kansas City, winning Super Bowls in 2019 and 2022, Hardman signed a one-year, $6.5 million deal with the Jets last offseason.
The 25-year-old's tenure in New York did not go as planned, appearing in just five games before frustration boiled over and he was traded back to the Chiefs in Week 7.
After playing hero for Kansas City by scoring the overtime game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl 58, Hardman has not been shy about airing the dirty laundry from his time with the Jets.
Now, New York decided to punch back at its former wide receiver.
MORE: Mecole Hardman-Jets beef, explained
Jets believe Mecole Hardman leaked game plans to opponents
In the latest update on the Hardman-Jets saga, New York believes that Hardman leaked the Jets' game plans to opponents because he was "frustrated by his lack of usage," SNY's Connor Hughes reported.
The report specifically cites the Jets' loss to Kansas City in Week 4 and win over the Eagles in Week 6 as two games they believe Hardman gave away their strategy. Hardman was still a member of the Jets for those games, making it a significant allegation.
Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner originally introduced that thought Wednesday, posting (and later deleting) on X, formerly known as Twitter, "We ain't gon talk about how our offensive gameplan got leaked vs. the Eagles tho," with a frowning emoji.
Hardman jumped back into the conversation Friday on X.
"There were FALSE accusations made about me and MY CHARACTER!," Hardman wrote in a post.
"To set the record straight, I have never and would never leak gameplans to another team. I have never been a person to give an opponent an upper hand I always want to win no matter the circumstances!!!!!"
Mecole Hardman game log
Following the Jets' Week 6 loss, Hardman was traded to the Chiefs. In five games in New York, Hardman caught just one pass for 6 yards. He was targeted three times.
Hardman played in six games after re-joining Kansas City. He caught 14 passes for 118 yards in those contests. He also added five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown during the team's playoff run.
On Tuesday, Hardman hopped on former NFL player Ryan Clark's podcast, "The Pivot," ripping into the Jets' culture.
"There’s no standard there," Hardman said. "Everybody does what they want to do. Granted, the defense has more of a stabilized standard with the coaching staff on that side, so the defense has a standard.
"But the offense is just like, 'We’ll just figure it out. It’s Aaron [Rodgers'] show. Let Aaron do what Aaron does.' Then when Aaron goes down, it’s like, 'We don’t know what to do.'"
MORE: NFL Mock Draft 2024, 2-round edition
Hardman was also quick to point out the team success that he's had compared to the players in the Jets' locker room, stating they don't know what a winning culture looks like.
"Y’all can’t tell me about winning," Hardman said. "I’ve been to four Super Bowls in five years. I know what winning looks like. I know what winning is… y'all not doing it right. We got helmets on the ground, we don’t got no discipline ... It’s too many individual egos in this locker room ... that’s not gonna get y'all to win."
Hardman admitted that he was mentally checked out of New York four weeks into the season and that he told Chiefs GM Brett Veach and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes to "come get me."
The 25-year-old receiver is set to hit unrestricted free agency again this offseason, and he already made it clear that he will consider every NFL team besides the Jets.
"No, I won't go back to the Jets," he stated plainly on "NFL Total Access."
