Two New York Jets players were disciplined by the NFL for incidents that occurred during their Week 18 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
The league announced Saturday that defensive lineman Kingsley Jonathan was fined $5,722 for unsportsmanlike conduct and taunting with 3:03 remaining in the third quarter. Cornerback Ja-Sir Taylor was also penalized, receiving a $6,111 fine for unnecessary roughness and use of the helmet with 2:12 left in the fourth quarter.
Buffalo had three players fined as well. Defensive end A.J. Epenesa was assessed a $14,491 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct and removing his helmet with 12:52 remaining in the third quarter. Offensive tackle Tylan Grable was fined $5,569 for an unsportsmanlike conduct violation involving a violent gesture with 11:48 left in the second quarter. Safety Jordan Hancock received a $5,111 fine for unnecessary roughness and a late hit with 12:52 remaining in the third quarter.
All players retain the right to appeal the fines.
Jets Blown Out by Bills
The Jets fell 35-8 to the Bills, finishing the season at 3-14 as Buffalo closed at 12-5.
“Obviously, the game was disappointing,” head coach Aaron Glenn said. “The only thing that I can think about is moving on to next year.”
Glenn also acknowledged the bigger picture, adding, “At the end of the day, we didn’t do enough to win enough games.”
Rookie quarterback Brady Cook, who started the season finale, echoed that sentiment. “It was a tough one,” he said. “Just a tough one. They had our number. We didn’t execute for most of that game, and it’s a lot to learn from. … My reps, my experience that I got, this team’s experience that we got this entire year as a whole, we have to learn from it. We have to move on from it. We can’t let it happen again.”
Jets on the Hunt for New Defensive Coordinator
Despite overseeing one of the worst defensive seasons in recent NFL history, the Jets elected to retain Glenn. The team failed to record a single interception all season, marking the first time that has happened since the statistic began being tracked in 1933. Glenn has since moved on from Steve Wilks, leaving the Jets searching for a new defensive coordinator.
“They’re going to interview several candidates. This is going to be a long process. It might not be until late January before that gets done. We have to see how the dust settles with all these head coaching hires around the league. Eight openings right now, which is just staggering — 25% of the league turnover,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini said on the “Flight Deck” podcast.
The Jets submitted their first interview request on Jan. 8, seeking to speak with Minnesota Vikings passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones. While Jones has never served as an NFL defensive coordinator, he has worked under respected coaches and plays a significant role in Minnesota’s strong defensive unit. Although he is the first candidate on the list, he is not expected to be the last.
There has also been growing speculation linking the Jets to veteran coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale. On The Athletic’s “Flight Plan” podcast, Zack Rosenblatt reported that there is “mutual interest” between Martindale and the Jets regarding the vacant defensive coordinator position, a point later confirmed by Cimini.
“He is looking for an aggressive coach. Wink Martindale’s name has come up in speculation. The first I heard that, I scoffed, but then I did hear there is some level of interest in Wink Martindale. I’d be surprised if it happens, that just does not seem like a good personality mix with Aaron Glenn. You’re talking about two Type A personalities, so I’d be surprised if it happens, but I guess from what I have been told, there is interest,” Cimini said on the “Flight Plan” podcast.
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