Kansas City Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. is perhaps best known for his game-winning overtime touchdown in Super Bowl 58 last month, but this week, he’s drawn some attention for a much less welcome reason.
Hardman, who was drafted by the Chiefs in 2019 but signed with the New York Jets ahead of the 2023 season and was later traded back to Kansas City, has been accused of leaking Jets gameplans to opposing teams.
The firestorm was kicked off by a since-deleted post on social media from New York star cornerback Sauce Gardner, and it was later confirmed by a report from Connor Hughes of SNY in New York that the Jets suspect that Hardman, frustrated by his lack of usage, provided opponents with gameplans ahead of time.
Not the shirtless one you pervs https://t.co/gb7Oy7wAK1 pic.twitter.com/CrK50OY6nc
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) February 28, 2024
Yes, I’m told there was validated belief from the #Jets that WR Mecole Hardman, frustrated by his lack-of usage, leaked game plans to the opposition, as implied by several players (Sauce Gardner, Kenny Yeboah) today.
Not just the #Eagles game, but also the #Chiefs.… pic.twitter.com/d6LlvPnDaJ
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) February 29, 2024
Jets punter Thomas Morstead also took to social media to warn reporters about receiving information from “disgruntled former employers” in a not-so-subtle post referencing Hardman.
In five games with the Jets, Hardman had just one catch for six yards.
Be 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.
— Thomas Morstead (@thomasmorstead) February 28, 2024
In light of the allegations, Hardman took to social media himself to protest his innocence.
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,” he said on X (formerly Twitter). “I have never been a person to give an opponent an upper hand I always want to win no matter the circumstances!!!!!”
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. I have never been a person to give an opponent an upper hand I always want to win no matter the circumstances!!!!!
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) March 1, 2024
Hardman was specifically accused of leaking gameplans to the Chiefs and Eagles. While the former was a tight loss for the Jets, they upset the latter in one of their biggest wins of the season.
