The NFL is looking into Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner’s allegation that Patriots quarterback Mac Jones hit him in his private parts at the end of a play in last Sunday’s game and Jones responded to the claim on Monday.
Video shows Gardner shove Jones after the quarterback delivers the alleged shot to the crotch while getting up at the end of a quarterback sneak. During an appearance on WEEI, Jones didn’t deny contact was made with Gardner but did say that he didn’t intentionally take a shot at the cornerback’s family jewels.
“Sauce is one of the best corners in the NFL. I have a lot of respect for him. On that play, nothing was intentional. I just got up and went back to the huddle, and that’s it,” Jones said.
Jones has been accused of dirty play on several other occasions and he was fined for a low hit on cornerback Eli Apple when Apple was playing for the Bengals last year. Jones was asked about his growing reputation for taking things too far.
“Like I said, I can’t control that stuff,” Jones said. “I try to be really competitive and go out there and be a good teammate and compete, and come to work every day and work hard and put a lot of hours into it. I definitely care about football a lot and this game means a lot to me and it means a lot to a lot of other guys that I play with so I hope that they can see that.”
The NFL announces weekly fines on Saturdays, but word of any discipline for Jones for the Gardner incident could leak out ahead of that release.
