Kansas Metropolis Chiefs huge receiver Mecole Hardman is making ready to face the San Francisco 49ers in Tremendous Bowl LVIII this Sunday after he flopped with the New York Jets this previous fall.
“It was a curler coaster,” Hardman stated throughout his Tremendous Bowl media availability about his Jets tenure, per Brian Costello of the New York Publish. “Issues undoubtedly didn’t go like I wished it to go. I suppose I simply wasn’t on the identical web page with everyone. There’s no dangerous blood over there. I’m glad for everyone over there. I’m nonetheless cool with a few of these guys. I want them one of the best. I believe issues occurred prefer it was imagined to.”
Hardman was one in every of a handful of gamers who joined the Jets final offseason as soon as it turned clear that quarterback Aaron Rodgers would pressure his approach from the Inexperienced Bay Packers to Gang Inexperienced. Rodgers then went down with a torn Achilles 4 offensive snaps into the regular-season opener, and Hardman rapidly turned a forgotten figure as a part of a unit that featured him for a complete of 28 offensive snaps throughout 5 video games earlier than he was traded to Kansas Metropolis.
Hardman initially performed for the Chiefs from 2019 via the 2022 season.
“I don’t know if he didn’t know how one can use me, in a way, or simply felt like he didn’t have to,” Hardman stated about his relationship with Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. “I don’t know what their pondering was when it got here to me and having me on the sector or not. There have been performs the place I may have gone into the sport. Was it referred to as? Not likely. I believe Hackett is a good man. When it got here to me, I don’t know what the thought course of was.”
Regardless of the whole lot that occurred with the Jets, Hardman referred to as New York’s Breece Corridor “undoubtedly a top-five working again within the league.” Hardman additionally provided excessive reward for younger Jets receiver Garrett Wilson.
“He’s probably the most athletic, freakish receiver I’ve ever been round — how he can twerk his physique, simply cease and his catching skill,” Hardman added about Wilson. “They’ve among the best defenses within the league. I believe with Aaron [Rodgers] coming again, and hopefully they get some items within the offseason, I believe they are often actually good.”
Hardman logged only one offensive snap in Kansas Metropolis’s AFC Championship win over the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 28 and could also be a non-factor versus the 49ers. Nonetheless, the 25-year-old may hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy on a Tremendous Bowl Sunday for the third time since February 2020.