New Details Emerge From Elijah Moore's Profane Outburst on Day of Trade Request
Shortly before Elijah Moore requested a trade from the Jets in October, the receiver was sent home from practice after reportedly voicing his frustration and displeasure with his role in New York's offense.
Moore wasn't getting the ball, producing numbers that paled in comparison to his promising performance as a rookie in 2021.
Three months later, more details have emerged from that outburst that took place behind closed doors, a situation that involved a confrontation with former offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, Moore told LaFleur to "go f— yourself" in practice after he was held without a catch in a win over the Packers in Week 6.
Here's more from Rosenblatt on the heated exchange:
His frustration spilled into practice that week. That Thursday, Moore surprised teammates and coaches by blowing up on LaFleur, telling him to “go f— yourself” and “you suck,” according to multiple people who witnessed the interaction. LaFleur and Saleh ultimately decided to send Moore home to cool off. That night, he requested a trade.
The situation appeared to be resolved when LaFleur and Moore "hugged it out," per Rosenblatt. Moore and Denzel Mims, who also requested a trade last year, didn't cause any problems internally for the rest of the season, Rosenblatt added.
Still, the product on the field hasn't been resolved. LaFleur and the Jets parted ways this offseason with the coordinator pursuing other opportunities. Moore was targeted more often in the second half of the year, but he finished the season with 446 yards and 37 catches in 16 games. As a rookie, Moore had 538 yards and 43 receptions in 11 games.
Most importantly, the Jets have significant issues at the quarterback position heading into 2023. Former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson failed to take a step forward in his second season with New York, a campaign where the Jets squandered an opportunity to make the postseason, wasting an elite performance from their defense.
Both head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas have publicly advocated for Wilson since the conclusion of this past season. All signs point to the Jets considering (and pursuing) alternatives at the position this offseason, with Saleh and Douglas scrambling to improve this offense and take advantage of a stellar young core.
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