LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 11: Mecole Hardman Jr. #12 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with Patrick Mahomes #15 after scoring the game-winning touchdown in overtime to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Football fans are calling for the Kansas City Chiefs to be investigated by the NFL over some rather suspicious activity.
During his appearance on “The Pivot Podcast”, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman admitted he was “checked out” during his short-lived tenure with the New York Jets. Hardman added that he spoke with Chiefs GM Brett Veach and quarterback Patrick Mahomes and told them to “come get me.”
Mecole Hardman: ‘I never had talks w/ the #Chiefs before the trade’
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Also Mecole Hardman: ‘I was so checked out like it’s over I already talked with [Brett] Veach & Pat [Mahomes] like bro come get me boy. What are y’all doing? Who we talking about? Come get me!‘ 🧐
Uhm…… https://t.co/r5vY5IZR2m pic.twitter.com/hMxY6XOFHW
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) February 28, 2024
Sure enough, the Chiefs wound up re-acquiring Hardman from the Jets in a trade involving a swap of late-round picks. Hardman helped the Chiefs defend their Super Bowl championship, catching the game-winning TD pass from Mahomes in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers.
As noted by Connor Hughes of SNY, Hardman’s story is a simple case of tampering. Hughes added that the Jets will likely ask the NFL to investigate and see if the Chiefs committed tampering here.
Joe Douglas didn’t seem thrilled with the remarks from WR Mecole Hardman that, while on the #Jets, he contacted the #Chiefs and told them to come get him. That’s tampering. #NYJ can, and likely will, ask league to look into that.
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) February 28, 2024
TRENDING NEWS
Fans are now ripping on the Chiefs and calling for the league to investigate and punish them over this suspicious activity…
What a dope, the league better award the Jets a 2nd round pick.
— JetsFactsCheck (@CheckJets) February 28, 2024
How bout the chiefs first round pick
O l. W r. O l
First three rounds
— Bryan Giudice (@BryanG4009) February 28, 2024
I hate the fact Douglas rewarded Hardman with KC he should’ve been benched for the season and kicked off the team… NFL needs to investigate the Cheifs and Eagles
— Eagle Fang 🦅 (@EagleFangMaster) February 28, 2024
As they should.
Do you know what the precedent might be in terms of punishment/compensation for tampering if this is proven to be the case?
— International Jets ✈️ (@dontcoolthejets) February 28, 2024
Hardman later stated on X/Twitter that tampering was not committed, stating that he never spoke with the Chiefs before the trade:
Never had talks with KC before the trade, so we can CLEAR THAT UP! The Jets handled my trade on their own and did the right thing by sending me back to KC! https://t.co/W5A1uYXsM1
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) February 28, 2024
After four seasons with the Chiefs, Hardman signed a one-year deal with the Jets in 2023 free agency. He was a non-factor on a struggling New York team and wound up getting traded back to KC, where Hardman won his third Super Bowl title.