Shocking New Details On Heated Exchange At Jets Practice

Elijah Moore requested a trade from the New York Jets in October.

The Jets never pulled the trigger on a deal involving the second-year wide receiver, but now we have a clearer picture of what would have happened behind closed doors prior to his request.

The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt revealed Thursday that Moore, whose frustration became evident on social media, chewed up then-Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur during practice the week after New York defeated the Green Bay Packers. Moore was untargeted and ran just 14 routes in the Week 6 contest.

“His frustration spilled over into practice that week,” Rosenblatt wrote of Moore’s outburst. “That Thursday, Moore surprised his teammates and coaches by exploding on LaFleur, telling him to ‘fuck you’ and ‘you suck,’ according to multiple people who witnessed the interaction.”

LaFleur and Jets head coach Robert Saleh sent Moore home, after which the 2021 second-round pick requested a trade. Denzel Mims, a 2020 second-rounder, also requested a trade in August, so a volatile situation was clearly brewing in the Meadowlands.

The Jets ultimately missed the playoffs, thanks to a six-game losing streak to end the season. But they won three of their five games immediately after Moore’s outburst. It wasn’t until the injuries started piling up and the offense really spat that New York’s season fell apart.

“Publicly and privately, Saleh supported both Moore and Mims, and his compassion resonated with fellow Jets players,” Rosenblatt wrote. “Moore and LaFleur kissed. Mims and Moore didn’t cause any trouble the rest of the season.