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Garrett Wilson #5 of the New York Jets in action during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between New York Jets and New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on August 16, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Since the 2025 season came to an end and the New York Jets were locked into the No. 2 overall pick, there has been a wide-ranging discussion about whether players should want to play for the Jets, given their long-term dysfunction.
The Ringer’s Todd McShay claimed earlier in the week that Oregon quarterback Dante Moore would be better off staying in school for another season rather than going second overall to New York.
Even ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith called the Jets a “football atrocity,” saying he would go back to college before playing for the Jets.
But superstar wide receiver Garrett Wilson wasn’t having any of it and defended his team by firing back at Smith on X.
Last thing imma say on it. I listened, and I ain’t like it, but that’s all okay. I just don’t want bad advice going out. That was bad career and financial advice that he himself wouldn’t even take. Not to mention yeah I take some of it personal. All good. Go Jets
Stephen A. Smith Rips the Jets
On the January 7 episode of the ESPN talk show “First Take,” the topic of discussion was whether or not Moore should return to Oregon for another season of college football.
Smith turned it into a soliloquy about the state of the New York Jets franchise.
“I’d eat something to provoke myself to have food poisoning – where I’m like garbage – before I play for the Jets…Whatever I can do to be alive, and be okay in the end, but to ruin their thoughts of ever wanting me on their roster, I would do,” Smith told his co-panelists.
“I’d go back to college before I play for the Jets. They are a football atrocity. They are awful.” 😳
@stephenasmith on if Oregon QB Dante Moore should return to the Ducks instead of potentially playing for the Jets 🏈
“They are horrible, horrible, okay? And they are the place to go if you want to sink, if you want to dissipate, if you want to just rot away. They are horrible. I wouldn’t, listen, if I was a parent, my child wouldn’t even go to the draft.”
It was a harsh message from Stephen A., and one that caught the attention and ire of Wilson.
@FirstTake @stephenasmith Damn, u gotta be a real sell out n above all a square to be on ESPN nowadays. Used to love that show
And likely, to keep the motivation coming for 2026, the Jets’ best player wants to keep seeing the non-believers on his social media feed.
Wilson is keeping receipts heading into next season, and is imaginably excited to get back on the field and remind the world how the Jets can operate on offense when he’s healthy.
He also, like almost everyone else these days, misses the old ESPN, when people like Stuart Scott kept it real on the Worldwide Leader in Sports.
@bfgnyc @FirstTake @stephenasmith Yeah, but the casuals like listening to Stephen A more than say a JJ Redick when he was w ESPN.
Rip Stuart Scott he da 🐐
Stephen A. Smith Responds to Garrett Wilson
After Wilson’s responses on X, Stephen A. announced that he would be addressing the feud live on “First Take” on January 8.
Wilson responded:
Smith’s response on Thursday morning essentially was just him doubling down on his take that the New York Jets are a bad organization.
“I wasn’t talking about you. I was pleading for you to get help. Meaning the kind of help Sauce Gardner got when they sent him to Indy? Meaning the kind of help Quinnen Williams got when they sent him to Dallas?” Smith said emphatically.
“Did I stutter? The Jets are horrible.” 😳
@stephenasmith responds to Garrett Wilson’s comments 🍿
“I think players should be trying to get up out of MetLife Stadium…I was talking about the organization. The Jets are horrible. You haven’t been to the playoffs since 2010. That’s 15 years!”
Smith isn’t necessarily wrong about the long-running failure of the organization; it’s just a fact.
But the thought process behind advising players not to go to a team because of historical ineptitude is just strange.
What should the New York Jets do? Fold up the franchise and abandon ship?
They can’t, and they won’t. The Jets will keep taking swings until something breaks right for them, and until then, they’ll have players like Wilson defending the organization and its fan base.
Last thing imma say on it. I listened, and I ain’t like it, but that’s all okay. I just don’t want bad advice going out. That was bad career and financial advice that he himself wouldn’t even take. Not to mention yeah I take some of it personal. All good. Go Jets
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