“I want to apologize to the Jets organization, the fans, my teammates and the coaches”.
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“It takes a while, but I think they’re clicking pretty good, coming together”, Bowles said. “It was never my intention to hurt anybody”, The 24-year-old Enemkpali added.
As for joining the Bills, the second-year player vowed to be an accountable teammate.
The second-year defensive end talked with a member of the Bills’ public relations staff briefly before agreeing to interviews on the condition that he would not answer questions about what he had done to Smith. The team will then have another day off from the practice field before returning Saturday.
And yet with all the big bodies and aggression spread across the Bills’ roster going into their preseason opener Friday against the Panthers, there is no shrouding the elephant in their locker room.
Bills general manager Doug Whaley had a warning, however, saying that Enemkpali “knows he’s on a short leash”.
“It was their first chance to play with Ryan Fitzpatrick, their new quarterback, and you got the distinct impression in the locker room that the Jets moved on from Geno Smith”. That was his approach even before Tuesday’s locker-room altercation in which a punch from Ikemefuna Enemkpali – now a former Jet – broke Geno Smith’s jaw.
“The good thing is Ryan is a smart guy and he really sees the field well”, he said.
But if you let Smith tell it, you’ll think he’s doing just fine. “What happened in New York happened there”.
“It was an unfortunate incident”.
“We’ve still got to put the work in”, Fitzpatrick said.
It’s not yet known if Smith will press charges against Enemkpali.
Enemkpali could still be disciplined by the NFL for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Whaley said hes reserving judgment on what happened in New York. He’s thrown for 25 touchdowns against 34 interceptions in his first 30 pro games (29 starts), ranking 31st among 44 qualifying quarterbacks in Football Outsiders’ DVOA last season. Hell be given a shot to compete for a backup job behind outside linebacker Manny Lawson, and also play a role on special teams. That means any team interested in signing Enemkpali, a sixth-round pick last year out of Louisiana Tech, might have to weigh a possible suspension. This is Geno’s third season with the Jets and if he doesn’t show them something soon it just may be his last.
Clark knows from his own dealings with Enemkpali that the hulking 24-year-old doesn’t mess around when it comes to his money.
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One day before the Jets were trounced in San Diego by the Chargers, Smith missed a pre-game team meeting and claimed to have set his watch incorrectly after changing time zones.
