Hardman denies leaking Jets' game plan to opponents

Former New York Jets wideout Mecole Hardman vehemently denied leaking the team's game plan to opponents.

Members within the Jets organization suspect Hardman leaked their offensive game plan before matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs last season, according to SNY's Connor Hughes.

"There were false accusations made about me and my character," Hardman posted on X. "To set the record straight, I have never and would never leak game plans to another team. I have never been a person to give an opponent an upper hand. I always want to win no matter the circumstances."

Current Jets players Sauce Gardner and Kenny Yeboah took umbrage with criticism from Hardman regarding the team's culture in an appearance on "The Pivot" podcast this week.

"(Hardman) is tripping out. We ain't (going to) talk about how our offensive game plan got leaked versus the Eagles, (though)," Gardner wrote in a since-deleted post on X, per ESPN's Rich Cimini.

Hardman said he contacted Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and general manager Brett Veach to "Come get me" while with the Jets. The veteran wideout, who captured his third Super Bowl title with Kansas City after being traded by New York in October, denied contacting the Chiefs before being dealt.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas said that Hardman's comments "definitely resonated with us" as speculation ramped up regarding whether the team would investigate tampering by the Chiefs.