Jets’ Smith out 6-10 weeks after punched in jaw by teammate

The New York Jets have been forced to look for depth at quarterback in veteran Tyler Thigpen after they lost quarterback Geno Smith for six to 10 weeks Tuesday after he was punched by linebacker IK Enemkpali in a locker room altercation that resulted in a broken jaw, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello.

According to witnesses in the locker room and various media reports, there was a shouting match between the two of them over this money and that’s when Enemkpali hauled off with a haymaker punch that shattered Smith’s jaw and, once again, makes the Jets the laughingstock of the league before the season even starts. ESPN and NFL Network, among others, reported that Enemkpali believed Smith owed him $600 for a plane ticket he purchased for a July 11 camp in Enemkpali’s hometown of Pfugerville, Texas. Now, he’s out of a job with the Jets and Smith is headed to surgery.

ESPN analyst Cris Carter questioned Smith’s “leadership” in the moments after the news broke.

Head coach Todd Bowles said that Smith got “cold cocked”.

Enemkpali did issue a formal apology via Twitter.

With Smith out for the foreseeable future, the Jets will turn to backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Most Jets fans don’t want Smith as their quarterback to begin with. “It was very childish”, Bowles said.

Enemkpali was a sixth-round draft pick by the Jets in 2014 and played only 40 snaps as a rookie. Smith, entering his third season, will require surgery to fix the injuries. I deeply regret and apologise for my actions.

“My only goal is to heal quickly and get back to playing with my teammates so I can be the best QB possible for the New York Jets”, Smith said in a statement. “It’s something we can’t stand. And you don’t walk up to another man and punch him in the face”. Maybe the Jets can throw in the towel on 2015 and entertain the rest of us with Lorenzen and his Super Bowl-winning pedigree.

This is not Enemkpali’s first brush with off-the-field violence. He was suspended from the Louisiana Tech team in 2011 after being arrested for an off-campus incident in which he was booked with disturbing the peace and battery of a police officer.

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