The NFL has launched an investigation after New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones fired a below-the-belt shot at New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, who later posted video of the incident on Twitter.
The event in question happened in the fourth quarter after Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley tackled Jones.
Gardner claims that Jones then stood up in his face, which is something that has never happened to him before as a cornerback.
‘He got tackled, and he reached his hand up to get me to help him up, and I just moved his hand out of the way.
‘But then he got up and he just came up to me [saying], like, ‘Good job.’ But while he’s saying that, he hit me in my private parts.’
The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year added that he ‘definitely wasn’t expecting that. First time for everything I guess. … He’s trying to prevent me from having kids in the future.’
Gardner was seen shoving Jones to the ground, but that was largely the end of the fracas.
After the 15-10 Patriots win, Jones tried shoving off the accusation.
‘Just football. I think it’s a physical game and at that point in the game, you just have to fight to get the one yard,’ the third-year quarterback said.
‘I was just trying to get the first down. … A lot of guys on both teams are in there and it definitely can get pretty physical in there.’
Jones has been accused of dirty play many times by multiple different opponents since joining the league in 2021.
It’s possible the Pats QB could be fined or further suspended by the NFL if he’s found to have committed the act he’s accused of.
