Tensions were high in the Jets locker room after their 24-3 loss at Kansas City in Week 3, and head coach Todd Bowles had to get between Brandon Marshall and Sheldon Richardson to prevent an argument from escalating.
The Jets know all too well the dangers of locker-room disputes. IK Enemkpali broke Geno Smith’s jaw during the preseason last year, which opened the door for Ryan Fitzpatrick to start at quarterback.
By extinguishing a fight between the 6’3″, 294-pound Richardson and the 6’4″, 230-pound Marshall, Bowles might have spared the wide receiver corps from yet another injury. Eric Decker already is out for the season with hip and shoulder injuries.
Marshall calmed the waters afterward by saying it was a disagreement between “two Alpha males … two bulls” according to ESPN.com. Bowles pointed out that Richardson was the first player to congratulate Marshall after Marshall scored a touchdown at home against the Seahawks the following week.
The Jets (1-5) didn’t win that game, and that frustrating afternoon in Kansas City was the start of a four-game losing streak. There’s no fairy tale narrative about that argument sparking a Jets turnaround. Perhaps all the Jets gained that day was an ability to keep internal strife in check.
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