Elijah Moore requested a trade from the New York Jets back in October.
The Jets never pulled the trigger on a deal involving the second-year wide receiver, but we now have a clearer picture of what reportedly transpired behind closed doors prior to his request.
The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt revealed Thursday that Moore, whose frustration became apparent on social media, chewed out then-Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur during practice the week after New York defeated the Green Bay Packers. Moore wasn’t targeted and ran just 14 routes in the Week 6 contest.
“His frustration spilled into practice that week,” Rosenblatt wrote of Moore’s outburst. “That Thursday, Moore surprised teammates and coaches by blowing up on LaFleur, telling him to ‘go f— yourself’ and ‘you suck,’ according to multiple people who witnessed the interaction.”
LaFleur and Jets head coach Robert Saleh sent Moore home, after which the 2021 second-round pick requested a trade. Denzel Mims, a second-rounder in 2020, requested a trade in August, as well, so a volatile situation clearly was brewing in the Meadowlands.
The Jets ultimately missed the playoffs, thanks to a six-game losing streak to end the season. But they won three of their five games immediately following Moore’s blowup. It wasn’t until injuries started to mount and the offense really sputtered that New York’s season spiraled down the drain.
“Publicly and privately, Saleh supported both Moore and Mims, and his compassion resonated with other Jets players,” Rosenblatt wrote. “Moore and LaFleur hugged it out. Mims and Moore didn’t cause any issues the rest of the season.”
The Jets since have parted ways with LaFleur. Moore finished the season with 37 receptions for 446 yards and one touchdown as the Jets struggled to overcome shaky quarterback play, most notably from second-year signal-caller Zach Wilson.
