Jets quarterback Sam Darnold says he's 'seeing ghosts' in bad loss to Pats

"I'm seeing ghosts," said the New York Jets second-year quarterback who was wearing a microphone for the ESPN broadcast. The Jets would go on to lose to the Patriots 33-0.

News 12 Staff

Oct 22, 2019, 12:51 PM

Updated 1,654 days ago

Share:

NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Jets are disappointed and angry quarterback Sam Darnold's comment about him "seeing ghosts" made it on air during the "Monday Night Football" game.

Darnold was wearing a microphone for ESPN's broadcast of New York's 33-0 loss to New England. After the third of his five turnovers in the game, the Jets' frustrated quarterback was sitting on the sideline in the second quarter when he made his comment that quickly went viral on social media after it aired.

"That was one of those things that was really disappointing to hear about after the game," coach Adam Gase said Tuesday. "I don't know if I've ever seen that where somebody that was mic'd up, that a comment like that was allowed to be aired. It bothers me. It bothers the organization."

Gase added that the Jets will be "looking hard into our cooperation" with the networks going forward.

Select players are mic'd up during prime-time games and NFL Films has a representative listening on site. The representative then will approve the comments to air - in this case, on ESPN's "Monday Night Football."

"You're never anticipating something like that happening," Gase said. "The fact that it did just gives us pause to really cooperate anymore because I don't know how we would allow our franchise quarterback to be put out there like that."

The approval process is designed to help prevent players and coaches from having things they say that might cast them, the team or the league in a negative light from being aired.

Neither the NFL nor ESPN had immediate comment.

By NFL rules, each team's starting quarterback and head coach are required to be mic'd up by NFL Films once a season. Darnold fulfilled his requirement by being mic'd up against the Patriots.

In the Jets' Week 2 loss to Cleveland, backup quarterback Trevor Siemian wore a microphone while starting for Darnold, who was sidelined with mononucleosis. Siemian left that game in the second quarter with a season-ending ankle injury.

Jets running back Le'Veon Bell took to social media to defend Darnold - and criticize the NFL.

"The NFL screwed Sammy over," Bell wrote on Twitter. "There's not one player in the NFL who's cool with having every sideline convo broadcasted to millions...there's a reason we've never heard other QB's frustrated on the sideline like that before...that's crazy, NFL did Sam dirty as hell."

In football parlance, "seeing ghosts" is a phrase sometimes used when a player is having trouble reading the coverages on defense.

That was clearly the case for Darnold, who had his worst game of his young career. He was 11 of 32 for 86 yards with four interceptions and a horrific 3.6 quarterback rating.

"I have a lot of confidence in Sam bouncing back from this," Gase said.
 
 
 
 
 


More from News 12
1:45
St. Simon Stock School in Fordham to not reopen this fall due to low enrollment

St. Simon Stock School in Fordham to not reopen this fall due to low enrollment

1:37
Summerlike weather returns to NYC with temps in the 80s; cooler weather for the weekend

Summerlike weather returns to NYC with temps in the 80s; cooler weather for the weekend

1:32
Residents outraged after ban on door cameras at Mott Haven building

Residents outraged after ban on door cameras at Mott Haven building

1:43
Nonprofit wants to bring an independent cinema to the Bronx

Nonprofit wants to bring an independent cinema to the Bronx

1:54
Bronx charter schools have open seats for upcoming school year

Bronx charter schools have open seats for upcoming school year

2:04
Grants up for grabs for restaurants hurt by new stove standards

Grants up for grabs for restaurants hurt by new stove standards

1:51
Residents worried that sinkhole problems from years prior may return

Residents worried that sinkhole problems from years prior may return

1:19
Council members making a push for rat birth control

Council members making a push for rat birth control

1:43
NYPD: Multiple suspects wanted for string of gunpoint robberies across the Bronx, Manhattan

NYPD: Multiple suspects wanted for string of gunpoint robberies across the Bronx, Manhattan

1:30
82-unit affordable housing development coming to West Farms

82-unit affordable housing development coming to West Farms

1:51
RFK announces he has enough signatures to appear on NY ballot

RFK announces he has enough signatures to appear on NY ballot

1:41
Bronx man in custody following death of his 79-year-old mother in Concourse Village apartment

Bronx man in custody following death of his 79-year-old mother in Concourse Village apartment

1:47
City officials, drivers weigh in on potential disappearance of parking spots in Mount Hope

City officials, drivers weigh in on potential disappearance of parking spots in Mount Hope

0:34
FBI arrests Brooklyn man in Mount Vernon robbery, homicide

FBI arrests Brooklyn man in Mount Vernon robbery, homicide

2:19
Rent hikes may be coming for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments

Rent hikes may be coming for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments

2:23
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse, community advocates file over 150 lawsuits accusing staff at juvenile facilities

Survivors of childhood sexual abuse, community advocates file over 150 lawsuits accusing staff at juvenile facilities

1:33
NYPD: Man wanted for robbing Mott Haven deli at gunpoint

NYPD: Man wanted for robbing Mott Haven deli at gunpoint

1:57
Pelham Parkway dialysis center closing soon, leaving patients angered

Pelham Parkway dialysis center closing soon, leaving patients angered

2:32
Transportation Alternatives: 2024 was the deadliest start to a year since start of Vision Zero

Transportation Alternatives: 2024 was the deadliest start to a year since start of Vision Zero

1:36
Residents say they feel unsafe after bricks fell from their building

Residents say they feel unsafe after bricks fell from their building