As the Jets’ 2014 season officially acquires orphan status, plenty of potential Baby Daddies continue to line up to have their mouths swabbed for Tom Brady career DNA.
Coincidentally, with the Patriots preparing to host the Jets for what likely will be the last time in the Rex Ryan era, Gary Myers of the New York Daily News rubs a little salt in the latest wounded Jets season.
Myers reports that former Jets scout Jesse Kaye lobbied aggressively for the team to take Brady with the 179th pick in the draft. Former G.M. Bill Parcells reportedly disagreed, presumably since a first-round pick already had been used that year on quarterback Chad Pennington.
So Brady remained on the board for picks 180 through 198, with the Cowboys, Lions, Panthers, Browns, Chargers, Seahawks, Ravens, Patriots, Chiefs, Broncos, Seahawks (again), Ravens (again), Eagles, Buccaneers, Bills, Saints, Jaguars, Titans, and Rams all passing one more time on Brady before the Pats plucked him with pick No. 199.
Parcells told the Daily News he doesn’t recall being lobbied to take Brady, and Kaye (now a consultant) declined comment through the Jets. Myers says his source has a “long memory.” (Wait, Peyton Manning was in the Jets’ draft room?)
The following persons worked for the Jets and may have been in the room when Brady wasn’t drafted: team president Steve Gutman, director of player personnel Dick Haley, director of pro player development/player contract negotiations Mike Tannenbaum, director of player development Carl Banks, senior manager of pro player development (NFC) Brian Gaine, senior manager of pro player development (AFC) JoJo Wooden, and scouts Trent Baalke, Joey Clinkscales, Michael Davis, Sid Hall, and Bob Schmitz.
Don’t blame me, guys, when you’re reached for comment on this issue. I didn’t throw the grenade; I’m just a guy with enough of a hoarding defect to have kept his copy of the NFL 2000 Record & Fact Book.