Brian Hoyer may have visited the Jets’ front office Tuesday, but their old quarterback was visiting with two of their best offensive players.
Via Zach Braziller of the New York Post, free agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick attended last night’s Rangers-Penguins playoff game alongside wide receiver Eric Decker and center Nick Mangold.
That does nothing to prevent the appearance of an inevitable deal between the Jets and the veteran quarterback, who led them to 10 wins and the cusp of the playoffs. But until they can come to some kind financial agreement, all the pleas from teammates to get Fitzpatrick back in house won’t matter.
The subplot to all this is that Mangold is apparently a rabid hockey fan, to the extent that he had to be calmed down.
According to the Post report, the Jets center “harassed the opposing team like a diehard sitting in the upper deck six beers deep.” At one point, security had to come over to tell him to calm down. The Rangers declined comment, and Mangold brushed off a question saying: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Of course, if the Jets can’t find a way to bridge the gap with Fitzpatrick, they might run the risk of Mangold giving them the same kind of tongue-lashing as well.