NFL star gets broken jaw from locker room 'sucker punch'
Training camp injuries, even catastrophic ones, aren't uncommon in the NFL. But when you're talking about the New York Jets, the uncommon is an everyday occurrence.
Case in point: Geno Smith, projected as the team's starting quarterback, has been injured in a locker room brawl and will miss 6 to 10 weeks with a broken jaw.
Yes, really.
A day after Cam Newton smiled his way through an intrasquad brawl, Smith apparently wasn't so lucky, taking a punch from linebacker IK Enemkpali. Jets coach Todd Bowles announced the injury in an impromptu news conference Tuesday afternoon, adding that Enemkpali has been released.
Media reports trickled out of the Jets locker room in the minutes after the announcement:
It was LB IK Enemkpali who broke Geno Smith's jaw. Coach Todd Bowles called the incident “childish." Enemkpali has been released.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) August 11, 2015
Am told Jets' QB Geno Smith's jaw was broken in two places. Now out 6-10 weeks.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 11, 2015
From what I was told, Smith put his finger in Enemkpali's face during an argument and that's what led to the punch.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 11, 2015
STORY UPDATE: The punch, which broke Smith's jaw and will put him out six to 10 weeks, was over a $600 plane ticket Enemkpali bought Smith to attend his football camp on July 11 at Pfugerville High School in Pfugerville, Texas, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
Days before the camp a person close to Smith died in a motorcycle accident, and Smith didn't attend. Enemkpali asked Smith to reimburse the money, and Smith said he would but never did, Schefter reported. Tuesday's incident was over Enemkpali confronting Smith over that $600 according to Schefter.
The incident will follow Enemkpali. Jets coach Todd Bowles classified it as a sucker punch, and "childish." Bowles, who had to come up to the podium a second time for another news conference on Tuesday, said "there had to be something brewing" and the punch happened suddenly before anyone could react. Here's what also happened suddenly: Enemkpali was cut by the team.
Via statement, Enemkpali gave a blanket apology to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, although he put some onus on Smith in the incident:
Ex-#Jets LB IK Enemkpali: “I apologize to the Jets organization, coaches, teammates & fans. Geno & I let our frustration get the best of us”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 11, 2015
More from Enemkpali: “I should have just walked away from the situation. It was never my intention to harm anyone.” He regrets his actions
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 11, 2015
The NFL can forgive and forget, but teams probably won't be jumping to sign a linebacker with three career tackles who just broke the jaw of a prominent teammate.
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