Did “Hackenberg hit reporters with passes twice” at Jets OTA practices?
It depends what you mean by hitting reporters with passes.
Now, I didn’t see any reporters get hit, but I did see some passes go out of bounds on the media sideline.
One pass, I noticed the receiver didn’t run the right route – didn’t follow through on the route toward the sideline, and the ball went out of bounds. The receiver and Hackenberg discussed this after the play. I suspect this was one of the plays that a reporter might have been “hit.”
Keep something in mind in these spring practices. This is the time of year quarterbacks and wide receivers are getting the kinks out. This isn’t about style points, it’s about improving. This is why coaches would prefer the media not be there.
Also keep in mind, the Jets are putting in a new offense under coordinator John Morton, and have a lot of young receivers who are still learning, and sometimes running the wrong routes. I have seen Morton scream at receivers repeatedly for route running.
Judging players in OTA’s is like judging Broadway actors in dress rehearsals.
Did some passes go out of bounds and hit or nick a reporter, maybe. I wasn’t focused on that because it’s so frivolous.
But you have to keep things in context; new offense, a lot of new receivers and a lot of mistakes on the field.
Once again, one pass that perhaps a reporter got hit or nicked, the receiver didn’t run the route right. This pass definitely went to the area we were standing with a lot of velocity. The receiver wasn’t where he was supposed to be, and the ball went out of bounds.
Context, context, context.
