Pete Kendall Fires Back at Jets for “Lying”
Pete Kendall is in the Daily News this morning, most likely as a response to Newsday’s Bob Glauber recently writing articles pointing to Pete Kendall as the potential source of an ethereal players’ union complaint about no-pad practices being too physical. 
The thing is, from re-reading Glauber’s work, nothing is said about Kendall actually lodging a complaint. Glauber first writes that the Jets had contact at practice, then he writes that Kendall could contact the union, but there’s no proof of any of that happening in both articles. As a result of these columns, it seems Kendall feels like he is on his heels for no reason.
“I’m not going to confirm or deny any of that. I guess in the court of public opinion I’ve been tried, but I’m not going to offer a defense or accept guilt.”
Asked if he believes that Mangini’s practices included too much contact, Kendall simply said, “I’m not going to comment” – a response that spoke volumes.
Mangini wouldn’t be the first coach in the salary cap era to be glad the purse strings are out of his control, but the backdoor PR campaign being waged by the Jets has been fascinating, especially some of the dubious information put out by the organization. States Kendall:
“When Eric says one thing, and somebody else seemingly in the organization leaks negative stuff about me, it leaves me scratching my head. It’s like good cop, bad cop. I know I’ve taken my lumps – that happens when an athlete goes public with a contract dispute – but when the organization starts lying – or maybe ‘misspeaking’ is the term I should use – it leaves a bad taste.”
Wow … did he just say the team is lying … err … “mispeaking” to the press? If you had any doubts about the outcome of this whole thing, let me spoil the ending for you, there’s no way they can keep him, and this latest comment (even if it is true) can’t sit well with Tannenbaum or Mangini. Cimini continues:
Kendall said the last straw came the day after his minicamp diatribe, when he read several reports that said he was offered a one-year contract in 2006, the inference being it was his choice to take the security of a four-year deal. He called that a “complete falsehood,” insisting it was leaked by the organization. Sources later confirmed that, technically, he never was offered a one-year contract.
“It’s upsetting to me because it gets spun that I’ve been disloyal to them,” said Kendall, who skipped the voluntary workouts but reported to the mandatory minicamp. “To put those things out there – the clubhouse lawyer and the one-year offer – and to lie and retract it the next day . . . it shows me how naïve and foolish I was to help them out.”
I have to admit, that’s a pretty crappy move. Get the word out that he could have opted out after a year if he wanted to when no such contract was offered to Kendall, then “correct” the statement later after the damage has already been done. So it goes, it won’t be the first time a team lies to the press … just look at the entire month leading up to the Draft if you don’t believe me.
I am trying to be as fair as I can in the situation. There was a time a few months back when I thought having him on the team would be better than not, and I am not against him speaking his mind … as a blogger I find it quite refreshing … but sadly the problem is that his negative influence has become a liability greater than his potential contribution to the Offensive Line is an asset. On the bright side, at least the line is getting younger, if not better …
First of all, all of these guys are supposed to be professionals. I assume our team can figure out that PK wants more money but signed a contract that denies it to him and they can perform with the noise in the background. It is not like we are the only team in the league with guys under contracts they signed but now don’t like.
If PK wants to sit out Training Camp or underperform (and be fined and make less money) all it means is that guys like Clark and McChessney get more of a chance to show their stuff or lack thereof.
I see no reason for the Jets to react now. None at all.
Secondly, I am surprised no one has suggested the Jets send a third round pick and Kendall to the Steelers for Faneca. If they lose him as a FA as everyone expects, all they get is a third round compensatory pick. Even if we win the SB, our pick comes before the compensatory pick. And, PK fills a short term void. And while we are in the same conference we are not in the same division. And, they’d get the pick in next year’s draft as opposed to the draft the year after that.
Thirdly, the truth is PK signed his contract and his agent let him. Maybe the Jets did not specifically offer him a one year deal, but I thought PK had an agent. If PK had wanted a one year deal, couldn’t his agent have requested it? IOW, I completely disagree with your premise about the Jet’s “crappy move.’ PK did turn down a one year deal regardless. No one from his camp is saying PK asked for a one year deal and were turned down. So his failure to ask for a one year deal is, IMHO, the same as turning it down.
PK is trying to force his way out. The only lying going on is the lie of omission from his camp. So what? PK is a cheap vet and protection for us in case our other guards don’t develop or get hurt. More importantly, letting him go while he could attend an entire training camp with a division foe would be as dumb a move as any made by the Jets (and that includes turning the franchise over to Kotite, drafting Johnny Lam Jones, and picking O’Brien over Marino).
Absent a Faneca trade (which is not likley regardelss of the value to the Steelers), I say, let’s applaud Tangini for ignoring the media frenzy and sitting tight.
harlan
This Kendall situation goes from ugly to grotesque every day that passes by. Harlan it would be a dream to swap the two disgruntled guards but like you said, it’s not happening. If one thing is true about the current regime is that they have no regard for the media circus and do not get sucked into it. I say let’s go by faith they are doing the right thing behind the scenes.
Harlan, you make a good point that the agent could have requested a one year deal. It seems that he did want to stay at the time though, so a one year deal probably wasn’t what he was looking for anyway.
As far as the whole situation goes, it’s sticky and I look forward to it just being resolved, one way or another fairly soon.
JK wants to be released plain and simple. Wants to sign for more money with either Philly or the NYG so he will be closer to his NJ home.
I would call his agent and tell him that if he utters one more word to the press they will trade him to a West Coast NFC team for a 7th round pick in the 2020 draft, which changes to a 2008 first round pick if they give him more money or trade him to another team.
See how they like that.
Why can’t we all get along?
Thinking back, most of us only expected him to get a one year deal 12 months ago, if not an outright release. And if he sucked, they would have been well within their rights to release him after a year. What he is doing now constitutes sucking in my book.
He doesn’t have a leg to stand on and is just making it harder for himself to find a home.
i dont like whats going on here…this kind of conflict is bad for the locker room even if it is just June…they need to get JK out of there and get serious…i really liked Kendall on the O-line but he hates the Jets now and we need to trade him ASAP
-one concerned Jets fan
in a black & white world, there is no doubt PK is the antagonist here. This is nothing more than a repeat of the Scottie Pippen BS – do not sign the contract and then cry about it after the fact. If we are on 1 yard line with season on line and 1.8 seconds left and the play is called for a run right doe PK refuse to enter playing field? : )
I agree that we need this situation resolved ASAP! There is no telling how much damage this could cause us when we try to sign players via free agency. Lets just trade him with the guard from Cincinnatti that we invited for a visit this offseason? Stacy Andrews, hell be a free agent come next season, so I’ll just get him now in exchnage for PK and a late round draft choice.
Everyone has made really great points so far. I would love to get a deal done like Harlan suggested, Faneca would be a tremendous addition and we would get Kendall the hell out here. At this point I would take a swap of a younger mediocre guard and maybe a draft pick from any team willing to take Kendall back.
What a surprise that Kendall went to Rich Cimini an obvious Kendall sympathizer, to write this story? The two guys must have a lot in common being that they love ripping Mangini and the rest of Jets management.
Agree with all the points here, except I do not believe this will be a distraction for the Jets players. At any point in time, every NFL team has at least one disgruntled football player in the locker room. For every PK, there are guys like Bowens, Coleman and Jones…veterans who never believed that they had a legitimate shot to show all of their talents for their former teams or felt vastly underappreciated. Now, they are praising the front office for giving them a shot. And, let’s not forget Wadsworth, who never stops talking about how the Jets are a class organization.
PK has had 3 seasons as a Jet. His first as a cog on a very good and veteran line, led by Mawae, McKenzie and Fabini. In 2005, he was awful and, assuming Tangini looked at game film, I’m sure they thought he was expendable. But, lucky for Kendall, Trey Teague, who I thought was Kendall’s replacement, got injured and PK all of a sudden gets to wear the “C” jersey and gets commended for his mentoring of Brick and Nick.
So, let’s review PK’s Jets history. He was saved from Arizona after being a late cut (and, remember, Dennis Green cut him because someone (PK?) ratted him out for “contact” at OTA’s, so he got rid of clubhouse lawyer Pete). He went from an also-ran, to a playoff team. His first full-season as a Jet in 2005 was a disaster and he was one of the players who did not step up. His third season was most notable not for his blocking (and the Jets’ running game was poor), but for his mentoring. That rates a raise? And, all of a sudden he’s earned the right to complain as a wronged veteran…please!
Harlan, I’d love a swap for Faneca, but he wants to go to Arizona to be reunited with his former OL coach (and former Jet), Ken Whisenhunt. At this point, we want somebody who would be happy to be here.