Jets’ Smith out 6-10 weeks after being punched in jaw by teammate
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Geno Smith’s hopes for a breakout season with the New York Jets took a major blow — to the jaw.
The quarterback will be sidelined at least 6-10 weeks with a broken jaw after being punched by teammate Ikemefuna Enemkpali in the locker room Tuesday morning. Smith, entering his third season, required surgery to repair the injuries.
Coach Todd Bowles made the stunning announcement in an impromptu news conference before training camp practice was scheduled to start.
Enemkpali, an outside linebacker in his second season, was immediately released by the Jets. Bowles said Smith and Enemkpali got into an “altercation” in the Jets’ locker room Tuesday morning.
“It had nothing to do with football,” Bowles said. “It was something very childish, and he got cold-cocked, sucker-punched — whatever you want to call it — in the jaw.”
Bowles wouldn’t go into detail about the nature of the altercation, except to say: “It was something very childish, that sixth-graders could have talked about. It had no reason for happening.”
Smith, who was having a good training camp, will be sidelined for the rest of the summer and likely for the first few games of the season. The season opener at home against Cleveland on Sept. 13 is five weeks away.
In a statement issued to The Associated Press by his agent, Enemkpali apologized to the team and fans.