FITZ FOR BRAINS!

Scott a hypocrite for calling out QB

Bart Scott’s career with the Jets was defined by two words: Can’t wait. His post-football career is defined by just one: Hypocrite. Scott, an inside linebacker, played four years with the Jets and made $33 million. Clearly, $33 million doesn’t buy what it did in the good old days. All the Jets received from Scott was a pedestrian 299 total tackles, nine sacks, one media boycott and a crucial missed tackle in the AFC Championship Game.

He actually signed a six- year, $48 million deal with $22 million guaranteed as a free agent in 2009, but had his salary cut in his third and fourth years and then was just cut.

Scott should be the last one to ever criticize a player for pursuing paychecks but there he was Tuesday leveling Ryan Fitzpatrick for trying to cash in on the best season of his career. The Jets paid Scott big money to come over from Baltimore to be their Ray

Lewis. How did that one work out? Now he’s sticking his nose in Fitz’s business. “Fitz don’t have a leg to stand on, man,” Scott said on NFL Radio on Sirius XM. “He is who he is.” And who is that? Scott: “He’s a bridge guy, a glue guy…It’s all downhill right now for Fitz…Whoever his agent has to understand that this is the market. He’s (Brian) Hoyer. That’s who you are. Accept it.” Scott’s one memorable moment with the Jets came minutes after they beat the Patriots in the 2010 divisional round of the playoffs. He filled up the stat sheet as usual with two tackles. After going on a classic rant in an ESPN interview on the field, claiming the Jets were disrespected and the Patriots defense “can’t stop a nose bleed,” Sal Paolantonio said, “Congratulations, see you in Pittsburgh.” “Can’t wait,” Scott said. On the first series of the game, the Steelers drove 66 yards on 15 plays in 9:06 with Rashard Mendenhall scoring from the 1. He broke Scott’s tackle attempt in the backfield. The Jets were down 24-3 at the half when Scott’s defense didn’t show up and lost 24-19. Scott had a monster game: Four tackles. Can’t wait, indeed. Scott was a big-mouth in the Jets locker room, but he’s also a smart guy, so he always knew what he was saying and doing. He was auditioning. Each time he made the back page of the Daily News, he was aware it inched him closer to a network television job after his career was over. He was far more entertaining and informative as a player – he was often cranky, but once you got him going he was priceless – than he’s been on television.

Of course, if Scott were still on the Jets, he would have violated one of the cardinal rules of the locker room: Don’t dare stick your beak in a teammate’s contract situation. For reference, go back to 2002 when Tiki Barber decided to rip Michael Strahan for his contract disagreement with the Giants, suggesting he was being selfish.

For Scott to rip Fitz is hypocritical and hysterical. As a member of the media, his point of view is not unique. But as a player, Scott went after the money just as aggressively as Fitzpatrick is doing now. As a member of the media, I wonder what Scott would have said about his Jets deal in 2009? How about: Why are you paying this guy elite money? He’s no Ray Lewis.

Scott is perturbed Fitzpatrick is looking to get a second bite at the NFL’s $12 billion revenue tree after signing a six-year, $59 million deal with the Bills in 2011 that included $24 million guaranteed. But he wasn’t a free agent then. He is now. Fitz didn’t live up to the Buffalo deal and was released after the 2012 season. He didn’t get to collect on the back end of the contract – just as Scott lost out on $15 million over the last two years of his Jets contract.

Fitzpatrick played for $3.25 million in 2015 in the last year of his contract when he led the Jets to a 10-6 record and threw a franchise-record 31 TDs. His three picks in the fourth quarter of the final game of the season cost the Jets the playoffs and cost Fitzpatrick millions. He has been seeking around $14 million a year, with the Jets offering just about $8 million per year.

“You had your opportunity when you had your leverage in Buffalo,” Scott said. “You got paid, you took advantage of it. You don’t get to cash in twice, bro. It’s only 32 jobs. If you don’t take it, somebody will. One thing I know about the NFL is they will turn the page and move on.”

I went through the collective bargaining and found no clause saying a player can only cash in once.

Scott got his big contract because Rex Ryan was his defensive coordinator in Baltimore and wanted one of his disciples in the locker room and on the field in his first year as the Jets coach. Ryan even risked angering Scott’s two German shepherds peering out from under the garage door when he showed up in Scott’s driveway in Baltimore just as free agency opened.

Scott is not the one to be questioning Fitzpatrick going for one last nice contract.

What’s going to come out of this clown’s mouth next? Can’t wait.