Young cancer survivor gets a thrill at scrimmage

The Jets had a nice moment in the middle of their Green & White scrimmage Saturday night.

The team brought 6year-old Giovanni “Gio” Toribio onto the field and gave him a carry. Toribio ran through the Jets defense for a 50-yard touchdown.

The Ossining native was invited by Jets linebacker Darron Lee. Toribio was diagnosed with Stage 3 anaplastic large cell lym- phoma two years ago when he was 4. Toribio was declared cancer-free after one year of treatments. He has developed a relationship with the Jets, especially Lee.

“It meant everything,” Lee said of his friend’s run. “Everything he’s been through, he’s the ultimate warrior in my eyes. He’s my hero. I was happy to have him out here with all the guys and to share that moment with all the guys. It was a blast tonight.”

Josh McCown had the crowd at Rutgers chanting “Gio,” then the tiny back busted through the line and beat safety Jamal Adams and a diving Morris Claiborne to the end zone. He attended the game with his parents and two brothers.

Penalties were an issue again Saturday. The Jets had eight total, four on the offense and four on the defense. Todd Bowles was not concerned Saturday night because he said he has told the referees to be liberal with the flags.

“We’re overemphasizing some of these things so we can teach them,” Bowles said. “I’m telling them, ‘Anything close, just throw the flag.’ So we’re trying to learn that as we get into the preseason. We’re trying to be overcautious and calling them as opposed to not calling them at all. A lot of them are ticky-tack. They’re getting called nonetheless and we just have to learn from them.”

The Jets had a number of players missing with injuries from Saturday night’s Green & White scrimmage: Kelvin Beachum, who had a boot on his right foot, Quincy Enunwa, Jordan Leggett, Marcus Maye, Terrelle Pryor, Steve McLendon, Charone Peake, Parry Nickerson, David Bass, Deon Simon, Kacy Rodgers II, Austin Golson, Jeremy Clark and Kevin Pierre-Louis.