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Stephen A. Smith goes on a weird rant about how the NY Jets 'stink'

Justin Fried
Justin Fried

The Jet Press

NY Jets, Stephen A. Smith / Tori Lynn Schneider/Tallahassee Democrat

Rule of thumb when it comes to football talk: Don't listen to anything Stephen A. Smith has to say. Ever. Like ever ever.

Smith was on ESPN's "First Take" this Tuesday and he joined a conversation about the state of the AFC East. The discussion was centered around the New England Patriots and whether they had a shot at making the playoffs or even winning the division.

However, when asked about the NY Jets, Smith didn't mince words. He went on a bizarre, unprompted rant about how they "stink" solely because...well...they're the Jets.

That was it as far as analysis goes, save for a weird side note about smelling a "stench" when driving on the New Jersey Turnpike. Don't come to Stephen A. Smith looking for actual analysis.

"Well, we ain't going to count the Jets because they just stink. We all know. We know when we're driving up the New Jersey Turnpike and we smell that stench sifting through East Rutherford, it's from the MetLife Stadium locker room of the New York Jets. We all know this. It's a given. We understand it."
Stephen A. Smith

Pay no mind to anything Stephen A. Smith says about the NY Jets

This is far from the first time that Smith has gone off on the Jets, labeling them as a laughing stock and a team that should be automatically penciled in for last place in the AFC East.

In fact, he did so just three months ago when he laughed at the notion that the Patriots could finish last place in a division that also features the Jets.

Of course, you'll never hear Smith actually explain himself. He'll never justify his reasoning with an actual argument. But I suppose it's pretty hard to do so when you can't even name five players on the team.

Ultimately, this is just more bulletin board material for the Jets this season. The franchise isn't going to receive any respect from national media outlets until they start actually producing results on the field.

Win some games and the laughs and mockery will fade away. It's as simple as that.

Until then, however, the Jets will continue to be the punchline to whatever "joke" Stephen A. Smith attempts to make for entertainment purposes. Because let's be honest here, this isn't sports talk. This isn't analysis. It's entertainment.

That's not exactly a new revelation either, but it is reality. Until the Jets start to win some football games, their shortcomings will be the source of entertainment for millions across the country.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.