Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
The New York Jets have suspended Sal Alosi indefinitely after the team got “new information” that the strength and conditioning coach “instructed” five players to stand in a wall before he tripped a Dolphins player on Sunday.
Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum announced the punishment after Alosi was suspended for the rest of the season and fined $25,000 on Monday.
“Over the last day as we continued our investigation we discovered some new information,” Tannenbaum said. “The players at the Miami game were instructed by Sal to stand where they were forcing the gunner in the game to run around them. Based on that new information we’ve suspended Sal indefinitely, pending further review. Once we got this new information we met with commissioner Ray Anderson this morning. They support this initial decision that we presented to them. The league is going to look into this as well, as well they should. Once we get all the information we’ll make a final determination.”
Tannenbaum was clear in what happened.
“Specifically when Miami was punting they were asked to stand there by him,” he said.
Tannenbaum said Alosi acted alone, that he wasn’t told by anyone in the organization to instruct players to stand in a line. Addressing the media Monday, Alosi claimed he wasn’t instructed by anyone to create a human wall.
Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan both insisted Monday that the players aren’t coached to do that.
Could Alosi be fired for the move?
“All options are certainly on the table we’re going to complete the review and get all the information,” Tannenbaum said. “[Special teams coach] Mike Westhoff was not involved, Rex Ryan was not involved, but we just want to be thorough and get all the information.”
Former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas had accused the Jets Tuesday of deliberately forming a wall on their sideline to influence the Dolphins’ gunner, Nolan Carroll.
Thomas was part of a growing faction that believes Alosi wasn’t acting alone.
“They had to be ordered to stand there because they’re foot to foot,” Thomas said Tuesday on Miami radio station WQAM. “There’s four of them, side to side — five of them, I mean — on the edge of the coaches’ zone. They’re only out there to restrict the space of the gunner.
“But there’s more to it because I’m telling you, the only thing [Alosi] did wrong was intentionally put that knee out there. If he just stood there, there would never have been a problem, even if the guy got tripped. But there’s more to this. He was ordered to stand there. No one is foot to foot on the sideline in the coaches’ box.”
There was a six-man line, starting with Alosi and defensive lineman Marcus Dixon (inactive). It’s believed the other four also were inactive players. They were in a tight formation, almost like soccer players preparing to defend a direct kick. Their toes were right up against the boundary, with Alosi positioned in the corner of the coaches’ box.
Rich Cimini covers the Jets for ESPNNewYork.com.
