Jason Hill signed a contract on Wednesday with the team that a year ago he called “overhyped.” Not exactly the way to win friends and influence people in his new locker room.
Last September, before the Jaguars took on the Jets, Hill made comments about the Jets, demeaning the team and saying they were the product of the New York media market. In particular, Hill downplayed the Jets’ secondary and Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis by talking about the Jets defense being an “aura” built up by the media.
As far as being teased about his comments, Hill said that he hasn’t gotten any grief from his new teammates.
“I didn’t mean anything disrespectful. I was just speaking what I felt, that I wasn’t afraid of anyone,” Hill told Metro. “That’s what I was trying to say. I wasn’t trying to show a lack of respect to anyone. It was totally blown out. It wasn’t meant as a shot at the Jets or anything like that. Nothing like that.”
Yesterday, Hill ran into Revis at the team facility while the cornerback was getting treatment for the ACL tear that will likely sideline him for the rest of the season. The two had the opportunity to talk and inevitably, Revis brought up the trash talk from last year.
“He just said what’s going on and that it was nice to meet me, stuff like that. He just mentioned that ‘I heard what you said last year’ and we laughed,” Hill said. “It was just competition and I understand that and there was no hard feelings. It was cool.”
Ironically, Hill didn’t play due to an injury in that Week 2 game last year in what was a 32-0 win by the Jets.
There are pretty heavy expectations on Hill to come in and make a difference on a Jets offense that is No. 28 in the NFL and generated just 103 passing yards last week. Hill likely won’t be able to single-handedly replace Santonio Holmes, the Jets’ leading receiver this year who is gone for the season with a foot injury, but he can help.
In 10 games last year, all starts with the Jaguars, Hill had 25 catches for 367 yards and three touchdowns.
“I’m just learning as fast as I can, trying to get caught up so I can come in here and make an impact as fast as I can,” Hill said. “That’s all I really can do.”
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
