Chad Pennington appears set to bolt By RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Thursday, November 29th 2007, 4:00 AM Chad Pennington likely will be wearing a different uniform next season. Chad Pennington sounded very much Wednesday like a player who knows his days in New York are numbered. He didn't say that - he doesn't want to become a distraction to his teammates - but he made two comments that smacked of a quarterback preparing to scramble. Discussing his cloudy future, the Jets' deposed starter said there will be "all kinds of different scenarios and different avenues I'll have to look at" in the offseason, hinting that he intends to have a big say in the matter. Technically, he can't pull an A-Rod, opting out, but Pennington could request a trade or his release. Pennington also stopped short of saying he'd like to return to the Jets if promised the starting job in 2008. Twice he was asked the question, and twice he responded with a generic answer. "I see myself as a starter and I see myself as helping a football team win," he said, carefully using the word "a" instead of mentioning the Jets. "Obviously, evaluations will be made on both sides and we'll see what happens." This has to be torture for Pennington, who will watch Kellen Clemens make his fourth consecutive start Sunday in Miami, where the Jets (2-9) hope to avoid the indignity of losing to the winless Dolphins (0-11). Pennington is a fierce competitor, and he spoke eloquently about how badly he misses the Sunday-morning adrenaline rush that comes with being the starter. But he also has been around the game long enough to know that when an organization is smitten with a young quarterback, it usually means the predecessor no longer fits in the future plans. The Jets have high hopes for Clemens, who, despite erratic play, will be given the chance over the final five games to nail down the job for 2008. Clemens' play will have a big impact on Pennington's future. If Clemens flops, Pennington could be asked to return as the starter, although that scenario appears unlikely. He could be brought back to face Clemens in an open competition, but that invitation probably would be accompanied by a pay cut. Pennington is due to make $4.8million in 2008 (his salary-cap figure is $7.8 million), and he's not likely to accept another cut after taking one in 2006. Chances are, Pennington will be released or traded. At this point, he may have already decided that he wants a fresh start elsewhere, regardless of the Jets' plans. "When that time comes, I'll sit down with my wife and family and decide what's best for us," he said. "Right now, I try to put that aside because it takes away from me being a good teammate. I don't want that to happen." Pennington is so concerned about maintaining team harmony that instead of speaking to reporters in the locker room, which would've created a mini-circus, he agreed to speak with three reporters in an adjacent hallway. Teammates lauded his unselfishness. "Chad has been an awesome mentor for me - before I was playing and especially now that I'm playing," Clemens said. "It hasn't been awkward or any of the other negative things that it could've been." In a strange way, Pennington's reputation, which took a hit with the benching, has been restored somewhat by the team's continuing struggles. Clearly, the problems go beyond the quarterback position. "I don't feel vindicated," Pennington said. "I don't wish ill will upon anybody. The state of our team has been consistent throughout, and that's been inconsistency." Pennington, 31, said it "seems like forever ago" when he was the hot-shot quarterback on the rise. Asked to describe his current job, which is the opposite of "heir apparent," he paused. With a smile, he answered: "Benched."
Chad got screwed. The team looks worse without him IMO. I will be a Chad fan wherever he goes, and don't be surprised if he starts for a good team next year and comes in here and kicks our ass.
Chad got screwed? How do you figure? An aging QB, never 100% after his injuries, one who lost that "cerebral" quality which was always mentioned, a guy who was kept in games despite his lack of skills when throwing over the middle or across the hashmarks, a gazillionaire with money that most on this board will never see. Yeah, he really got the short end of the stick... Please, the Chad love has got to stop, seriously...
Chad did not get screwed. He didn't perform at the level expected of an above average QB. As Koz mentioned, his strengths (which the O was designed around) were his decision-making and accuracy. As the season progressed this year, it was evident that he was struggling in those areas. There was really no conceivable reason to keep him as the starting QB once this season was lost due to his limitations, salary number going into next year and a 2nd round draft pick waiting to be evaluated.
Chad seems like typical Chad here.... Saying all the right things, while being sure to keep the spotlight on himself.... He hints towards the possibilty of him being elsewhere, almost dismisses any notion that he has desire to be with the Jets next year, but is sure to add at the end: "Right now, I try to put that aside because it takes away from me being a good teammate. I don't want that to happen" I like Chad, but he's always kind of had this approach with the media.... Humble without really being humble.....
The Jets made the right choice. The Jets are a losing team (became a losing team under Chad), and now that the season is out of reach, we get to find out what we have in our kid. Chad is due an awful amount of money to not be a "sure fire" QB, especially being that we have no idea how this offseason is going to pan out and whether or not the Jets will actually do anything to fix the oline. Football is a team game, to blame Chad would be ridiculous, but to say that he should still be starting is equally ridiculous.
CHAD IS DONE! Let it go! We would be 1-10 if he was still the Qb! He was not beating Pitt, Dallas or Washington! As a matter of fact we would have gotten beat even worse if he were the Qb!
Oh its all Chad's fault. Him and his pedestrian 88 rating this season. What a terrible QB. If Chad was a real QB he'd line up on the O-line and even take a few carries to take the load off our hall of fame rushing attack. Also, he should put on a few pounds between series so he can be our run-stuffing NT to finally solidify our championship caliber defense. Chad got screwed, face it.
please explain how one man killed our season? chad is a good qb. i hope clemens can equal chads totals against the dolphins, if we lose, they will be all over you. chad is better than clemens at this moment....sorry to say.
"at this moment" is the key phrase. Season is over... it's time to start getting Clemens real playing experience, so that he is competitive once we have an offensive line worth talking about.
I'd say we look the same, no better or worse.....he was a problem at times but he was not THE problem that was goign to turn the team around. If he goes to a team with a good line, he'll be a good QB for a few more years.
I never said that he has killed our season. I did remark that his time as a starting-caliber QB had run it's course. He's not the same QB that he was years ago- he started to lose those qualities that people had always loved, you know, sneaky play action, game management, not giving away the receiver he was going to throw to, etc...Once he lost those qualities, you were looking at a QB who was never the same after multiple injuries, couldn't throw the ball where it was needed on the field, was immobile and prone to throwing interceptions rather than taking a sack or throwing the ball away. The demise of the team this year rests on the shoulders of not only our QB, but also the O-Line, D-Line and coaches, more than others. That being said, the time for Chad to walk has certainly come. If anyone offers up anything more than a 4th for him I'd be VERY surprised.
How many game tying drives ended with Chad at Qb this year with picks going back the other way for T/D's? How many times was he able to scramble for yards to help us stay in the game against the mediocre teams we played this year like buffalo two times, The Bengals, Giants and Eagles. Kellen faced the Ravens in his first start and kept us within a dropped pass of Ot, Bought us to Ot against the Redskins who have the best secondary in the league who would have picked off Chad all day. If Brad smith could catch and Cotch had not dropped that pass in Ot we would have won the game. We got destroyed by the second best team in the league in the Cowboys! BIG DEAL! Kellen Made plays in all of the games he started in that Chad could not make with his arm and leg! And with the exception of the Patriots Kellen has played against three of the top four teams we have faced this year. Chad has done nothing this whole year against the Mediocre teams we have faced to win a game and the Wr's were making all kinds of plays for chads fludder balls and now they can't even catch perfect passes with clemens in. It was not Chads fault that we lost all the games but it was his time to go. He did nothing to help us win!
Hopefully U know U R peaching to the choir since all the CP supporters paid big buckeroos for there CP jerseys so they want him to stay even if his time to go have come & his usefulness to the NYJs had greatly dimished
The debate goes on. Tired of it. Chad never had the arm, the offense is prdictable when he was in there. They knew he wouldn't throw over 10 yards so they kept everyone up front. Tired of talking about this same old crap. It's not Clemmins fault our recievers are not use to catching a ball that has some zip to it. Give him a chance. GET OVER CHAD.
Good, I don't ever want to see that fag in green and white again. I can't stand seeing his faggoty picture or his faggoty throwing motion. Go away.
I have never seen any Mediocre player like Chad Immortalized the way he is with Some Jet Fans. He is the most overrated Jet in History! It's amazing!
