COHEN'S CORNER SPORTS

Woody Johnson has decided to do things the Aaron Rodgers way.  Hours before the Jets wild 30-28 victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, the Jets patriarch spoke to the New York Post that both Head Coach Robert Saleh and General Manager Joe Douglas would return for the 2024 season.  The decision by Johnson -- while not surprising -- came just a couple of days after quarterback Aaron Rodgers endorsed Saleh, Douglas and Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.  The decision was met with mixed reactions from fans, many of whom want to see the Jets change course this off-season, but that would be really tough to do.    The Jets went all in on Aaron Rodgers, and a big reason why he came to New York had a lot to with the current Jets brains-trust. Changing it now would upset the apple card, and create total chaos.  Plus look around the NFL. Are there any really outstanding candidates out there? Sure Ben Johnson, the Lions offensive coordinator is highly ...

  And just like that the Tommy DeVito era might be put on ice. Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll sacked the Jersey guy in the third quarter of the Giants 33-25 loss to the Philadelphia on Christmas Day. DeVito struggled to move the offense in the first half; the rookie finished 9-of-16 for 55 yards and a sack. Daboll inserted back-up quarterback Tyrod Taylor who sparked the Giants offense and nearly led Big Blue to a shocking come-from-behind victory. "I felt we needed to do something to try and spark us," Daboll said. The Giants coach won't commit to a starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the LA Rams. While Taylor did give the offense a jolt, a lot can be attributed to the fact the Eagles collapsed. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a pick-six that Giants safety Adoree Jackson brought back 64 yards for a touchdown to cut the Eagles lead to 20-18. In the fourth quarter with the Giants down 15, Talyor launched a bomb down the left sideline that Darius Slayton...

  For weeks we have heard that Japanese pitcher Yoshinubo Yamamoto was going to pick between the two New York teams for his first MLB destination. Instead in the wee-hours of Friday morning word came down that Yamamoto had spurned both the Mets and Yankees, signing a $325 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The move pairs Yamamoto with fellow countryman Shohei Ohtani, who just inked a $700 million deal with LA last week. According to Andy Martino of SNY, the Mets also offered a $325 million deal for Yamamoto. The Yankees offered $300 million.  Give a lot of credit to the Mets and Steve Cohen, they went all in to get Yamamoto, even though many believed they were third in the race for Yamamoto, as the Dodgers and Yankees were the perceived favorites.  Meanwhile the Yankees, reportedly felt they made a good offer for Yamamoto at $300 and were unwilling to go higher. Both the Yankees and Mets have a lot of work to do. It feels however with the way this off-season has g...

  Aaron Rodgers will likely not play this year at all. The future Hall of Famer confirmed on the Pat McAfee Show that he is not “100 percent” healthy as he attempted a historic comeback from an Achilles Tendon Injury. Instead, Rodgers confirmed which pretty much everyone knew already, that he would not play again this season. “Hoping we were still in it. It was unrealistic to think I would be 100 percent to be medically cleared at any point during the season. I feel in the next three to four weeks it would be possible to get to 100 percent. Obviously not there,” Rodgers said. I am still 14 weeks tomorrow from my surgery to being medically cleared at 100 percent is not realistic.” The comments come after the Jets were  eliminated from playoff contention  after a 30-0 loss to Miami.  Rodgers had been pushing for a miraculous comeback had Gang Green remained in contention. “I would need to go through a week of 11-on-11 practice to see how I would go through that. It wou...

  Tommy DeVito is a stand-up guy! A day after the Giants quarterback and his agent Sean Stellato found themselves embroiled in a controversy over a  canceled autograph appearance  at Coniglio’s Old Fashioned Pizzeria and Restaurant, DeVito paid a visit to the Morristown eatery for free on Tuesday afternoon. On Sunday night it was reported by Darren Rovell that Stellato doubled the appearance fee at the restaurant from $10,000 to $20,000 following the Giants Monday night victory over the Green Bay Packers on December 11. DeVito was to sign autographs on Tuesday December 19 from 6 p.m. to 7:30. But when the appearance fee went up, the event was canceled. According to  NorthJersey.com , the two sides have made up. “We broke bread together,” owner Nino Coniglio said. “They contacted me and said they were mortified by the whole situation. These are stand up guys. Gentlemen.” DeVito was seen eating pizza and making soda with Coniglio. According to the same report, DeVito a...

 The Tommy DeVito story is becoming one of the best stories of the NFL season. Heck it might even be the best New Jersey story we have seen in a long, long time. On the field, DeVito -- the kid from Cedar Grove, New Jersey, lead the Giants to an improbable 24-22 victory, spearheaded by a 57-yard drive in the final 1:50 of the contest to position the G-Men for Randy Bullock's game winning field goal. But it was more than that. DeVito has brought pizzazz and excitement to the Giants that had been lacking before. A season once considered dead in the water is now interesting. If the Giants win out and get some help, and I mean A LOT of help, they could sneak into the playoffs. And a major part of this turnaround is attributed to the Jersey kid who brings a lot of moxie and swag with him. SCORING DRIVES: DeVito was remarkable in the clutch. With the G-Men trailing Green Bay 10-7 in the third quarter, DeVito scrambled for a 26-yard gain to the Green bay one-yard line, setting up Saquon B...

 JETS 30 - TEXANS 6  It was the kind of performance that served as evidence as to why Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh drafted him, gave him a long leash, and every opportunity possible to be the Jets starting quarterback.  Zach Wilson finally had his best game as a Jet.  Zach Wilson celebrates a 30-6 win over Houston. Getty Images   And it came days after the quarterback was embroiled in controversy over reported conversations he had inside the building about his "reluctance" to go out and play for Gang Green again fearing injury.  Days after his Head Coach Robert Saleh tried to kick the story to the curb -- albeit clumsily; and Aaron Rodgers tried to blame the media.  Then a report came out Sunday saying the Jets told Wilson they would try to trade him in the off-season.  Perhaps feeling no pressure, or maybe realizing he needed to put up some good performances for other teams to look at, Wilson balled out big time.  He was deadly accurate wit...

 The New York Yankees are reportedly close to finalizing a deal with the San Diego Padres for star outfielder Juan Soto. According to SNY's Andy Martino the deal is coming down the stretch.  Once it is complete the Yankees will not only acquire Soto, but will get center fielder Trent Grisham as well. Going back will be a plethora of players including Kyle Higashioka, Randy Vasquez, Drew Thorpe, and Michael King.    Landing Soto -- who is a pending free agent after the 2024 season -- is both a risk and a huge reward for the Yanks.    Soto is a .284 lifetime hitter with tremendous power from the left side of the plate. For a Yankees team that has struggled both in situational hitting and left handed power, Soto will answer two huge problems for New York.  The question will be can the Yankees sign him to a long term deal. One would imagine that a deal wouldn't have gotten this far unless the Yankees felt confident that they could keep Soto long term. Keep...

  Zach Wilson will indeed be back under center for the Jets on Sunday when they face the Houston Texans. And Head Coach Robert Saleh says the embattled Wilson is "fired up." Zach Wilson - Getty Images   The decision to go back to Wilson comes off the heels of one of the wildest weeks in recent memory for the franchise.  On Monday the Athletic reported that Wilson was reluctant to go back under center if asked for fear of risking injury. The story blew up even further when Saleh didn't necessarily deny the story, but would only say when he spoke with Wilson, the quarterback wanted to play this week. When pressed by Don LeGreca on the Michael Kay radio show about whether he would look into the situation further to find out whom Wilson confide his reluctance to, Saleh stumbled through a response. "I don't care if that conversation was had," Saleh said. "I will put myself in someone's shoes. It's not like it's a negative. I don't understand...

 I don't think I have ever seen anything as bizarre with regard to the New York Jets, and that is saying a lot, as as the fallout from the story alleging Zach Wilson's own personal "reluctance" to play football.  Keep in mind this is an organization that has defined and redefined dysfunction to a T. But, what we saw in the last 48 hours since the Jets 13-8 loss to the Atlanta Falcons is like a volcano that continues to shoot hot lava into the air -- days after the initial eruption.  It started when The Athletic's Dianna Russini and Zack Rosenblatt reported that Wilson would be reluctant to get back under center for fear of risking injury.  "[Wilson] is hesitant to step back into the role, multiple team sources said Monday. [The Jets are] hoping Wilson will change his mind. If Wilson were asked directly by the Jets to start, he would agree to that, a source familiar with Wilson's thinking said," the report states.  Russini later tweeted that Aaron...

 Rutgers is officially going bowling. The Scarlet Knights were rewarded with a trip to Yankee Stadium and the Pinstripe Bowl on December 28 where it will face off with former Big East rival, University of Miami (FL).   "Very, very excited, an iconic venue, a quality opponent and a chance for our 2023 team to play together, which is special," Head Coach Greg Schiano said. "There a lot of blue blood programs that are home right now. I am thrilled about this opportunity." Kick-off of the game between Miami and Rutgers will be at 2:15 on Thursday December 28 at Yankee Stadium. The game can be heard right here on Fox Sports New Jersey 93.5 FM 1450 AM. Rutgers went 6-6 during the regular season. The Scarlet Knights opened the season strong with wins against Northwestern, Virginia Tech and Michigan State to name a few. Unfortunately the season ended on a four-game losing streak for the Scarlet Knights. Bowl History: The bowl bid is Rutgers first outright bowl berth since 2...

  Now we know why the Jets were so unwilling for weeks to bench quarterback Zach Wilson despite his poor play. The lack of quality depth at the quarterback position was very apparent in a sloppy 13-8 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium, as the Jets failed to manufacture any productivity offensively against a Falcons team that was inviting the Jets to beat them. Trevor Seimian. Getty Images   Tim Boyle struggled to move the team, completing 14-of-25 passes for 148 yards and an interception. He was benched in the fourth quarter for journeyman Trevor Siemian who didn't fair much better.  After completing his first pass, Siemian finished 5-of-13 for 66-yards and a huge fumble. Running back Breece Hall was totally shut down, held to 16 yards on 13 carries. Dalvin Cook had his best day as a Jet, rushing for 35 yards on 9 carries, but also fumbled. Garret Wilson was invisible, three receptions for 50 yards. The question is where will the Jets turn now? A report from I...

 It was a sight that not too many thought they would see this calendar year. Aaron Rodgers was back on the practice field in a practice jersey and helmet, having rejoined his teammates in practice for the first time in 79 days. According to reports , Rodgers has been cleared for functional football activity, like throwing, but is not cleared yet for contact. It has been only 11 weeks since Rodgers tore his Achilles Tendon -- an injury that typically requires an athlete sit out an entire season. Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh said there is no timetable for Rodgers return. The Jets have 21 days to activate Rodgers should he clear all hurdles in this miraculous comeback.  If he is activated, it would likely line up with the Jets Christmas Eve match-up with the Washington Commanders, a date that Rodgers has publicly stated he would target. Said Saleh: ""I think he's sacrificed so much already for the organization and himself and his teammates, and he's doing it again. I thi...

 The New York Mets made what will likely be one of many signings to improved their pitching staff, inking ex-Yankee Luis Severino to a one-year deal, worth $13 million. The Mets are in need of starting pitching after trading away Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at the trade deadline last August. A two-time All Star in 2017 and 2018, Severino was once considered a staff ace for the Yankees, but that was when he was when he was a 19-game winner in 2018. Since that time, he has battled injuries. In 2019 he was limited to three starts with shoulder and lat issues. Then he would miss almost two whole years (2020 and '21) recovering from Tommy John Surgery. After a strong 2022 that saw a slight return to form for Sevy, in which he pitched to a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts, he fell backwards in 2023. Severino struggled with a 6.65 ERA in 19 starts, and missed time with an oblique strain. The Mets are taking a flyer on Severino that he can at least look like the pitcher the Yankees had in 2022....

Hey! Where was youse when Jersey's very own Tommy DeVito beat Bill Belichick and the Patriots? Fuhgeddaboudit! The legend of New Jersey native Tommy DeVito just keeps growing as the G-Men defeated the New England Patriots 10-7 at a rain-soaked MetLife Stadium on Sunday. How big you ask? Check out the link to my story on Fox Sports New Jersey !  It wasn’t the prettiest game in the world, but DeVito and the G-men found a way to get it done, leaning heavily on Big Blue’s defense which flustered New England’s offense all afternoon.  For his part, DeVtio completed 17-of-25 passes for 191 yards, which included a 12-yards touchdown to Isiah Hodgins in the second quarter that broke a scoreless tie 1:53 before halftime. Tommy DeVito postgame. Getty Images   On the flip side Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was not having a good afternoon. The former first round pick, who has really fallen on hard times up in Foxboro threw for only 89 yards and was picked off twice. In fact t...

The New York Jets hit another new low in the 2023 season, falling flat on Friday evening to the Miami Dolphins 34-13 in the first ever Black Friday NFL game in history. Tim Boyle in his first start under center with the Jets was a non-factor, further proving that the Jets issues go well beyond the quarterback. The offensive line remains a major issue, as left tackle Carter Warren became the 12th different player to start on the Jets O-line this season.   Not to mention with wide receiver Allen Lazzard benched, the Jets were rolling with players who were second and third teamers at the skill position on Friday. It was a colossal mess and it showed. Perhaps no play was more emblematic of the Jets season than a hail marry by Boyle in the the Miami end zone with two seconds to go in the first half. The ball was short of the goal line and picked off by corner Jevon Holland, who went untouched the other way for a 99-yard return for a touchdown.   Call it the Fail Mar...

 The Zach Wilson era (or error depending on your perspective) is over.  The Jets finally benched quarterback Zach Wilson after another lackluster effort on Sunday that saw the offense go 0-for-11 on third down, and Wilson throw for only 81 yards as he once again struggled to move the offense.  The Jets not only benched Wilson in Sunday's loss to Buffalo, they named Tim Boyle the starter for Friday night's game against the Miami Dolphins.  On top of that, they demoted Wilson to third string, activating Trevor Siemien for the first time this season to back-up quarterback.  After the second three game losing streak of the season, and after watching in horror as Aaron Rodgers went down with a torn Achillies Tendon in Week 1, one has to wonder why this took so long?  Sure, the Jets were finding ways to win games with smoke and mirrors, but it was just that: smoke and mirrors. The Jets never properly addressed the quarterback position and that falls on GM Joe Dou...

 GIANTS 31 - COMMANDERS 19  For at least one day Giants fans got to witness and and enjoy a good, solid performance from a Giants quarterback. Tommy DeVito, who was swung into action after injuries to Tyrod Taylor and Daniel Jones in recent weeks had the best game of his young career, tossing for 246 yards and three touchdowns in the Giants 31-19 victory over the hapless Washington Commanders. DeVito looked the part of a starting quarterback as his confidence brimmed as the game progressed.  With the G-men trailing 3-0, DeVito connected on a pair of 24-yard passes, first to Darius Slayton and then to Saquon Barkley. The 24-yarder to Barkley went for the go-ahead touchdown.  Later on in the first half, DeVito hit Slayton for a 40-yard touchdown pass that put the Giants up 14-3. The kid from Jersey had finally arrived.  For a team that has struggled to find offense this season, DeVito seems to be catching on. He has now thrown six touchdown passes this s...

 He says he's looking forward to the challenge.  Maybe Carlos Mendoza wasn't the first choice for the Mets or Mets fans, but the 43-year old showed tremendous passion and energy in his first press conference as the 24th full time manager of the Metropolitans.  “I understand the city of New York. I have been here for six years, and I know how passionate this fan base is, and the expectations they have here. I understand and I am ready for this challenge. This is a great opportunity for not only me, but the New York Mets.” It will be a challenge. The Mets might have deep pockets now that rival the team Mendoza left after six years as bench coach, but the Mets are always drama filled.    From Pete Alonso's pending free agency to the lack of quality starting pitching, and questions about what direction the team will go in 2024, Mendoza is going to have to do something that Terry Collins was very successful at in his early years of managing the Mets: be a good tea...

 A year ago when Zach Wilson was coming off a horrible effort against the New England Patriots, in a game the Jets lost 10-3, he was asked whether he felt responsible for the loss. He pleaded the fifth, saying emphatically "no." That moment was enough to get Wilson benched and lead us down the road of Mike White mania, which started and stumbled to a 7-10 finish. The Jets then decided that Wilson still wasn't good enough to be the starter, so they made a full court press to acquire Aaron Rodgers, which they did.   Now that Rodgers is out for the year, barring a miraculous medical comeback, the Jets have found a way to keep themselves in the playoff mix, but Wilson and this Jets offense continues to stink it up.  It all came to a head on Monday night when the Jets managed only six points in a 27-6 sleepwalk against the LA Chargers at MetLife Stadium. The Jets went from potential playoff darling to starring into the abyss of another lost year.  When challenged by ...

 The New York Mets have a new manager, and it is not the guy many expected. After weeks of speculation that it was inevitable that former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell would follow President of Baseball Operations David Stearns to the Mets, it turns out the Counsell is going elsewhere. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Counsell spurned both the Mets and Brewers to manage the Chicago Cubs instead. The Cubs were never on anyone’s radar as needing a manager as incumbent David Ross was still in place. Instead Ross is suddenly out in Chi-Town and Counsell is in.  That left the Mets, who claimed the day that Stearns was hired as President of baseball Operations would cast a “wide net” for a manager were left with Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza. The Mets named Mendoza their new skipper.  Mendoza has been a Yankees assistant coach since 2018, and a member of the Yankees organization at the minor league level as a coach since 2009. He managed the Gulf Coast...

 If things couldn't get any worse for the Giants and quarterback Daniel Jones, they did on Sunday when Jones tore the ACL in his right knee in a 30-6 loss to the Raiders out in Las Vegas.  Jones had just come off the Injury List, which had sidelined the quarterback for three weeks with a neck injury. Now his season -- and possibly his Giants career -- over.  Of course that is easier said than done. The Giants did sign Jones to a four-year $160 million contract in this off-season.  That hasn't stopped the Giants front office, nor the rumor mill. The facts are General Manager Joe Schoen was at USC's game against Washington last week to watch both Caleb Williams and Michael Pinex Jr. Both are expected to be top draft picks in next April's draft.  At 2-7 the Giants are going nowhere, and a look at the schedule and it is easy to guess that Big Blue will either be 3-14 or 4-13 come season's end, and will have a top-five draft pick. Would the Giants go all in on new th...

  With 28 seconds to go, and leading the New York Jets 10-7, the New York Giants faced a choice. Either kick a field goal to extend their lead on a sloppy Sunday afternoon to 13-7, or go for it and win the game outright. Brian Daboll will likely wrestle with that decision all night, heck maybe all week. The Giants sent kicker Graham Gano out to kick the field goal, and he missed badly, giving the Jets a glimmer of hope with 24 seconds to go.  There was no way Zach Wilson, who couldn’t figure out the Giants exotic blitzes would lead a miracle finish? No chance? Right?   The Giants had a 96 percent chance of winning at this point. Then a miracle happened. Wilson rolled out and hit Garrett Wilson for 29 yards. Then he rolled out again with 18 seconds to go and hit Allen Lazard in the middle of the field to the Giants 17. Wilson hurried his unit to the line of scrimmage and spiked the ball with one second to go.  Like something out of a story book, Greg Zuer...

 On an afternoon where they wore the uniforms synonymous with the great Giants teams of the 1980s and early 90’s, Big Blue’s defense had to leave the likes of Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks smiling with their effort. For the first time this season, the Giants came to play old school Giants football on Sunday. Sam Howell had no shot. Getty Images.   Their defense got after Washington quarterback Sam Howell, stuffed the Commander ground attack, blocked a field goal, and otherwise pulverized the Washington Commanders in a 14-7 win, Sunday. Howell, who came into the game as the most sacked quarterback in the NFL, was sacked six times and threw one interception. He came close to throwing a pick six when outside linebacker Kavon Thiboudeaux had the ball in his grasp with daylight in front of him before dropping the football. The dropped pick-six was the only fopaux for Thibs who had four tackles, 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hits on Sunday. Meanwhile, Tyrod Taylor and ...

 At least there is some good football taking place this season in the Tri-State area.  The Rutgers Scarlet Knights continue to amaze this season this time with a dominating 31-14 win over Indiana in Bloomington to make themselves bowl eligible for the first time since 2014.  Gavin Wimsatt against Indiana - Getty Images   Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt didn't throw ball much at all on Saturday, and didn't have to. He did it all with his legs, churning out 143 yards on 16-carries with three scores; it was the most rushing yards by a Rutgers quarterback in program history.  Wimsatt's 80-yard touchdown where he shot off the right end, blasted through the hole and never looked back was the exclamation point on an afternoon where Rutgers ran for 276 yards and held the football for nearly 38 minutes.    The victory follows Rutgers' emotional 27-24 victory over Michigan State where the Scarlet Knights stormed back from a 24-6 deficit to top the Spartans at home in ...

 When you are a 1-5 football team there is not much one can say.  A glass half full approach is not going to work, especially to a gut-wrenching 14-9 loss for the New York Giants, who had an upset special in their grasp up in Buffalo and couldn’t cash in thanks to what many believe was a blown call by the referees on the final play of the contest between the Giants and Bills.  With Giants back-up quarterback Tyrod Taylor having moved Big Blue down to the Bills nine yard line with two seconds to go, Taylor took his shot into the end zone for Darren Waller, but the tight end couldn’t come down with it as linebacker Terrell Bernard was all over him. The officials called Bernard for defensive pass interference. The Giants got one last shot, an untimed down at the one-yard line. On that very play, Taylor, again, tried to thread the ball to Waller, but was heavily covered. It appeared Bills safety Taron Johnson was holding Waller on the play. A flag was not thrown. The game end...

  New York Jets fans are flying like high into the bye week. Who could blame them after Gang Green posted a historic come-from-behind, 20-14 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles — the franchises first ever regular season victory against the City of Brotherly Love. Playing the role of the hero on Sunday night was a little known safety named Tony Adams. With the Jets missing a number of its key pieces on defense, Adams stepped up and delivered the game changing play that nobody saw coming. The Eagles looked poised to hand the Jets a bitter 14-12 defeat until Adams stepped in front of a Jalen Hurts pass and picked it off with 1:50 to in the game. On the next play, Philly allowed Jets running back Breece Hall to score; New York quickly converted a two-point conversion to make it 20-14. With 1:46 to go the Jets defense had to make one last stand, and did they ever. They forced three incompletions from Hurts, including a desperation heave that was knocked away by Jordan Whitehead to s...

 JETS 31 - BRONCOS 21  It was not pretty.  In the closing seconds of the first half, the Jets trailed the Denver Broncos 13-8. Zach Wilson unwisely threw a pass in the middle of the field to Tyler Conklin that the tight end hauled in, but the clocked, with 14 seconds to go, was quickly ticking away. The Jets took forever to get to the line, and Wilson seemed unaware of the situation. By the time the Jets got set, the clock hit triple zero.  And that is how a first half full of mistakes came to an end for the Jets.  From bad penalties, to an inability to slow down the Broncos early in the contest, to Zach Wilson looking skittish again in the pocket, the Jets trailed 13-8 at the half. The game looked like it was heading for disaster.  Whatever the Jets did at halftime, they looked like a totally different team in the second half.  And all they had to do was hand the ball over to their man, Breece Lightning. Breece Hall silenced the Denver crowd when he t...

 DOLPHINS 31 - GIANTS 16  Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the neck injury he suffered in the Giants 31-16 loss to Miami on Sunday. Jones was sacked six more times on Sunday, and has been sacked 16 times in the last two weeks combined.  That is totally inexcusable at any level of football.  "We played some physical games against some physical defenses," Jones said afterwards. That's true, but the facts are the Giants have failed to protect the man they consider their franchise quarterback. The Giants made a $160 million investment in Jones this off-season, and their offensive line is in total taters.  Even Tyrod Taylor got beat up, and was hurt in this one against Miami. By the end of the day, Jones was 14-for-20 for 119 yards, but it didn't matter, because Big Blue had no answer for the speed of the Miami Dolphins.  Before anyone could blink it was 14-0, especially after De'Von Achane gashed the Gia...