Mike Goodson’s bizarre run with the Jets came to an end Wednesday.
The team released the troubled running back with the “left squad” designation after Goodson failed to report for mandatory mini-camp this week.
That brings to an end his tumultuous 15-month stint with the Jets, his third team in the NFL. The Jets signed Goodson to a three-year, $6.9 million deal in March 2013, one of general manager John Idzik’s first free-agent signings. Two months later, Goodson was arrested on drug and weapons charges after being found passed out in a parked car on Route 80. Marijuana was found in his possession and a gun was found in the glove compartment. He and a co-defendant still are facing charges.
The Jets stuck with Goodson after his arrest, but they finally had enough Wednesday. Goodson has been a no-show during the team’s offseason program, which was voluntary before this week.
“We gave Mike, we feel, every opportunity, and unfortunately it didn’t work out,” Idzik said.
Goodson missed training camp and was suspended for the first four games of last season. He then played in just two games before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
The Jets were annoyed Goodson did not show up at all this spring and did not give them a chance to see how his rehab from the knee injury was progressing. But they could not do anything during the voluntary portion of the offseason program.
That changed Tuesday when he did not show up for the required minicamp.
“This is mandatory mini-camp,” Idzik said. “We expect all our guys to be here. We felt this was the appropriate time.”
Idzik would not get into specifics, but the Jets may try to recoup Goodson’s $1 million signing bonus. The “left team” designation is an indication the team may try to fight him on it. Goodson may try to fight for an injury settlement because the team is cutting him while he is recovering from an injury, but it would be tough for him to win that fight after not showing up.
“Sure, it’s disappointing,” Idzik said. “We had a little bit of a luxury of time in the offseason. We took advantage of that. We wanted to see this through. We’ll do that with every player. We want to provide a stage that’s going to maximize who they are and hopefully in the end it works out. In Mike’s case, it didn’t.”
RB Chris Ivory rolled his ankle and had to leave practice. Jets coach Rex Ryan said the injury was not serious, but Ivory probably would be held out of the final day of the team’s mini-camp Thursday.
Owner Woody Johnson said he hopes the Super Bowl will return to MetLife Stadium after the Jets and Giants played host to last season’s.
“I’d love to do it again,” he said.