Why aren't Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson on the field? That was the thought probably running through the collective minds of New York Jets fans as the two defensive lineman stayed on the sidelines for the entire first quarter of Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins. According to NJ.com, Wilkerson and Richardson are "regularly late or miss team meetings," and while Jets head coach Todd Bowles would only say that their absence was a "coach's decision" after the team's 27-23 loss to the Dolphins, it's easy to assume why they weren't out there at the start of the game. Â
During his appearance on Up To The Minute Live, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo revealed one instance where Wilkerson failed to show up to a team meeting. It was on Wilkerson's 27th birthday. On October 22, the day before the Jets played the Ravens, the team held a walk-through, and planned to surprise him with a birthday cake. But he was a no-show.Â
In July, the Jets signed Wilkerson to a five-year, $86 million deal. Obviously, his talent—12 sacks last season—warranted the lucrative extension. However, the lack of commitment to something as simple as a walk-through could signal a huge problem for an organization going forward. Garafolo is reporting that Wilkerson's teammates have already started to wonder if he would be punished for his lateness and/or absence from meetings. Bowles needed to do something about it now. As for Muhammad's future with the team, his contract may have put Gang Green in a tough spot. Hopefully, he gets back on the right track real soon.   Â
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