The Black Friday game between the Jets and the Dolphins turned blood red after a Jets player struck an official in the face.
The tense moment came after the Dolphins kicked an extra point to extend their lead to 27-6. One player shoved another, and before you knew it, a full-on shoving battle was underway. It was a shoving battle in which umpire Carl Paganelli paid a price for trying to break up after taking a hit from Jets defender Michael Clemons. Though the hit appeared unintentional, it left a mark and got Clemons ejected.
#Dolphins OT Austin Jackson and #Jets DE Michael Clemons were ejected from the game after what happened with the ref..pic.twitter.com/q6iSqOeDsThttps://t.co/5BlGQhr0ST
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 24, 2023
Clemons tangled with Miami’s Austin Jackson, who was also ejected for fighting.
Clemons ejected now? #JETS pic.twitter.com/SflQpAJol5
— 🗽NYJETS🗽TWEETZ🗽 (@NYJETSTWEETZ) November 24, 2023
Clemons tried to check on Paganelli immediately after the hit, but the umpire threw his hat, and the ejection was issued regardless.
For the Jets, the play was symbolic of a game where nothing was going right in a season where nothing is going right. New York’s decision to start Tim Boyle over the embattled Zach Wilson yielded no fruit, as the Jets offense appeared as inept as it was under Wilson.
The Jets offense accounted for more punts than it did points and it appears Gang Green will not be playoff-eligible even if Aaron Rodgers makes his return. In other words, the end of the season couldn’t come quickly enough for the Jets,