Berea, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Jets head coach Adam Gase admitted he threatened to trade players to the Browns if they didn't fall in line while he held the same job in Miami with the Dolphins.
Gase reportedly had a slide he'd show players in team meetings, which he was asked about Friday morning.
"I don't remember exactly what it said, but it was supposed to be a joke," Gase said.
Gase and the Dolphins made good on the threat when they dealt receiver Jarvis Landry to the Browns, who were coming off the worst three-year stretch in modern NFL history of 4-44, in March 2018 for a fourth-round pick.
"I do remember that," Landry said. "But I'm happy to be here. I'm grateful to be here and blessed to be part of this organization. I'll just leave it at that."
Landry was one of the first building blocks general manager John Dorsey acquired to rebuild the franchise and the receiver was given a five-year, $75.5 million contract extension a month after he was acquired from Miami.
While Gase maintains it was a joke, Landry remembers it a different way.
"It wasn't no one-time joke," Landry said.
When pressed further on Gase's claim Landry responded, "What do you think? Where am I? Listen, honestly, man, regardless of what tactics were used or what was said, all those things are in the past. I've decided to move on. I have no slight toward Adam, I believe he's a great coach, he calls plays well and I'm excited about the opportunity, the matchup. Who would have thought, right? We'll see."
On Friday, Gase took some responsibility for their relationship going south in South Florida.
"Whether it was me, him, whatever, our relationship fractured at some point," Gase said. "And then he was [going to be] a free agent. We knew his price tag was going to be high. For us, it got to a point where we knew we weren't going to be able to do it."
Landry, who was labeled a malcontent despite catching more passes in his first four years in Miami than any receiver in NFL history, has been instrumental in eliminating the losing culture within Cleveland's locker room and has become one of the leaders of the Browns.
He embraced the challenge of turning the Browns around since his arrival.
"I'm happy to be here, I'm excited about the opportunity, the challenge, since day one," Landry said.
Gase and the Jets will meet Landry and the Browns on Monday Night Football, but they are not the only two going back-and-forth leading up to the game.
Odell Beckham Jr. also took a shot at Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, accusing him of instructing players to try and take him out of a preseason game in 2017.
Williams dismissed the accusation, jokingly telling reporters, "Odell who?" d
