A prominent player from the New York Jets has recently criticized Stephen A. Smith, following the ESPN commentator’s advice to college quarterback Dante Moore to avoid joining the struggling NFL team.

As the curtains close on the regular season, top-tier teams are gearing up for intense post-season clashes, while those who fell short are shifting their focus toward the upcoming draft in April.

This year, the Las Vegas Raiders have secured the first overall draft pick. Meanwhile, the Jets, having endured a challenging 3-14 season, will select second.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore stands out among the top college prospects and is widely anticipated to be one of the first two players chosen in the draft.

With the Raiders expected to select Indiana Hoosiers quarterback and Heisman Trophy recipient Fernando Mendoza, it seems increasingly likely that Moore might find himself heading to New York.

However, ahead of the draft, the signal caller has since been urged by Smith to avoid joining the Jets and, instead, head back to college. 

Stephen A Smith labelled the New York Jets as a ‘football atrocity’ when discussing whether college star Dante Moore should return to Oregon or join the Jets in the NFL Draft

Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson took issue with Smith’s comments and fire back online

During Wednesday’s episode of First Take, ESPN host Smith said: ‘I’d go back to college before I played for the Jets. They are a football atrocity. They are awful. I mean straight garbage. 

‘I am a black man that is consistently pushing for opportunities for black coaches throughout the years. And it hurts me to say this, okay? [But] Ain’t no way Aaron Glenn should still be the head coach of the New York Jets. 

‘They were horrible and digressed, damn near nosedived. They are horrible. And they are the place to go if you want to sink, if you want to dissipate, if you want to rot away. They are horrible. If I was a parent, my child wouldn’t even go to the draft’.

Smith’s volatile reaction quickly went viral and sparked plenty of debate on social media, which lead to Jets star Garrett Wilson calling out Smith for his take. 

Taking to X, Wilson responded to the video and wrote: ‘Damn, u gotta be a real sell out n above all a square to be on ESPN nowadays. Used to love that show’. 

Smith did not issue a response on his own social media accounts.

During his segment on First Take, the 58-year-old also took the opportunity to call out Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and his disastrous performance this year. 

He continued: ‘Aaron Glenn had forty-one interceptions in his career, six pick sixes, and he was a defensive coordinator Detroit. And this man’s defense didn’t record one interception the entire year! The only team in the NFL history to have done that. 

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is projected to be a top-2 quarterback in three months time

Smith said that the college quarterback should look to avoid the struggling New York Jets

‘I want the man to have a job, just not as head coach for New York Jets’, he said.

The ESPN host’s comments came just days after commentator Todd McShay similarly advised Moore to head back to college instead of joining the Jets in April. 

McShay said: ‘If you’re representing Dante Moore, with the Raiders, you know you have an organization steep in history with an owner whose father is entrenched in the great history of the NFL. They’re trying to do the right thing – misguided at times – and it brings in Tom Brady, who can be a source of helping. 

‘Would you or would you not, as the rep for Dante Moore, reach out to the Raiders and say, “Hey, my client’s trying to make a decision. We can live with going to 30 of 32 teams. Maybe it’s 31. But I can’t allow him go to the New York Jets”.

Continuing from the perspective of Moore’s rep, McShay said: ‘I can allow my client to go back to Oregon and have another season with a new offensive coordinator. Or you can promise me he’ll be number one overall pick. Is that so far-fetched? 

He continued: ‘He has an opportunity to go back to Oregon and probably make the same amount of money that he would make his rookie contract. 

Smith also took aim at Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and called for him to be fired

Analyst Todd McShay has revealed the team that college prospects are desperate to avoid

‘I promise you, not one single player in this draft wants to be a New York Jet.’ 

The warning comes after a truly catastrophic season for the Jets, who finished bottom of the AFC East with a woeful 3-14 record.

Meanwhile, after arriving at Oregon, Moore spent the 2024 season on the sidelines and behind veteran Dillon Gabriel as the Ducks made their Big Ten debut.

However, he was handed the keys to the offense in 2025 and enjoyed a stunning breakout campaign, throwing for 3,046 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading Oregon to the College Football Playoff.