A New York Jets coach has now been suspended indefinitely - instead of for the rest of this season - after the team learned he instructed players to stand with him near their sideline before he tripped a Miami Dolphins player, the team said Wednesday.
The Jets said they're still reviewing the case of  strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi, and that they could opt to fire him. Alosi tripped rookie Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll during a punt in third quarter of the Dolphins' 10-6 win over the Jets.
"The players at the Miami game were instructed by Sal to stand where they were, to force the gunner in the game to run around them," Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum told reporters Wednesday.
Carroll, covered by two Jets players, was running along the sideline toward the Jets punt returner when the incident happened at the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey. Video shows Carroll was out of bounds and trying to run back in the field of play when Alosi - standing with Jets players on the out-of-bounds edge of the sideline - leaned his left knee forward. The knee caught Carroll, who tumbled to the ground.
Carroll was shaken up but eventually walked to his sideline on his own power. He returned to the game in the fourth quarter.
Alosi apologized to Carroll, the Dolphins' coach and others Sunday, and on Monday he told reporters that he "wasn't thinking."Â Asked that day whether someone had instructed him and other Jets personnel to stand close to the sidelines to prevent the Dolphins from running out of bounds - something for which Miami was penalized earlier in the game - Alosi said: "No, that wasn't anything that was instructed."
On Monday the Jets suspended Alosi for the rest of the season and fined him $25,000. But the Jets continued to look at the play and then talked with players "who appeared to be standing in a wall-like formation with Alosi," the Jets said in a statement.
"It looked to me that it was unusual for them to be standing that way, and then on Tuesday we talked to the players involved, and that's when we were told they were asked to stand there by Sal," Tannenbaum said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday. "They were instructed by Sal throughout the game, but specifically when Miami was punting, they were asked to stand there by him."
"Once we got this new information, we actually met with the commissioner [Roger Goodell] and [vice president of football operations] Ray Anderson this morning. They support this initial decision that we presented to them, but the league is going to look into this as well, as they should," Tannenbaum said.
The Jets said they could choose to terminate Alosi's services.
"All options are certainly on the table," Tannenbaum said. "We're going to complete the review, get all the information. [Special teams coach] Mike Westhoff was not involved, [head coach] Rex Ryan is not involved, but we just want to be thorough and then make the best decision."
Alosi, who played linebacker at Hofstra, joined the Jets as an intern in 2002 before serving as their assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2003 to 2005. He worked one year with the Atlanta Falcons before returning to the Jets as their head strength and conditioning coach in 2007.
WOW, just pi ss ed away his career!
The NFL is the only sport that handles these situations correctly.
How true! Baseball players can brawl whenever they want, and the NBA is heading that way. And hockey, well, it used to be a sport, believe it or not.
Its one thing to get injured IN the game, and another to be hurt by someone one who is not playing IN the game. This coach should have put on pads and get hit for real at game speed and just maybe he would not have been so eager to hurt a player intentionally and possibly end this player career. I don't understand WHY a coach would do that. Send him home..for good.
I expect this kind of thing from the raiders, but the jets?
chad, i bet some dumbas.s will hire him, but i hope not, rotten sportsmanship, not worthy of the pros. Its sad to see that you cant even put professional ediquet? Above childess antics that could end a career. Loser!
On his way to the Cowboys...
Oh stop, every NFL team puts a wall on the sidelines in some form. This guy was following orders....until he nudged his knee out 3 inches. That was wrong. But lets not act like this was some 33 year old who suddenly got this idea to put a wall up on punts to make it hard for the outside coverage guy.
No kidding, people posting here need to get a grip. How bored and angry are people with their lives to want this guy fired over this?!
At last, sanity and reason! Thanks for these two posts...
The conditioning coach did not line those players up on his own. He was instucted to do that. I am certain he will not be fired and I'll bet someone else picks up his fine.
I agree. Had to be Mike Westoff who told him to form this wall. Westoff was with Miami for 7 years and knew they run along the sidelines. This goes deeper than just Sal Alosi, and the Jets are covering it up.
As a Coach, he should be thinking about the safety of all players. This clearly is a case of a Coach violating his authority. He should be fired. Perhaps he "wasn't thinking", as he states. But after he is fired, he will have the rest of his life to think about his decision to cause harm to a player.
Why is this idiot still employed?
Due diligence. Just taking their time and getting it right.
Alosi....YOU'RE FIRED!!!
Big deal – he cheated. What this guy did pales in comparison to the cheating our politicians do every day.
If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'.
Be quiet moron.
This dolt is REALLY lucky he didn't get his knee blown out by the hit! Now that would have been some cool justice! Fire him. He's not above the rules...he just THINKS he is.
This guy was told by Special Teams coach Mike Westoff to form this wall for the Miami receiver. He was with Miami for 7 years and knew they run along the sidelines. Check the tape from the Sept Miami match up and you'll see the same formation on the Jets sideline. This goes deeper than just Sal Alosi, and the Jets are covering it up.
Exactly and that's why he won't be fired.
He should instantly be fired! It's idiots like this that hurt the game. He could have seriously injured Carroll. He's guilty and should be punished. Sorry means nothing, Intent was everything. He looks like an evil jack*** as well. I'm a Jet fan. If they don't get rid of him, they'll lose my loyalty as will many others I know.
Yes. Such a travesty.
Oh wait. There was a coach who got in trouble for videotaping the other team in practice?
Oh, he was fired.
But there was another coach who did the same thing prior to a Super Bowl?!?! WOW....
Wait.... he WASN'T fired?
Oh. So they fined him. And then.... they.... burned.... the .... evidence? Wha huh?
The NFL endorses cheating. Just so long as you don't get caught, which this fool did.
And if you DO get caught, if there's enough $$$ at stake... we'll make it go bye-bye so we can keep making $$$.
For those of you mathematically inclined......
Rule 1. $$$ > ALL
Rule 2. If confused, please refer back to Rule 1.
This guy is a two-bit low-paid, low-position coach. Expendable. Buh bye!
Sacrifice him to save the higher paid guy. And that guy in turn would be sacrificed to save the head coach.
you're an idiot. and a moron. good day.