New York Jets cornerback Dimitri Patterson, who mysteriously was missing for two days, returned to the team’s facility Sunday night and met with coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik.
Patterson didn’t show up for Friday night’s exhibition game against the New York Giants and couldn’t be reached or located. Idzik termed it an “unexcused” absence, saying he still hadn’t talked to Patterson. The only thing the Jets knew was that he was safe and unharmed, Idzik said.
Drew Rosenhaus, Patterson’s agent, declined to comment.
Idzik hinted that Patterson could be disciplined, but he declined to speculate on whether the absence would result in a fine or impact his standing on the team. Idzik said he needed to speak with Patterson before making that determination. He wanted to find out why the well-traveled veteran “would take such a drastic step.”
On Friday, Patterson attended meetings, the walk-through and the pre-game meal, but he never showed up at MetLife Stadium. Because of his injuries, it was questionable whether he would play. At first, they thought he may have been stuck in traffic. Team officials spent the night trying to track him down, making numerous phone calls.
“Without putting an APB out, you’re trying everything you can,” Ryan said. “You’re trying all the numbers you have, you name it. . . Obviously, as the game wore on, we still had a major concern.”
Saturday Idzik confirmed that Patterson was all right, although the team did not know his whereabouts. The players were off Saturday. On Sunday, he did not show up for practice.
“Not to my knowledge,” Idzik said, when asked if it was legal matter that kept Patterson away. “We have a very cursory knowledge of what’s going on. That’s the extent of it. . . That’s it in a nut shell.”
