Photo by nj.com.
Dimitri Patterson, the New York Jets’ cornerback who went missing for two days and did not show up for an exhibition game, was suspended for the remainder of the preseason and likely fined by the organization.
Initially, the Jets said they would suspend Patterson “indefinitely” for his “unexcused” absence. That punishment was defined as “the remainder of the preseason,” which means until Monday. Patterson can rejoin the team then as it prepares to open the season the next week against the Oakland Raiders.
The team investigated Patterson’s still-unknown-to-the-public reasons for going missing, behavior general manager John Idzik called “drastic.”
Patterson met Sunday night with coach Rex Ryan and Idzik, explaining his behavior. The Jets have refused to divulge Patterson’s reasoning, but the well-traveled veteran, 31, was disgruntled with his role on defense, according to a source.
Whatever the case, Patterson will have to endear himself to his teammates who were baffled by his no-show.
“I think there’s a level of accountability,” guard Willie Colon said. “I think if he’s able to stand up in front of the team and say, ‘Hey, this is how I felt, such-and-such happened,’ whether it’s right, wrong or indifferent, for him to say something would be welcomed. We’ll have to proceed from there.”
