Chiefs' Mecole Hardman on 2024 NFL Free Agency: 'I Won't Go Back to the Jets'

It's safe to assume Mecole Hardman's brief tenure with the New York Jets was not a happy time for the wide receiver.

Appearing on NFL Network's Total Access, Hardman definitively said he "won't go back to the Jets" as a free agent this offseason.

The Jets signed Hardman to a one-year deal in free agency last offseason. He was expected to fill a role in the slot for New York's offense after Elijah Moore was traded to the Cleveland Browns.

Things did not go as planned for either party after the deal was signed. Hardman played a total of 29 snaps between offense and special teams in five games with the Jets. His only reception went for six yards in a 30-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.

Hardman was a healthy scratch for New York's Week 5 game against the Denver Broncos before returning to the lineup the following week. He was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 18.

The Chiefs originally drafted Hardman in the second round in 2019. He tied his career-high with six total touchdowns during the 2022 season.

Kansas City was desperately looking for any help it could find at wide receiver when Hardman returned to the fold. He didn't have a huge impact on the team with 118 receiving yards on 14 receptions in the regular season.

Even in the playoffs, Hardman only had 92 receiving yards and lost a fumble at the goal line in the AFC Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills when the Chiefs were trying to take a 10-point lead.

Hardman capped off his season in memorable fashion by catching the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime of the Super Bowl to give the Chiefs a 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

While there may not be a robust market for a wideout who has a total of 421 receiving yards over the past two seasons, it says a lot about how things went with the Jets that he would immediately cross them off the list before free agency even begins.