Joe Benigno got in hot water this week when he misinterpreted text messages with New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh. He had to apologize later after reporting that Saleh disliked quarterback Zach Wilson.
After confessing to that mistake on STUpodity this week with host Jon “Stugotz” Weiner, as well as admitting to sending Saleh a six-part treatise on how to fix the Jets, longtime WFAN host Benigno let out another nugget for good measure.
“Let me say this too, and I don’t think there’s any problem with me saying this; I also offered to script the first 15 plays of the game last week for him,” Benigno chuckled. “He sent me back a very nice ‘LOL’ on that, by the way.”
While Benigno didn’t write out specific plays in the initial text to Saleh, he was pretty direct with what he wanted. Benigno also told Saleh he needed to get more involved in the playcalling as head coach.
However, Benigno stated that he has never called a single play for the Jets and only suggested ideas.
“I will say this: I have screamed for weeks that the first play should be a play-action bomb down the field,” Benigno said. “Now last week, even though freakin’ (Tim) Boyle didn’t throw it, I think that was the play because … I think he was looking deep down the field.”
The beleaguered Jets fan took some solace that his message was, maybe, finally, being received.
“Look, I don’t know if I influenced that play call or not, but I have been pushing it for a long time, alright,” Benigno said.
For a sputtering New York Jets offense in search of answers without Aaron Rodgers, maybe offensive coordinator Joe Benigno is the answer.
[STUpodity via the Le Batard & Friends Podcast Feed]
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.