When he was still on WFAN’s airwaves, Mike Francesa was notorious for telling callers that he never said the thing they were telling him he said. In the age of social media, Funhouse (@BackAftaThis on X) would frequently catch Francesa contradicting himself and, in essence, saying the things he said that he never said.
Well, that’s become less frequent as Francesa has since moved on from his daily show at WFAN, though he pretty much records The Mike Francesa Podcast presented by BetRivers Network with regularity. And Funhouse was able to return to its roots this week, catching Francesa completely contradicting himself about former New York Jets running back Dalvin Cook.
Mike Francesa, after the Jets signed Dalvin Cook: "I like that move!"
Mike Francesa, after the Jets released Dalvin Cook: "Bringing in Cook revealed the ineptitude of the Jets' front office!" pic.twitter.com/GJSr2iBhfh
— Funhouse (@BackAftaThis) January 5, 2024
The Jets released Dalvin Cook earlier this week in a mutually parting of ways, so the four-time Pro Bowler — who has since signed with the Baltimore Ravens — could join a contender. While the Jets went big-game hunting to go “all in,” they whiffed on several targets — Orlando Brown, Calais Campbell, and Odell Beckham Jr. — as they looked to form a super team around Aaron Rodgers.
The Jets only managed to bring in one name-free agent after Rodgers, and it was Cook. Unfortunately, he turned out to be a $6.6 million disappointment. The 28-year-old only rushed for 214 yards on 67 attempts; his average yards per carry just 3.2. Cook was brought in to help ease in Breece Hall from an ACL injury and form a dynamic 1-2 punch, but New York’s injuries on its offensive line prevented them from gaining any momentum in the running game. By the time Cook began to show some potential, it was the Breece Hall show, and Cook was left without any significant role.
For this, Francesa, who hasn’t minced words on how he’s felt about Gang Green all season, took the team and its front office to task.
“The other gift that’s gonna be one that helps someone immeasurably is the Jets releasing Dalvin Cook,” Francscea said Thursday. “Now, Dalvin Cook going to the Jets tells you all you need to know about the Jets front office ineptitude. They didn’t need Dalvin Cook, and they never used Dalvin Cook. He was a waste of resources.”
Fair point, but that’s not precisely what Francesa said on Aug. 17, 2023, around the time when New York signed Cook to a one-year deal.
“Add another one the other day in Cook, and if you listen to me through the years, you know from the day he arrived at Florida State, I have been a big Cook guy,” Francesa said when highlighting what he perceived to be a loaded crop of talent around Rodgers. “So, I like that move. And they’re loaded in the backfield.”
Francesa is clearly contradicting himself here, and it’s not a great look for him to criticize the Jets for signing Cook when he was praising the move just a few months ago.
So, which is it, Mike? Is Dalvin Cook a brilliant signing or a wasted resource? Francesa’s flip-flopping leaves more questions than answers and raises concerns about the reliability of his opinions. Perhaps the next time he criticizes a move, it’s best to consult his own memory bank first.
[Funhouse]
