A contrite Sheldon Richardson sat inside the Jets field house Thursday after practice and vowed: “I’m not a dope fiend.”
An hour later, sordid details surfaced that will incur the wrath of Jets coach Todd Bowles — if not NFL commissioner Roger Goodell — revealing the Pro Bowl defensive end as a dope and a fiend. A troubled young man who at best is immature, at worst is crying out for needed help.
Because it turns out there is more for Sheldon Richardson to apologize to his teammates and organization for than his four-game suspension for smoking weed.
It turns out, according to police, he likes to drive 143 mph back home in Missouri and resist arrest and carry a fully loaded semi-automatic handgun in a Bentley Silver Spur … that was reeking of marijuana … all with a 12-year-old boy in the car.
Hey, at least he didn’t blow off any fingers lighting fireworks …
“It should be a good lesson for him,” Bowles had said before learning of this bombshell on his first day as HC of the NYJ. “His actions’ll speak louder than his words going forward.”
How can Bowles — or anyone else — trust that Sheldon Richardson’s actions will speak louder than his words will now?
Pardon the expression, but this is the kind of problem child that Bowles, the new sheriff in town, will weed out if he has to.
Richardson may be a player who goes 143 mph on the football field, but Bowles doesn’t need or want anyone behaving recklessly in the fast lane off it, no matter who he is.
Lawrence Taylor used to call it “living on the edge,” before he went over the edge, which is where Richardson ominously seems to be heading.
Richardson has been ordered to appear in St. Charles County Circuit Court on Oct. 27 to face a Class A misdemeanor charge for resisting arrest, which is punishable with up to a year in jail.
Bowles had been asked about the 2 p.m. practice start Thursday.
“Some people ran indoors all summer — you need to get in heat shape,” he said. “It’ll help better with the curfew at night so guys have nothing to do but go to sleep.”
He’d better run Richardson to the bone.
At the Wednesday night team meeting, Bowles laid down the law. I asked him if he told the players what he won’t tolerate.
“Oh, most definitely,” he told The Post. “We talked about all the rules. I told them a little bit who I am, you know, you talk to the team differently than you talk to the media. You tell them who you are, what rules are these, what rules are that, so there’s no gray area. This is what I won’t tolerate, this is what we tolerate. This is what we talk about, but these are the rules this year.”
It is safe to say that driving 143 mph in a car reeking of marijuana and resisting arrest is against those rules.
Bowles addressed Richardson’s suspension with the team Wednesday night. Now he has more to address. Bowles made a statement when he promoted first-round draft pick Leonard Williams to first team and saddled Richardson to second team, a move both practical and punitive.
Richardson’s deteriorating behavior, possibly ignited by a depressing death in the family, only increases the need for the Jets to reach a long-term deal with Muhammad Wilkerson, who is a Bowles guy because he is committed and professional 24/7, on and off the field.
Richardson isn’t only jeopardizing the Jets’ season, he is jeopardizing his career, not to mention his life.
Bowles is a no-nonsense man’s man who won’t tolerate Animal House behavior. When you sign up to coach the Jets, you would be wise to expect the unexpected. Even as early as your first day on the job.
“They kind of figure me out day by day. You don’t blurt a personality out over a day or a couple of weeks, just like I gotta figure out who they are day by day, but they’re getting a good feel,” Bowles said.
Even Richardson liked what he was feeling about Bowles.
“Good coach, smart coach, is not worried about media-related stats … wins and losses … turnovers and protecting the ball,” Richardson said.
And protecting the NFL shield. And being accountable. You don’t have to be Bill Parcells, barking and growling, just because you are a Parcells disciple. Bowles spent most of his first day as HC of the NYJ peering down at his play sheet between plays, barely seen and barely heard. The anti-Rex Ryan. The polar opposite of Donald Trump.
“There’ll be days when I’m loud, and days when I’m quiet, so you don’t give them everything at one time,” Bowles told The Post.
He should give Sheldon Richardson everything now. This is the time for him to be loud — shape-up-or-ship-out loud. Before it’s too late for everyone.