Dustin Keller says Jets are in media for ‘wrong reasons’

The former New York tight end believes the Jets have been in a state of disarray.

Jun 10, 2013, 6:19 PM UTC

USA TODAY Sports

Former New York Jets tight end Dustin Keller spoke to Sirius XM NFL Radio on Sunday, and he wasn't too complimentary toward his old team. Keller said the Jets are obviously trying to move on from quarterback Mark Sanchez and have been making too much of the wrong kind of news.

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“There’s always some type of nonsense going on. When you’re in the New York media, you don’t say that you’re used to all of that; there’s always going to be distractions,” he said. “But this is really more so than anywhere else. You’re really talking about a team -- we didn’t even go to the playoffs the year before -- and it seemed like we’re in the media more than anyone else, and for the wrong reasons. You never want that.”

Keller, who recently signed with the Miami Dolphins, was one of the top receiving targets over the last few years. Injuries limited him to just 317 yards and two touchdowns in eight games last year, but in 2011 he compiled 815 yards and five scores in 16 games.

Keller said the Jets' decision to release him and their pick of Geno Smith in the 2013 draft made it clear that Sanchez isn't their guy. However, he believes the moves could motivate the quarterback.

“I think he doesn’t like the fact those moves were made,” Keller said. “I don’t think those were things that made him happy. Could it possibly have been something that pushed him? Maybe, I’m not quite sure. But it definitely lit a fire underneath him. I’ve talked to him a couple of times this offseason and he’s been working. So, I think you can expect some good things from him.”

Sanchez is coming off a rough year. In 2012, the Jets fell to 6-10 as he completed just 54.3 percent of his passes for 2,883 yards, 13 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. It was the third time in his four-year career that he threw at least 18 interceptions and the fourth time he failed to complete 57 percent of his throws.