New York Jets DL Haason Reddick reveals he’s in Japan

Haason Reddick is nowhere near New Jersey

The Haason Reddick situation has just escalated in the eyes of some New York Jets fans. 

On Friday, the already controversial defensive lineman revealed that his current location is nowhere near Florham Park, NJ. Instead, Reddick revealed his location as Tokyo, Japan, per a story on his official Instagram account: 

Although the Jets (and the rest of the league) are living life in an off-period, some fans do not love the latest Reddick update, thanks to the uncertainty of his contractual status. Reddick has one year left on his deal, and the Jets are in line to owe him $14.25 million. 

The reasoning behind Reddick’s Tokyo location remains a mystery, but the general consensus is that he’s on vacation. (It makes sense since late June/early July is the final NFL “dead period” before training camp commences the fresh campaign.) 

The Jets acquired Reddick, 29, via trade in March to fill the void left by pass-rusher Bryce Huff, who departed in free agency (Philadelphia Eagles). Since Reddick has only one year remaining on his current contract, immediate concerns arose about his attendance at spring workouts.

In the latest episode of the “Flight Deck Podcast,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini stated that Reddick initially assured the Jets of his participation in mandatory minicamp. However, the seven-year veteran has since had a change of heart—declining to report to minicamp. 

Most in the know or observing from afar believe he’s holding out for a long-term contract.

Head coach Robert Saleh initially revealed that he had no communication with Reddick throughout the offseason. However, Saleh has since changed his tune on that topic, as the organization now projects little concern over the situation (publicly). 

Despite the newest Reddick development, he decreased fan concerns with a post on his official X account (formerly Twitter) on June 12. 

Stop believing the foolery y’all see on these social media apps and news outlets. Running crazy narratives and y’all eating it up.

— Haason 7 Reddick (blue check) (@Haason7Reddick) June 12, 2024

“Stop believing the foolery y’all see on these social media apps and news outlets,” Reddick said. “Running crazy narratives and y’all eating it up.”

Many interpreted this as a response to discussions about his absence from OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Moreover, the post’s timing leads everybody to believe Reddick pushed back on the contractual holdout topic. 

Reddick is known for his pass-rushing ability, having recorded 11 sacks last year with the Eagles. His 50.5 sacks rank fourth in the league over the last four seasons—with only T.J. Watt (62), Myles Garrett (58) and Trey Hendrickson (53) compiling more. 

Saleh and the Jets are counting on another double-digit sack season from the Temple product. First, however, the organization patiently awaits his hopeful presence at New York Jets training camp in July. 

How the Haason Reddick-New York Jets contract saga unfolds will be extremely interesting to monitor this summer. Veterans are set to report on July 23, whereas rookies have an arrival date of July 18.