IK Enemkpali: Many Jets players called to ‘check’ how I was doing
By Bart HubbuchAugust 15, 2015 | 3:12am
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Geno Smith nemesis IK Enemkpali wouldn’t answer questions about The Punch Heard ’Round the NFL on Friday night, but what little he did say was revealing nonetheless.
Fresh off his debut with Rex Ryan’s Bills, Enemkpali said a host of former Jets teammates — including the entire 2014 rookie class with which he came in — called to cheer him up after Enemkpali fractured Smith’s jaw with a punch Tuesday morning.
If you’re wondering how much backing Smith still has in the Jets’ locker room, the outpouring for the guy who sidelined the Gang Green quarterback for 6-to-10 weeks — and relative silence for Smith — appeared to speak volumes.
“They called to see how I’m doing and called to check on me,” Enemkpali said of his former Jets mates after the Bills’ 25-24 loss to the Panthers in the preseason opener for both teams at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
A source close to Enemkpali said one of the first Jets to call him after the shocking locker-room fracas Tuesday morning that got Enemkpali immediately released was linebacker Demario Davis, who also works out with him in the offseason.
Because Enemkpali still faces the possibility of criminal charges in Florham Park for the incident, the Bills would not allow him to answer questions about the incident with Smith that reportedly started over an unpaid $600 airplane ticket and taunting from the quarterback.
When asked if he planned to apologize to Smith — something that was noticeably absent from Enemkpali’s first statement as a Bill on Thursday — a Buffalo public relations staffer stepped in and waved him off.
“It was just a blessing [to get a second chance with the Bills],” Enemkpali said. “A true blessing.”
Ryan, who caused a stir by claiming Enempkali on waivers, didn’t waste any time getting him on the field. Despite not practicing with the Bills, he played much of the second and third quarter and finished with three tackles, a tackle for lost yardage, a quarterback hurry and an offsides penalty.
“Rex talked to me before the game, and it was kind of the same calls we were running in New York,” said Enemkpali, who played one season under Ryan with the Jets. “I was real familiar with it and just brushed up on it.”
After a roller coaster of a week that he called “a whirlwind for me,” Enemkpali was never more eager to get back on the field.
“It was good getting out there and just clearing my mind and just going out there and playing,” he said. “It felt good.”
Enemkpali didn’t know what kind of reception to expect from his new Buffalo teammates. What he got was overwhelming.
“Everybody was welcoming,” Enemkpali said. “Everybody talked to me and treated me like I’ve been here. Even on the sideline, they were talking to me and we were having fun. It wasn’t tough at all. The way everyone made me feel welcome, you can’t even ask for a better place to be at.”
