New York Jets star wide receiver Laveranues Coles got an unexpected knock on his hotel room door at 4 a.m. ET the morning of Aug. 7, 2008. It was from Chad Pennington, who was there to inform his best friend that he had just been released from his Jets contract.
Two and a half hours later, pro bowl fullback Tony Richardson would receive the same news from Pennington via text.
But before the Jets would officially announce the release of Pennington, they were ready to tell the world all about their bold move to land one of the NFL’s all-time great quarterbacks.