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Eagles’ Mekhi Becton shades Jets, MetLife Stadium before New York return

Originally posted on NFL on ClutchPoints | By Erik Slater | Last updated 10/17/24

Eagles offensive tackle Mekhi Becton is preparing to travel to New York for a Week 7 matchup with the Giants. The Louisville product spent four disappointing seasons in New York after the Jets selected him 11th overall in the 2020 draft. Looking back on his Jets tenure, Becton said playing second fiddle to the Giants in his stadium was difficult.

“It’s like a whole another side,” he told CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr. “The way I put it when I was there, we was like the little brothers to them. On their side, they had all their trophies and Super Bowls and on or side — we were the New York Jets.”

The Giants have won four SuperBowls (1987, 1991, 2008, 2012) during their franchise’s history, while the Jets’ last title came in SuperBowl III in 1968. However, both teams have been in the NFL’s basement since Becton entered the league. The Giants rank 24th in the league with 39 wins since 2017, while the Jets rank 25th with 38.

Mekhi Becton not looking forward to return to New York

Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Mekhi Becton (77) against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Becton struggled with knee injuries throughout his Jets tenure, missing the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Neither of the injuries occurred on the MetLife Stadium turf, which is perceived to contribute to injuries across the NFL, although such claims have been substantiated by evidence. Regardless, Becton is less than enthused about returning to play in his former stadium.

“I don’t wanna play in that shitty stadium,” he said. “It’s bad. Everything is just bad about that stadium. I don’t really like it. I’m just glad I only gotta do it one time a year. Just gotta go in there, do my 1-11 and go home.”

“You can just tell the difference like if you was to get on that turf and (then) go on a different turf… You can tell. It’s a night and day difference in turf. It just feels lifted. There’s a lot of things that doesn’t feel right about that turf.”

Saquon Barkley is also returning to MetLife Stadium after signing with the Eagles this offseason. The former Giants star running back drew criticism from his former fanbase for his decision, although he countered with claims he was never offered a contract.

The Eagles clawed out a tightly contested win over the struggling Cleveland Browns on Sunday after a Week 5 bye. They’ll look to put together a more complete performance against New York, with Becton and Barkley playing key roles offensively in their former stadium.

This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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