CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Remember “Tone Time?’’
Remember what a marvelous era that was for the Jets, when “Tone Time’’ meant Santonio Holmes catching game-winning touchdown passes, when he was an integral ingredient to a spirited playoff run?
The problem is, that was three long years ago.
“Tone Time’’ has now taken on a much different meaning — that of an overpaid, underproductive, high-maintenance headache.
This week, “Tone Time’’ meant making foolish remarks about an opponent that happens to be far superior to his team, and providing that team motivation it probably didn’t even need to beat the 6-8 Jets 30-20 the way the 10-4 Panthers did Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
Instead of catching a touchdown pass or two on a Panthers’ secondary he called the “weak link’’ to the Carolina defense, days before the ball was even kicked off, Holmes gift-wrapped a powerful piece of bulletin-board material to the Panthers.
“We want to thank Santonio for helping us get ready,’’ Panthers safety Quintin Mikell told The Post after the game. “That’s like you’re walking down the street and some man’s talking trash to you. If you’re a man, are you going to tuck tail and run or are you going to bring it to him? That’s basically what happened: We brought it to him. We kept our mouths shut, we came out focused and we were going to shut him up on the field and that’s what we did.’’
Yes, they did.
The Panthers (10-4) were understandably giddy about it afterward — particularly as poetic justice prevailed when cornerback Captain Munnerlyn became the star of the day, with a game-clinching 41-yard pick-six of Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith in the fourth quarter. Munnerlyn also had two sacks.
Holmes’ production in the game was an embarrassment for a player who’s supposed to be a star and whose base salary this season is $7.25 million: He was targeted eight times and had two catches for 14 yards. His first catch, for 9 yards, came in the fourth quarter with the Jets trailing by 10 points. His second catch came with the Jets trailing by 17.
Incredibly, when Holmes made that first catch, he had the audacity to trash-talk the Panthers’ defensive backs, telling them they needed “more time in the weight room.’’
This qualifies as high comedy.
“Yeah, he was talking; I told him, ‘Catch one on me and then we can talk,’ ’’ Munnerlyn said.
“If you’re going to say something you’ve got to make sure you come out and play,’’ Panthers rookie cornerback Melvin White said. “We used what he said as motivation.’’
The piece de resistance for the Panthers came with 8:17 remaining in the game when Munnerlyn stepped in front of Holmes, picked off a Smith pass and took it to the house for a 30-13 lead. When Munnerlyn reached the end zone, he mocked the “fly boys’’ jet airplane move Holmes does when he scores and was penalized 15 yards for taunting.
“I think my celebration says it all,’’ Munnerlyn said. “He always does that when he scores — that little jet thing. I had to give it back to him … and I crashed. It’s going to cost me a little money, but I took what he said personal this week. You call out our secondary and say we’re the weakest link. … I took it real personal. I guess he was trying to light a fire under his team, but it was the opposite. He lit a fire under our secondary.’’
Holmes’ coaches and teammates have to say all the right things, because they don’t want to upset team harmony. But if you think coach Rex Ryan or offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg or the other Jets receivers were happy to hear those ill-advised words from Holmes during the week, you’re crazy.
“They made sure that we knew that they didn’t appreciate the comments,’’ receiver David Nelson said of the Panthers’ secondary. “One of the players said to me, ‘You guys messed up … 10 [Holmes’ number] messed up.’ ’’
After the game, Holmes was predictably defiant.
“I’m an eight-year veteran; I wouldn’t regret anything,’’ he said.
“Do you think you motivated them?’’ Holmes was asked.
“Nope,’’ he said.
Wrong.
Due to count $10.75 million on the salary cap in 2014, Holmes has as much chance to remain with the team as Joe Namath does of returning: Zero chance.
“Tone Time’’ has run out.