Lawrence Tynes is glad Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff doesn’t have Steve Weatherford to kick around anymore.
The Giants kicker yesterday blasted Westhoff for taking shots in September at Weatherford, the former Jets punter now booting ably for Big Blue.
“Unbelievable. That’s the worst statement of the year by any coach in this game,” Tynes said. “How could you say that? You just broke an NFL record for your team and you throw him under the bus. We’re glad to have him. Mike Westhoff is a great coach, but I certainly think he missed on that one.”
Westhoff has said following Weatherford’s departure from the Jets that Weatherford fared poorly down the stretch last year.
“There were times when he just didn’t do the job,” Westhoff said. “I was looking to get better than what he did at that point in time. … Wasn’t good enough, in my opinion. It wasn’t. I don’t want to be 23rd in the NFL. That’s where he was.”
Weatherford also criticized Westhoff yesterday, unfavorably comparing the combustible coach to his current special teams coach, Tom Quinn. Weatherford called this year his “best season” and hailed Quinn as a main reason why. Weatherford averaged a career-high 45.7 yards per punt this season, up from 42.6 under Westhoff.
“I think a lot of it has to do with playing for Tom Quinn and being comfortable and being confident and being strong,” Weatherford said. “I think playing for the Jets and playing for that positional coach was draining. I thought it was difficult. It was physically taxing.
“Quinn lets me play to my strengths. I’m an effective directional punter, and he loves that. Coach [Tom] Coughlin loves that. And they let me play to my strengths.”
Reached yesterday by The Post, Westhoff said, “Tynes should mind his own business.”
Westhoff said, “I wish [Weatherford] the very best,” but seemed not to regret jettisoning Weatherford.
“I really don’t because it was based on what we saw and what had taken place here in a two-year period of time,” he said.
Westhoff pointed out in Week 16, the Jets returned Weatherford’s four punts for 18.5 yards per attempt, quipping, “I don’t regret that.”
“The only thing that we did, we based the decision on how he finished at the end of the year,” he said.
Weatherford said he and Westhoff did not speak in Week 16 and have not talked the entire year. What would he say to Westhoff if he saw him?
“To be honest with you, personally I don’t have anything to say to him,” Weatherford told The Post. “I think I’ve kind of let my play speak for itself. That’s what I was planning on doing. It’s just motivation. It’s kind of like the situation — somebody’s trash is another man’s treasure. I’m trying my best to be Tom Coughlin’s treasure.”