Jets tight end Stone Smartt delivers 'Welcome to the NFL' moment with viral chip block

Jets tight end Stone Smartt made five catches this preseason, but the play he’ll be remembered for most was the Chip Block Heard ’Round the World.

That one came last week against the Giants when he lowered his shoulder and de-cleated linebacker Abdul Carter, the third overall pick in the 2025 draft, before heading out on his receiving route.

Video of the violent block went viral shortly after it occurred and remained an online talking point for several days.

Watch the chip block from @nyjets TE Stone Smartt on Abdul Carter 😤 pic.twitter.com/TNqDg1Gl63

— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2025

“It did take off,” Smartt told Newsday after Friday’s preseason game against the Eagles, his first comments since the play. “Shoot, it was a good opportunity, good look I had. Just the way the joint practices were going that week, I was like, ‘When I get my chance, I’m going to try to make something happen.’ It presented itself and I was able to make something happen and make the play.”

What made the play appear even more dominant was that as Carter tried to get to his feet from Smartt’s block, he was knocked down again by tackle Chukwuma Okafor.

Smartt, a third-year tight end from Old Dominion, said he didn’t realize at the time how jarring his hit was on Carter.

“I knew I got him good and I didn’t look back, but I heard my teammates on the sideline kind of roar,” he said. “And shoot, watching the film after, I was like ‘Oh, yeah.’ It was cool.”

Carter didn’t think so. The NFL posted the clip on its social media platforms and Carter responded to it the day after the game.

“Might be the only highlight of the Jets all season,” Carter wrote in a since-deleted rebuttal. He added references to the Giants’ win in the game, called the chip a nasty name, then said he “ate [Smartt] like bbq” during the joint practices.

“It’s cool,” Smartt said. “It is what it is. During the season, I try not to pay that stuff too much mind. I try to keep ball the main thing. But he felt some type of way and it is what it is. Plays were made between the white lines. Other than that, we were just playing football.”

Jets begin cuts

The Jets waived six players on Saturday: CB Mario Goodrich, T Samuel Jackson, TE Neal Johnson, WR Dymere Miller, DT Fatorma Mullbah and WR Ontaria “Pokey” Wilson. They have until Tuesday afternoon to trim their roster to 53 players.