How David Bailey picked the wrong New York rival to call out on night one originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey was taken with the second overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft Thursday night, becoming the first defensive player selected in this year's class.The New York Jets made him the centerpiece of a defensive rebuild they badly needed, in one of his first public moments as a Jet, he decided to pick a fight.When asked which team he most looked forward to "beating up on," he went with the New York Giants.
NFL reporter Dov Kleiman shared the clip on X, with Bailey saying exactly that:"I look forward to beating up on the Giants, probably." The scheduling reality, however, tells a different story.Yikes: New Jets DE David Bailey was asked what team specifically he looks forward to "beating up" on."I look forward to beating up on the Giants, probably."The Jets play the Giants every four years 🤦♂️pic.twitter.com/YlxFEwhYNfhttps://t.co/1wvWbjnE9l— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 24, 2026His first NFL year won't include a regular-season game against the Giants2026 NFL DRAFT HQ:Live tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Best players still availableThe Jets play in the AFC East.
The Giants are in the NFC East. Under the NFL's conference rotation, the two teams play each other in the regular season once every four years. The next scheduled regular-season matchup between New York's two franchises isn't until 2027.Bailey will be approaching the end of his rookie deal by then.Bailey may simply have been tapping into that shared city identity rather than thinking about any conference schedule.
It happens, just that it landed awkwardly, and it's going to follow him around in the clips section.The Jets have a full AFC schedule to deal with before 2027 shows up. Buffalo, Miami, and New England are the teams he is going to be playing consistently and often. The Giants can just wait.Bailey is a legitimate pass rusher, and the Jets needed him badly on their defensive line.
His production at Texas Tech was undeniable proof, which made him a clear top-three talent.When 2027 finally comes and the Jets-Giants matchup shows up on the calendar, many will pull this back out. Count on it.More NFL news:Sean McVay seemed somewhere else after Rams took Ty SimpsonMalik Nabers' reaction to Caleb Downs going to Dallas says everythingMicah Parsons had one thing to say after Cowboys draft Caleb DownsHow the Eagles' Makai Lemon pick came directly at the Steelers' expenseWhy history might repeat itself for the Dallas Cowboys and George Pickens