EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – If you thought the New York Jets’ season couldn’t get any lower, it has. The struggling 3-12 team’s season has been over for weeks. Now, fans are upset over the team’s treatment of one of their own.
A New York Jets season ticketholder says she was unexpectedly disqualified from the team’s $100,000 “Kick for Cash” field goal challenge just days before she was set to compete, after organizers said her role as a high school soccer coach made her ineligible.
Ashley Castanio-Gervasi, a longtime fan and math teacher from Long Island, told the New York Post she had been invited to take part in the on-field competition during Sunday’s home game against the New England Patriots. The event, sponsored by the Jets and meant to reward fans with a chance at a six-figure prize, was also deeply personal for Castanio-Gervasi, who attends games to honor her late father, a devoted Jets supporter.
After initially being approved, Castanio-Gervasi said the team reversed its decision, citing her position as a high school girls’ soccer coach as a conflict under contest rules — despite having disclosed her coaching background when she entered. She expressed disappointment at the last-minute cancellation, telling the Post, “This is life-changing money for me. I was confident I could have made it.”
The Jets have not issued a public statement explaining the reversal. The situation sparked backlash among fans online, who criticized the decision as unfair to a dedicated supporter.
A Jets season ticketholder was dropped from a $100,000 fan contest after officials ruled her high school coaching job made her ineligible.