Per Ohm Youngmisu of the New York Daily News, mouthy Jets safety Kerry Rhodes has ripped former Patriot Rodney Harrison via Twitter.

Screenshots from the Twitter pages of Schefter, Rhodes, and Harrison.

From Youngmisu’s story: “The former Patriots safety ripped Rhodes Friday for his comments to the Daily News earlier this week about wanting to “embarrass” the Patriots and hit Tom Brady often. Harrison also questioned the Jets safety’s toughness.

“I respect Kerry Rhodes as a playmaker but he’s not a tough guy,” Harrison, now an NBC analyst, said on Michael Kay’s radio show on ESPN-1050 Friday. “OK, I’ve seen him turn down tackles many a time. As far as him talking about them wanting to embarrass us, I can understand that. But let’s stay a little humble. Because when you start talking like that you really set yourself up to put all the pressure (on the Jets).”

On his verified Twitter account, Rhodes tweeted, “I’m detecting a lil jealousy from (Harrison) he must wish he was playing 2morrow. My talent outweighs his ask belichick.”

“You just beat Houston,” Harrison said in an amazed tone on the radio. “You beat Houston. Now all of a sudden, Mark Sanchez is Joe Namath and Rex Ryan is Buddy Ryan. He’s the best coach ever.”

Before the season began, the brash Ryan said he was not going to bow down to the Patriots and kiss Bill Belichick’s Super Bowl rings, which only intensified one of the NFL’s best rivalries.

Then this week Rhodes said that the Jets will try to rattle Brady and “hit him more than six times. I promise you that,” referring to the number of times the Bills knocked Brady around on Monday night. While Rhodes made it clear that the Jets won’t play dirty, he did say it is human nature for Brady to be thinking about his surgically repaired left knee. “If somebody is around his leg, or he feels pressure below, he’s not going to step into his throw,” Rhodes said.

* * *

UPDATE from TheDarkHorse: Looks like Rhodes and Harrison have been chatting via Twitter subsequent to this report from the NY Daily News. And getting ESPN’s Adam Schefter into the mix, too.

RHODES TO HARRISON:
I’m detecting a lil jealousy from @rodneyh37 he must wish he was playing 2morrow. My talent outweighs his ask belichick.

HARRISON TO RHODES:
@kerryrhodes Kerry, you talk big for someone who has yet to even win in the playoffs you think you will ever accomplish what i accomplished?

RHODES TO HARRISON:
@Rodneyh37 r u playing sunday? i respect ur game but u crossed line. and i never talk smack u started it. i kno u respect my game! Tweet it!

HARRISON TO RHODES:
@kerryrhodes I definitely respect your game on the field Kerry, but i didn’t appropriate what you said about the Patriots its disrespectful.

ADAM SCHEFTER to his Twitter followers:
Me? I’m guessing Belichick prefers a Pro-Bowl safety with championship rings rather than a Pro-Bowl-less one who tweets about himself.

RHODES TO ADAM SCHEFTER:
@Adam_Schefter yo man get it right he tweet me first about this i dont trash talk but i defend myself! so u get it right!

RHODES TO HARRISON:
@Rodneyh37 u being someone who played the game knows the media runs it i said we are gonna try to embarrass them! lol u should respect that

HARRISON TO RHODES:
@kerryrhodes And even though i respect your game, you do have flaws and i have seen you pass on tackles and not always been physical.

RHODES TO HARRISON:
@Rodneyh37 and i told u i respect ur game and u have flaws 2 lol. and so does ed reed! thats a given.

HARRISON TO RHODES:
@kerryrhodes The talk about Brady’s knees and promising to hit him more than 6 times is what hit a nerve did you ever come back from a surgery like that? no wonder you have no idea what kind of impact your words have for certain players who went through rehab.

RHODES TO HARRISON:
@Rodneyh37 see and thats my point i never ever said anything about hitting his knees! lol r u serious you know i dont play that way!

FoxSports.com has a nice feature on Matt Leinart‘s off-season training regimen – and specifically, his recent Mixed Martial Arts training. Apparently Leinart is not interested in joining the UFC (like every other washed-up NFLer is doing these days), but rather he’s doing it to strengthen his mind and body, to give himself an edge in the NFL.  Looks like he’s working hard … who knows, maybe he’ll even be able to beat out 38-year-old Kurt Warner someday.

The biggest revelation for me from this piece is that Jay Glazer is an MMA trainer, who also works with Jared Allen and other NFL players!  That just blew me away.  I thought he was just another out-of-shape shmuck reporter, but it turns out that not only does he train, but he regularly announces MMA matches, and has even fought himself!  Wow.  I’m genuinely impressed.

You think NFL Athletes are going to John Clayton and asking him for tips  to increase their flexibility and quickness?  Not likely, huh?

Your Tuesday Morning Links:

• Ex Giant Tiki Barber is a forgotten man at NBC [NY Daily News].  As a Giants fan, I can’t tell you how warm and fuzzy this story makes me feel
• Rodney Harrison just retired, and is already trying to make his mark as a broadcaster.  Apparently Rodney thinks the game is turning into a “pansy sport” [Peter King's MMQB]:

“This is football in the National Football League. I hit a guy with my forearm in his throat or his chest area, and they’re trying to fine me. It’s football! [...] Football now is turning into a soft, pansy sport. This is not volleyball! This is not tennis! This is some of the biggest, fastest, strongest men in the world. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”