Bill Belichick had asked his players not to respond to the verbal jabs that Jets head coach Rex Ryan and his players were taking at the Patriots. But apparently Wes Welker couldn’t help himself.

Welker was obviously poking fun at the Rex Ryan foot-fetish story with his barrage of foot references in the above press conference. I thought it was rather humorous, although you knew the Jets weren’t going to stand idle and not respond.

Ryan’s response (from the New York Daily News):

“With Wes Welker, well, I think this is a huge rivalry type game and anything goes. I can take it,” Ryan said Friday. “I’m not going to discuss it, but I can take it.”

Bart Scott’s response (from FOX Boston):

“Be very careful what you say about our coach. His days in a uniform will be numbered. Put it like that.” Scott’s ties to Rex Ryan go beyond New York. The two were part of the Baltimore Ravens organization previously.

Nick Mangold’s response (also from FOX Boston):

Offensive lineman Nick Mangold took a different approach to responding to Welker’s press conference, trying to fight humor with humor. Mangold Tweeted , “Wes Welker is a great player. He’s really taken advantage of watching film. If we don’t keep a Spy on him, he could really open the Gate.”

This is exactly why Belichick didn’t want any of his players to respond to the Jets’ antics.