If there is no trip, there is still an active player brushing against somebody on the sidelines.
If I'm the guy on the sidelines, I brace myself. The jets guy did that. He also did it in a way that would trip the other player if the other player gets too close. Its not like the jets guy blatantly stuck his foot out.
The jets guy today is clearly towing the company line. He is saying all the right things. And he's doing so most likely due to the Jets PR department. I bet the coach pats him on the back and says "nice job, now go take one for the team".