The New York Jets have re-invited a fan to compete in their $100,000 field goal challenge after taking massive public criticism for disinviting her last week.

The Jets had cancelled its invitation to fan and season ticket holder Ashley Castanio-Gervasi. They refused to allow her to take her shot at participating in the contest after insisting that she was unqualified to compete because her job violated the contest’s proscriptions on participants who are athletes or coaches.

But Castanio-Gervasi, a high school math teacher and soccer coach, says she was never told during the several stages of pre-qualification for the contest that athletic coaches were not allowed to compete until she went to sign the contract for the final event.

Once the team’s move to disqualify her for the event became known, though, social media erupted in condemnation of the team’s decision. Many felt that it was unfair to have, at the last minute, sprung on her the rule against allowing fans who are athletic coaches to participate.

But just before the final whistle on the play, the Jets reversed their decision and will now allow Castanio-Gervasi to compete in the challenge and take her shot at winning the big prize on Sunday.

“We realized there was an unfortunate misunderstanding regarding Ashley’s eligibility for the contest. In an effort to remedy the situation, we are allowing her to kick this Sunday for an opportunity to win the prize,” the Jets said in a statement, according to the New York Post.

“We value the passion and loyalty of our fans and are committed to creating memorable experiences,” the team added.

The PR disaster for the Jets began last week when Castanio-Gervasi revealed her disappointment at being disinvited to the event.

“This is life-changing money for me,” she said after being cast aside. “I was confident I could have made it.”

The 33-year-old said Jets officials saw her kicking footballs in the fan zone outside MetLife Stadium in September and asked if she wanted to compete in the field goal challenge. She adds that none of the team staffers asked her what she does for a living as a high school soccer coach and math teacher at Long Beach High School.

Castanio-Gervasi qualified for the primary contest by kicking a 20-yard challenge at a preliminary contest in October.

“These two workers for the New York Jets kind of chased me down and invited me back to get into this competition,” Castanio-Gervasi told the media. “The one question I was asked was if I played college soccer, and how long ago.”

Despite qualifying, she says that she was yanked from the challenge after being asked to sign an affidavit this month and being told that the rules also prohibit contestants who are current or former athletic coaches for college, high school, or other teams.

But since her story went viral, Castanio-Gervasi said she is pleased that so many people were moved by the fact that she intended to dedicate her field goal attempt to her now-deceased dad, who was a lifelong Jets fan.

“They really rallied behind the purpose of why I wanted to kick, which was in honor of my dad,” she said.

“I’m just going to kind of leave it to faith and hope that my, whatever athletic ability I have right now, will get me through it,” said Castanio-Gervasi, who will be tugging on her favorite Darrelle Revis jersey, with whom she shared number 24.

“And if it doesn’t, I’m still happy,” she added. “I know my dad is looking down and is happy that I’m a part of it.”

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