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Detroit GM Martin Mayhew said the other day the Lions will be looking to add leaders this off-season. The Jets need to do the same.
“That is an area that we need younger players who are developing with us to take more of a leadership role, but there also can be some opportunities that we may need to bring in some guys that have some of those qualities,” Mayhew said. “Part of developing as a player is not just developing on the field, but it’s developing leadership, locker room, off-the-field, and you start to feel a little bit more comfortable every year. We need some guys to step up that way, also.”
This statement applies to the Jets also.
Oh my goodness, do the Jets need an upgrade in this area.
If you asked me who the leaders were on the 2012 Jets, I’d have a hard time identifying them.
Before games in the NFL, so often a team leader gathers the team in the end zone, and gives a fire-and-brimstone speech.
You have seen video of Ray Lewis doing this in Baltimore over the years. Drew Brees does a nice job of this in New Orleans.
In 2010 and 2011, LaDainian Tomlinson gave this speech.
He wasn’t with the Jets this past year.
So who replaced him in this role?
Unless I totally missed it – nobody did.
Honestly, I don’t remember seeing it happen last year year.
This speaks volumes about the Jets lack of ideal leadership in 2012.
So often the leader on a football team is the quarterback.
But Mark Sanchez doesn’t get high marks in this department.
We all know he has body language issues when things aren’t going well, and that isn’t a great leadership trait.
However, we need to keep one thing in mind – it’s hard to be a leader if you aren’t playing well. Your words will ring hollow.
I will never forget the Mo Lewis-Ronnie Lott situation in 1993.
The veteran Lott was brought in to help provide leadership.
But Lewis resented Lott’s speeches to the team. Why? Lott really wasn’t having much of an impact on the field, and Lewis really didn’t want to hear rah-rah rhetoric from somebody who wasn’t making a lot of plays.
It’s a great point. Speeches don’t have a lot of credibility if you can’t back them up with strong play.
The Jets do have some good leaders by example like “Nick and Brick,” Mike DeVito, Mo Wilkerson and David Harris.
But they are all kind of quiet guys.
Leadership by example of fine, but you also need verbal leaders.
Rex Ryan promoted the leadership skills of DeMario Davis after the Jets picked the linebacker in the third round of hte 2012 draft. And perhaps he is a good leader, bit it’s hard to emerge in that role until you are comfortable with your own role. Davis spent the 2012 season attempting to get his C-Legs as a 3-4 ILB, a new role for him.
Rex Ryan doing away with captains didn’t help the leadership situation.
It’s hard for guys to take ownership of the leadership roles if none of them are captains.
Rex was wrong for dissolving the captain role, but he clearly didn’t want to hurt Santonio’s feelings by replacing him after the 2011 season.
The bottom line is this team needs anointed captains again, and strong leaders.
While it wasn’t a bad locker room last season, it was devoid of strong leadership.
And this needs to change.
February 10, 2013
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