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It’s different. There is no question about it. Now, nobody knows how this team is going to do, but there is no question the vibe in the locker room and practice field is way different than last year.
The Jets’ football culture broke last year, and Todd Bowles knew he had to fix it this off-season.
And it looks like it’s headed in the right direction.
Yesterday, we got into how the Jets’ coaching staff changes seem to be helping improve their culture.
Today, let’s get into the player changes that perhaps will contribute to fixing the Jets’ culture.
The release of Darrelle Revis was necessary. He was a culture drag last year. He made $17 million and played poorly. When you don’t play the sticks on third down, and you seem to eschew tackling, that is very bad for a defense, and a clubhouse.
Perhaps many of us didn’t realize the resentment in the Jets’ locker room toward Brandon Marshall. Sheldon Richardson of all people gave us some insight on that. Marshall kind of has a pattern in his career. The first year with a new team seems to be okay, and then he starts to grate on people. His “king of all media” act wears thin with some.
So it was probably important to move on from these two to help their clubhouse.
Along with moving on from some, additions were necessary to improve the football culture.
Two guys with great leadership ability that have clearly helped the Jets this spring and should moving forward are quarterback Josh McCown and safety Jamal Adams. These two alpha dogs have been a huge help to the Jets in the locker room and on the practice field. They both have the “it” factor in terms of leadership. You can’t manufacture leaders – either they have it or they don’t – these two guys have it.
Morris Claiborne isn’t necessarily a top-shelf leader, but he’s a heck of a guy – universally loved by teammates. He’s got a great attitude towards life and football.
Claiborne was asked recently about the Jets tanking this year, a popular media narrative.
“Me being here on the inside, being around these guys each day, knowing these guys’ heart, knowing these guys work ethic … it’s hard to write these guys off,” Claiborne told NJ.com. “They’re hearing the same things that people are saying and all of us in here have the same goal. We’re not going to let anybody try to take it away from us. We’re going out there to bust some people’s a—-.”
Being around these Jets, you get the sense they have kind of “Three Musketeers” attitude – “All for one, and one for all.”
Look, I have no idea how the Jets will fair this year, but being around them this spring, the vibe, the karma, seems a lot better than last year.
I think they will play hard and for each other, and won’t be as splintered as last year.
June 30, 2017
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