Several Jets players met with the media on Zoom calls the day after the team’s season ended. Everyone was asked what was missing from the Jets, who had just finished 2-14 for their fifth straight losing season and 10th in the playoffs.
Each gave a similar answer about the Jets who did not have a winning identity and culture.
The Jets hope to have solved this problem by hiring Robert Saleh as the new head coach. Saleh arrives at the Jets after participating in successful organizations such as the 49ers and Seahawks. He has a Super Bowl ring and went to another.
Saleh impressed decision-makers at the Jets that he may be a desperately needed change agent for the organization. He seems to have personality and makeup to inspire and propel the team in the right direction. It’s something the Jets have struggled with head coach under Adam Gase and Todd Bowles.
“Offensive, defensive, special teams, it doesn’t matter,” Saleh said this season about his philosophy. “It’s the mindset of the manager that creates an environment where players compete and players fight for each other, and players have a real love for each other.”
Saleh has been the Seahawks ’quality control defensive coach since 2011-13. This is a low-level position, but Saleh has to see how Seattle head coach Pete Carroll works every day. Culture is a word overused in sports, but Carroll has created a culture in Seattle.
“The only thing that propelled them to Seattle was just the culture,” said George Fant, Jets offensive striker, who played for the 2016-19 Seahawks. “We have to change the culture. We need to bring culture here. I think that’s what they’re committed to doing. “
Fant pointed to Carroll as the one setting the tone in Seattle.
“Everywhere you look today, the tide of protectionist sentiment is flowing. In Seattle, Pete is the culture, ”said Fant. “The way you get to work every day with enthusiasm makes you feel like you’re not working. You’re having fun playing football and making connections as teammates and coaches every day. “
Bowles and Gase tried to establish a culture, but failed. Neither had the tremendous personality to establish change immediately. They both thought they could do it over time by incorporating certain types of players and winning. Rex Ryan changed the culture of the Jets when he walked through the gate, the players bought when the team started winning and resulted in two games for the AFC title. The Jets then let some key team leaders walk out the door and the team felt separated. The Jets have been trying to regroup since then.
For too long, there has been no identity to being Jet.
“Just a real identity,” end-of-season defender Tarell Basham said of what the team lacked, “in terms of what you see when you look at line D, what you see when you look “The secondary, what do you see when you look at the offensive line, what do you see when you look at our receiving body, an identity. That’s something we feel we’re missing.”
Players come and go and no tradition is passed on, as is done with teams like the Ravens, Steelers or Patriots. Saleh won’t be able to change that overnight. Time will pass and general manager Joe Douglas will have to establish the roster with players who will stay here for more than two years.
Still, Saleh feels he can change the conversation around the Jets when he walks in the door. Somehow, you already have it, when you look at the reaction of the fans to the announcement on Thursday night. Jets fans have not been so pleased with everyone’s decision.
Saleh talked in 2017 about how Carroll influenced him.
“The biggest influence I took from coach Carroll is from a philosophy standpoint,” Saleh said, according to ESPN. “Understand who you are as a person. Understand what is important to you as a person. And, how to apply it to the message you are trying to send. Understand that everyone has a style and that each style is the right style as long as you apply it the right way. Therefore, only from the point of view of philosophy, talking to people and managing people is where I have the greatest growth of coach Carroll ”.