Rex Ryan, seen here with owner Woody Johnson at practice, has always been seen as a players’ coach.
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The Jets’ practice habits are no better and no worse than other teams around the NFL, said one veteran currently on the Jets’ roster who has played for multiple teams in the league during his career.
Following Sunday’s loss to San Diego, third-year linebacker Demario Davis was critical of his teammates’ practice habits as well as watching film.
But according to one player on the Jets this isn’t an issue and “nothing sticks out as needing to be changed by the players or the coaches.” The player did not want to speak on the record because he said he didn’t want to appear to be taking shots at former teams or Davis.
“From what I’ve seen, this team doesn’t have bad practice habits. There aren’t issues with guys checking out,” the player said. “I’ve been on other teams — some bad ones, some good ones. This isn’t an issue here. The guys come out; they practice hard. They put in a good effort. It’s a long season, not every day is fired up, rah-rah. You have to remain even, real level like. You can’t always be up. Especially after a loss like the one we had, you want those guys coming in perhaps a little low-key, focused on themselves. I don’t think that’s bad.
“[Demario]’s entitled to his opinion, I just don’t agree. He’s only played here and he’s a young guy. I’m not sure he knows what to compare this to.”
It isn’t a new narrative. The Jets have battled the idea of being a circus since Ryan’s second-year as head coach in 2010. The players have been painted as undisciplined given their head coach’s affable demeanor and low-key temperament.
“I’ve been enough places to know that these things happen,” the player said. “Sometimes you have a couple bad days of practice. Guys are tired, beat up, maybe a little down. You work that stuff out on the field, in meetings, over dinner. But we’re not a bad practicing team, not at all. I know from being enough places and trust me, this ain’t that. Not close.”
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
