Quarterback Aaron Rodgers revealed on Wednesday that recently acquired wide receiver Davante Adams delivered “the realest speech I’d ever heard in a locker room in 20 years” shortly after the New York Jets suffered an embarrassing 37-15 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night that dropped Gang Green to 2-5.
Adams later addressed why he felt the need to speak up even though he only officially joined the organization last week.
“It‘s not really in my personality to see something that’s not right and let it go on,” Adams explained, Andy Vasquez of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com shared. “Regardless whether it’s from the coaches, players, management, support staff. Whatever. So obviously there was a lack of energy and urgency out there. And it was apparent, especially coming from — I’ve played on teams that had that winning culture.”
Things haven’t gone as planned for a Jets side that began the season at 2-1 but has since lost four straight games. New York dropped back-to-back contests following the firing of head coach Robert Saleh. Rodgers said earlier this week he felt the club has been “playing with too much anger” and “not enough enjoyment.” Per ESPN stats, the Jets began Thursday ranked 31st in the NFL with an average of 82.4 rushing yards per game.
Adams acknowledged on Wednesday he “had reservations about speaking up too early and being too vocal too early.” However, the 31-year-old also understands time is running out for the Jets to save what was once a promising season.
“I‘m trying to enforce a winning mindset on these guys,” Adams continued. He added that the Jets’ performance at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium was “unacceptable.”
The good news for Adams and Co. is that they will play at a 1-6 New England Patriots team this coming Sunday, which is a mess for multiple reasons. The bad news is that Rodgers is dealing with a new hamstring issue after he was hobbled by injuries to both his knees and a low ankle sprain.
Adams noted on Wednesday that “a lot of the guys in here haven‘t been anywhere else where they’ve won and had that urgency that it takes to be a good team.” As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Jets as seven-point favorites over the Patriots.
A loss to lowly New England would likely show the Jets aren’t as good a team as Adams hoped when he pushed to make his move from the Las Vegas Raiders this fall.
