New York Jets coach Adam Gase called Jamal Adams “incredible talent,” but he did not appear broken by the messy divorce with the star’s safety.
“We want guys who want to be here,” Gase said Tuesday in a conference call, commenting for the first time on the successful trade with the Seattle Seahawks. “Obviously, I didn’t want to be here anymore.”
Adams, who requested an exchange when it became clear that he would not receive a contract extension this year, lashed out at the organization in recent weeks. He saved his harshest criticism for Gase, whose leadership questioned it in an interview in the New York Daily News last week.
For the most part, Gase took the high path, shifting his attention to the current roster.
“The decision was made to go ahead,” he said. “It’s a team game. We have a lot of guys who are excited to get going and those are the guys I’m going to focus on. I’m extremely excited about [coach] she is ready … “
As much as he tried to distance himself from Adams’ breakup, Gase disagreed with one of the player’s claims. Adams told the newspaper that Gase did not address the team in its entirety at half time when he was playing poorly.
“As for the alleged halftime intervention, we only had twice in the second half of the season when we were down,” Gase said. “One was the Cincinnati game. I addressed the team at halftime. One was Baltimore. I addressed the team at halftime.”
“A game that was [injured] in the training room in Cincinnati. One who was not playing. So it’s difficult for me to answer a question like that when I know the correct answer. “
Gase made no reference to the first half of the season, when the Jets lost in six of eight games at halftime.
Quarterback Sam Darnold defended his coach’s leadership.
“He is the right leader for this team, for sure,” Darnold said in a Zoom call. “For me personally, it has helped me grow a lot as a quarterback by learning this offense.”
Adams’ drama dominated the offseason. It ended last Saturday, when the Jets and Seahawks completed their trade. The Jets received a package that includes first-round picks 2021 and 2022 and safety Bradley McDougald, who will likely replace Adams in the starting lineup.
The Jets dealt their best player, but Gase called it “win-win for both sides.”
“I really loved playing with Jamal,” said Darnold, who showed up at training camp Tuesday and entered the facility after testing negative for COVID-19. “I cannot speak because of Jamal’s experiences or the comments he made, but what I can say is that I am really excited to be part of this organization. I think we are going in the right direction.”
The franchise is also grappling with the aftermath of owner Woody Johnson’s alleged racist and sexist comments from abroad, where he serves as the United States’ ambassador to the United Kingdom. In recent days, the team’s CEO Christopher Johnson, Woody’s younger brother, called almost all the players on the list to allay concerns.
According to Gase, Johnson explained to the players “what the Johnson family represents.”
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