Davante Adams' Jets debut wasn't exactly magical, and he didn't mince words regarding his displeasure after their Week 7 loss.
Adams let loose in a locker room filled with new teammates after Pittsburgh dismantled New York, 37-15, in front of a national audience on Sunday night, delivering what Aaron Rodgers called "the realest speech I'd ever heard in a locker room in 20 years." In Adams' mind, the reasoning was simple: He came to the Jets to win and in order to do that, they'll need to bring more juice to the field.
"There was a lack of energy and urgency out there, and it was apparent," Adams said Wednesday, via ESPN. "I played on teams that have that winning culture, and just basically I just took a moment to let them know I had reservations about speaking up too early and being too vocal too early. But I felt like in my mind, I said, 'F that, because we don't have time. I have to do whatever I have to do to help the team move forward.' "
Adams nailed it with one key line: We don't have time. The Jets are 2-5, have lost four straight, already fired their head coach, demoted their offensive coordinator and just gave away a winnable game via self-inflicted errors that snowballed into a blowout loss.
Things aren't looking good. Making matters worse, Adams felt as if his new teammates laid down at the feet of the Steelers once the tide turned against them Sunday night. That's not the mark of a winner, and Adams didn't join the Jets to continue losing as he had in Las Vegas.
"To come out flat like that and essentially give away a game, that's unacceptable," Adams said. "So I'm just trying to bring a different type of swag and culture in here."
It didn't help that Adams wasn't able to do much in his debut, struggling to get going and finishing with three catches for 30 yards. He did save a touchdown following Rodgers' second of two interceptions, hustling to drag down Pittsburgh's Beanie Bishop Jr. one yard short of a pick-six. It didn't matter in the long run, but it was a demonstration of Adams' desire to win.
Now that he's back with his old pal Rodgers, there's no time -- or snaps -- to waste. That's why Adams felt it was right to speak up even if he'd only been with the Jets for less than a week.
"If we go out the next game and we have the same type of issues, then it's a bigger issue," he said. "And me, regardless if I just got here, I'm a leader of this football team and whether or not every single person in there sees it that way, that's how I see it and that's my responsibility and that's something I take seriously."
He's hoping his teammates do the same.
