In Todd they trust! Jets Bowled over
Stability reigns in Florham Park. The Jets on Friday announced contract extensions for head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan. Both extensions are for two years, according to a source, meaning Bowles and Maccagnan are now under contract through the 2020 season. The Jets are also expected to give their assistant coaches standard oneyear extensions this offseason, according to a team source. In the locker room, players responded with happiness, relief and excitement when told of the contract extension. The Jets finish their season Sunday at the Patriots. “Hell yeah,” Jordan Jenkins said. “I’m glad, because Todd is the head of this change that’s been going on. …He’s a hell of a coach, a hell of a guy, (one) you want to play for. And we want to try and do right by Todd. He puts it all on the line for us, and I feel like succeeding in the future is something that we owe Todd for him drafting us, him putting us all on this team. We owe him success.” “If you’re in the circle, which is the brotherhood and the family we have established here, you get to know the real Todd,” Jenkins added. “He understands how to coach players, he understands how to get guys to buy into a program and really commit to it.” Some fans will look at Bowles’ 20-27 record in his three seasons with the Jets and question if he deserves to be the head coach moving forward. Leonard Williams respectfully disagreed with that notion when asked why fans should believe in Bowles. “The players believe it. We’re the ones being coached by him, we’re the ones playing for him, we’re the ones in the system.” Williams said. “At the end of the day, I don’t think there’s (anybody) in this locker room that doesn’t believe in Coach Bowles. … This is all about stability. He knows where we’re going, and he’s going to take us there.”
“Hey, if you clean house, that means you have to start over, right?” linebacker Darron Lee said. “I don’t think anybody wants to start at square one.”
“I know this organization is going in the right direction,” tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins said. “And for all the hard work that they’ve put in, both of them, with Mike putting the roster together and Todd coaching the way he’s coached with all the great coaches we have here, it’s a testament to them. And when we keep adding pieces, we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
SHELL SHOCKED: Right tackle Brandon Shell (concussion) is the only player ruled out for Sunday’s game. Brent Qvale will likely start in Shell’s place.
Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (ribs, foot) is doubtful. Running back Matt Forte (knee) and defensive end Kony Ealy (knee) are questionable. Ealy did not appear on Wednesday’s or Thursday’s injury report.
Wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (ankle) and defensive end Leonard Williams (back) both practiced fully Friday after missing Wednesday and Thursday. They are cleared to play.
Todd Bowles reiterated Friday that he will wait until pregame Sunday to announce if Muhammad Wilkerson will be active. Wilkerson has been a healthy scratch the past two games.
Wilkerson will almost certainly be inactive Sunday. If he suffers a catastrophic injury, his $16.75 million salary for 2018 becomes guaranteed. The Jets don’t want to risk that happening.