Jamal Adams praises Jets coaches Gregg Williams, Dennard Wilson for turning him into a star
Jamal Adams might be taking his prodigious talents to Seattle, but he hasn’t forgotten the people that helped turn him into one of the game’s most dynamic players.
Adams told the Daily News that defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson, former head coach Todd Bowles and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams played integral roles in his rise to superstardom.
“I’m going to miss that whole defensive staff,” Adams told the News. “Dennard has done so much for me. He’s elevated my game to a level from college to being there in the first year to helping me become a two-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro. I give so much credit to Dennard. Dennard has been that guy. Dennard and Todd Bowles have been the two guys that I give so much of credit to.”
Adams earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in his second season before elevating his game to a different level in his first season with Gregg Williams.
Adams was tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (10), pass deflections (7), quarterback hits (13) and forced fumbles (2) in his first season in Williams’ defense. He led the Jets in solo tackles (61) and finished second in total tackles (75) and sacks (6 1/4 u00bd) despite missing the first two games of the season. Adams racked up 23 pressures, most among safeties since Pro Football Focus began tracking in 2006.
“I love Gregg’s fiery passion,” Adams said. “He holds the defense accountable. He holds the team accountable. And he always stayed on me. But he loved on me as well. It got to the point by the middle of the season when I started to really go crazy and snap and make plays… He’s always coaching in a way to help me get better, but then he started to realize that I’m figuring it all out. I’m starting to really see things in film study. So, I have nothing but respect for Gregg. I have nothing but respect for that whole defensive staff.”
Williams made it clear last month how much he valued Adams, too.
“I love coaching him. And I got his back,” Williams said last month. “I think the world of him. I’ve had a chance to coach a lot of really good players. Some that are already in the Hall of Fame. And many others that are going to go in the Hall of Fame. And he’s going to have a legitimate chance staying healthy to be one of those guys later on that we’ll all talk about.
“His multidimensional abilities to play the game of football allows you to move him around for the other team to try to find him,” Williams added. “He has multiple strengths and that’s fun. He has the ability to move around... He’s smart. He’s able to handle multiple things. He’s able to handle multiple directions of what has to happen in the flow of a game. And he loves to compete.”
Adams also said that he’ll miss working alongside tag-team partner Marcus Maye, who was a part of Gang Green’s 1-2 punch in their 2017 draft class.
“Dennard and Marcus Maye, we’ve been in it,” Adams said. “That’s our group. I’m going to miss those guys more than anything. I hate that I got to leave those guys. I never even wanted to even leave [them]. I wish I could have had a whole career with those two guys.”
Wilson has been a mentor for Adams.
“He’s still rising,” Wilson said a few weeks ago. “Jamal’s one of those guys, he doesn’t want to be average. He doesn’t want to be good. He wants to be great.”
Adams will continue his journey without some people who guided him to greatness.
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