Years after the break, Williams and Vitt say they're friends



[ad_1]

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Gregg Williams did not want to go. Joe Vitt either.

The New York Jets' assistant coaches, meeting seven years after being opponents in the Bountygate Saints scandal in New Orleans, inherited Thursday by questioning their relationship.

"Is this a question of National Enquirer?" Vitt broke. "I love Gregg – he's a friend."

Earlier, Williams offered a similar answer.

"No question, next question," he said before the last Jets training session in the off season. "He's a great friend of mine, he'll always be a good friend, I do not care what you've written, go ahead, anyone else." [ask a question]. "

1 related

Williams and Vitt were hired in February as the Jets defensive coordinator and coach of the outside linebackers, but this was the first time assistant coaches were available to the media.

The meeting sparked interest because Vitt had testified against Williams in the Bountygate scandal, while they were both assistants to the Saints. At hearings held by former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Vitt accused Williams of lying in his testimony.

Williams was eventually suspended for an indefinite period (then reinstated 11 months later), while Vitt was banned from six games. They are now part of the first staff of coach Adam Gase.

It turns out that Vitt is also Gase's father-in-law, which adds to the plot.

Some also questioned the dynamics of Gase-Williams because they are both alpha personalities and work together for the first time.

Williams spoke enthusiastically of Gase, saying that he had admired her from afar.

"Respect and trust [are] won, and he earned my respect and trust now that we are working together on the same thing, "Williams said. It was fun, okay? He is a very good coach, a very good mind, a conceptually challenging mind of what we do. [on defense]. "

The Jets are hoping that Williams' hard training style will boost a defense that finished 29th in yards last season. They have high expectations after recruiting linebacker C.J. Mosley of the Pro Bowl and draft defensive tackle Quinnen Williams with the third overall pick.

Williams made no bold prediction for the defense, but her confidence is undeniable.

"My secrets are revealed," Williams said. "The reason I continue to be hired is culture – and culture beats strategy every day of the week."

"The attitude comes first," he added. "I tell them," The attitude is everything – pick a good one today. "

Williams, 60, has coached the NFL since 1990 and has no plans to retire anytime soon.

"People ask me all the time, how long will I be able to do this? I love what I do. I am a fierce competitor," he said. "When I go to a room and nobody cares, it's time to do something else."

[ad_2]

Source link