New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan says locker room problems are a thing of the past
Last season was a catastrophe for the New York Jets as infighting and a lack of cohesion amongst players came up to define their season.
The Jets lost the last three games to miss out on the playoffs and news about feuds between players came to the fore as the team ultimately collapsed on the field.
This year though, the franchise is working to rebuild team chemistry and get some camaraderie back into the dressing room as they prepare for the upcoming 2012-13 campaign.
Wide receiver, Santonio Holmes and quarterback, Mark Sanchez who were at the centre of all the problems in the dressing room are friends again and the Jets are looking a much better cohesive unit this time around.
Head coach, Rex Ryan in an interview with the media after taking practice on Thursday, said that the problems the Jets faced last season are a thing of the past and the team will be close competitors this year.
"I don’t know how many wins we’re going to have, but I know we’ll have a close football team,"
Adding further he said.
"We’re not going to beat ourselves with some of the in-fighting and the other stuff. That’s a thing of the past. Again, I don’t think it’s as bad as people want you to think. I don’t believe it."
He also mentioned the final game of the 2011-12 regular season in which the problems in the dressing room became public knowledge.
Holmes had a big fight with his teammates during a huddle and was benched for the rest of the game. His benching was later followed by media leaks about the problems in the locker room.
Ryan said that the game against the Dolphins was the lowest point of last year.
"I think it's about as low as we had coming out of that Miami game. When you guys were like, 'What was the deal?' I never had an answer for you. I think that was a low point, obviously."
Things are starting to look different this year and the Jets are looking to make a big push for the playoffs this year.
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