How what was your reaction when the Jets, Uh, I guess kind of ramped up offered or offer last week? Were you surprised? Um, you know, I'm just happy to get a you know, get a deal done. I'm I'm glad that you know, Uh, this part of the situation is over with and now I can just focus on football and um get ready for the season. How much of a weight? How much? Like I said, you know, I'm happy that the deal is done. Um. You know,
I'm thankful to Mr Johnson and address organization. Um, you know, and I'm glad that you know, my agent, you know, got the deal dune for me and everybody who's you know, on my support system, and uh, you know, ready to get things rolling now, you know, like I said, you know, I don't have to focus about, you know, a contract situation. I can continue my rehab and get ready for the season. And how how's your rehab going? How far along are
you in that process? Rehab is going well? You know, I'm running, you know, four times a week and just taking it day by day. Would you expect to be ready next week when camp starts. Do you think you're gonna start on the populist. Um, you know, Uh, I don't know right now, but I'm just going to continue to just keep rehabbing and and uh you know, whatever the you know, the strength coaches and training staff have in store for me. You know, that's what I'm gonna
keep on doing. Any But still no doubt in your mind that you'll be ready for a week one. Yeah, I'll be ready for a week one. We're looking back to this process mode of the contract situation for you. What was this experience like? Yeah, never gone through something like this before. What was it like? Um, you know I've noticed, you know, it's part of the business, you know, and uh, you know, I started, you know, going into my sixth season, you know, just seeing how the business works,
you know, and that's how the NFL works. It's a business. But um, you know, I'm proud to you know, to experience it. And now that it's over with, like I said, you know, I can just focus on football and getting back in the locker room my teammates and continue to be the leader that I am with this team. How intent were you on wanting to stay with the Jets. This is an area where you grew up in You have a lot of family around here. Still, how much did you, in your heart of hearts really not want
to leave this place. I definitely wanted to be here, you know. I wanted you know, I'm from you know, New Jersey and from here. Uh, you know, my family's here. I wanted to raise my children here, you know. So I'm very excited to be back here. What's your first sick purchase going to be with a new country act let whether it be for you or for maybe someone else. And however, I haven't really thought about that, you know. I definitely make sure my mom and my family had
taken care of. But as far as materialistic things, you know, UH, haven't getty much thought. You know. I have tremulous love for the game of football. You know, I'm pretty sure people know that. You know, I'm very grateful for, you know, this opportunity to keep playing, you know, and uh, I'm just going to keep you know this focusing on football, you know, not worried about those things. Well, how good do you think the Jets defense can be? Obviously you
left to keep part in Damon. Um, you know, we could be disguised limb with this defense. We could be as good as we want to be as long as everybody's putting in the work each and every day, you know, and help pushing each other, you know, and and you know everybody should come out there on the field and want to be great, you know, and also pushing each other to be great. And I think, you know, we
can be as good as we want to be. You know, we was, you know, I had a good record last year at ten and six, and we just got to build off that. Well. It have been difficult for you to play under the franchise tag this year, tough with that of them. I would have just continued to you know, be the person I am, you know, each and every day, coming in ready to work, and that's would have been
that how just focused on football. I haven't been worried about out of that under that when it got down to it in the last week here, I guess in folks, you know, within the context of the situation here, we're surprised that the thing got done. That you know that that the deal actually got done. Were you? I mean, had you prepared yourself in your mind to play under
the tag this year? Um? You know, to speak on my agent, you know, I would have spoke with him and you know my business people and we would have just took things from there, you know. But I'm glad to say that, you know, that's something that I don't have to worry about with focus on because you know I'll be here. We've got the extension done and you know, I'm grateful and happy about that. Mom, I thot you've
gotten the stunts is all come together? U Does it make you more have more positive from mind that maybe it can come together and get downe with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Um, honestly, I don't you know, uh, comment on other people contract situations. You know, that's something you have to talk to the
people upstairs about. Yeah. And then as you kind of alluded to there and we've alluded to, the quarterback situation is un circain But in your mind, considering how could you guys got to the playoffs last year, considering what you bring back, should do you think this should be a playoff team this year? I think, Um, you know, we just got to keep building off last year. Like I said, we had a good record at tennant six
and we didn't get into the postseason. So we just got to make sure we build off that to make sure we get into the postseason. Well, how much would you like to be able to get on the field during pre season? Have you even thought about that or is it just aiming to it? September eleven. I'm just focusing on my leg and rehabbing. Like I said, each
and every day. When UH the training staff and you know, the strength coaches and the coaches sil that, you know it's it's time for me to get out there on the field and I'm ready to go then and I'll be out there. You had alluded moor running. I think you said four times a week. Is that a new thing or have you been doing that for a few weeks now. I've been doing it for a few weeks.
But you know, I'm just gonna like I said, I want to continue my routine and following up with the UH, with the training the room and the training staff and just do whatever they got to store from