New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson was a guest on Showtime’s Inside the NFL and boy did he expose just how dysfunctional the Jets were this season.
Tomlinson said that quarterback Mark Sanchez is “a bit pampered because he has no competition” and that Sanchez’s problems with receiver Santonio Holmes is “as bad as I’ve been around.”
Tomlinson disagree’s with one Jets player’s opinion that Sanchez is “lazy” and indicated that they need to bring in a good back up to push him.
“He has no real threat to say this guy may take my job,” Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson said that the Jets locker room got more dysfunctional as the season went on and by the end of the season, it was really bad.
“It is as bad as I’ve ever been around, honestly,” Tomlinson said about the relationship between Sanchez and Holmes. “You know it was at the point where I think the players could no longer do anything about it. There was nothing that the players could do. So when it gets to that point there are certain changes that need to happen. Can it be fixed?… I think absolutely it can be. But they’re going to have to make some tough decisions.”
Tomlinson was asked how he thinks the Jets could repair the relationship between Sanchez and Holmes.
“I would really have to sit down with them and see if they can co-exist,” Tomlinson said about how the organization can repair the relationship. “I mean that is a decision that I really have to make. And if I really feel like they can’t, then you have to make a move….. There are some things that obviously (Holmes) needs to work on as far as being a leader.”
Tomlinson said that the only reason Holmes was a captain was because of head coach Rex Ryan, the players had nothing to do with it.
“The players had nothing to do with that vote,” Tomlinson said of Holmes. “Coaches vote on the captains with the Jets.”
The problems in the Jets locker room didn’t surprise Tomlinson at all.
“They (the organization) created this,” Tomlinson said. “This is the type of football team that they wanted. Mike Tannenbaum (and) Rex Ryan are both brash, in-your-face type of style, say whatever you want, just get it done on the field. And then it leads to other things (like) guys are calling each other out and saying I’m not getting the ball or whatever it may be.”
Tomlinson didn’t understand why the Jets got away from the pounding the football with the run game.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Tomlinson said. “ So a team that was coming off two straight AFC Championship games relied heavily on the run. My opinion now, why would you just totally switch up your identity at that point?”
TOmlinson seemed to get sick of all the talking Ryan did week in and week out.
“I would prefer him not to say it as much as he did,” Tomlinson said. “I don’t mind every now and again saying we are going to win a championship. Maybe at the beginning of the year just saying, ‘Hey, our goal is to win a championship.’ But at the same time every week if you are calling out a team on certain things, I think it puts a little extra on your team. Guys really want to go out there and say, ‘Let’s shut this guy up. Let’s shut these Jets up, just end their season.’ I think that adds to that when Rex speaks up like that because, you know, everybody doesn’t like that type of style, and they’re not supposed to. But at the same time there are certain things that you can do to not have it come off like that.”
Well, after all that Tomlinson has said, I doubt he’ll be back with the Jets next season.
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