Joe McKnight: “If I Don’t Get it This Year, it will Probably be It for Me”

June 14, 2012; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets running back Joe McKnight (25) runs with the ball during minicamp at the Atlantic Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE

A lot is going to be expected of Joe McKnight in 2012. He is going to be the change of pace to Shonn Greene, and expected to contribute as a kick returner as well. In his summer talk with Jenny Vrentas, here is what he had to say about where he has been, and the ramifications of 2012:

Yeah, it’s a big year. If it I don’t get it this year, it will probably be it for me. That’s how I think, I’m not saying (anything). Because it’s, what, three years? After the first year, you should really have it down pat. I just have to wait and find out, see how it pans out.

He went on to talk about how Tony Sparano is holding the offense accountable for everything that they do this year. Flip the page and we’ll talk more about that.

This point has been brought up many times this offseason, which makes one thing clear. The offense was not held accountbale in 2011. Schottenheimer either was thinking too much, or had his mind on other things. Whatever it was, he wasn’t holding them accountable, and that’s a problem.

In any walk of life, you have to be accountable. If you aren’t, little things that cloud your performance can creep into what you are doing. The longer that lasts, the bigger the clouds become, which in football terms becomes, bad decisions, bad execution, and turnovers. Clearly this had to change.

And Tony Sparano is changing that culture, and doing it quickly. Spend some time around the Jets this offseason, you will see that Sparano is on their cases for everything. Every snap, he is correcting, teaching, praising, ..etc. This is the only way to hold people accountable.

I believe McKnight is correct about what he had to say about himself as well. We all saw on “Hard Knocks” a couple of years ago, that Joe wasn’t working very hard at the beginning. As such, he never saw the field. McKnight has since worked on his attitude, and made steps in the special teams game.

But he hasn’t been looked at as THE guy behind Greene, until now.

McKnight is going to get every chance to be the guy behind Greene. He will have competition, with Ganaway, John Griffin, and Bilal Powell.

Joe is correct, he had better keep that job. He very well could be out of town if he doesn’t “get it”.