Muhammad Wilkerson guarantees new culture change

Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is going into 2017 with the right mindset, guaranteeing a better record than last year for the New York Jets.

Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson told Ralph Vacchiano of SNY that the New York Jets will improve on their 5-11 record. Many fans believe that the Jets will get worse before they get better. Hence the reason for the team ‘preaching for patience’ during their rebuild. Not only did the Jets draft the “culture changer,” Jamal Adams, but they’ve also adapted a new winning mentality.

New Winning Mentality

Wilkerson told Vacchiano “The team will definitely be positive and do more things better than we did last year – I can guarantee that. We’ll have more wins than we did last year. That’s a fact.” Wilkerson expresses a far more optimistic mindset than the one portrayed in the locker room last season.

Now that the Jets have implemented a stricter regime, head coach Todd Bowles has set the bar high for his team. In an article written by Daniel Popper of the New York Daily News, Bowles said: “our ultimate goal is to get to the Super Bowl.” While the expectations around the league seem to be far lower for the Jets, this new, winning mentality is exactly what the Jets need.

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The Jets often looked flat and unmotivated last year, lacking confidence. A refurbished roster and a new mentality could go a long way for the team. For Bowles, his job security is not solely dependent on the Jets making the playoffs. While the playoffs are ‘not a mandate,’ Bowles’ job could depend on the mentality and effort portrayed by his team.

No matter what the direction of a franchise, every professional athlete should go into every season and every game with a winning mentality.

Back in 2005, Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury told reporters he’s “the best point guard in the NBA.” This comment came shortly before a match-up with star point guard Jason Kidd. Marbury later explained that if he let himself think Kidd was better, he’d be giving him an edge mentally.

This same concept applies to the Jets right now. If the Jets allow themselves to go into this season considering themselves a “bad team,” they’d lose each game before it even starts. This new winning mentality is exactly what the Jets need to move forward with their rebuild and to start improving.