One Jets Drive: The Road to Training Camp Review

The New York Jets recently released six-part mini-documentary series, One Jets Drive: The Road to Training Camp, has been met with rave reviews from excited fans eager for the start of the 2018 season.

One Jets Drive takes fans on the enthralling journey that their beloved New York Jets have taken over the course of the offseason and up until the start of training camp.

Fans are given a behind the scenes look at the construction of the 2018 Jets roster while the documentary simultaneously provides a spotlight for many of the team’s players. Designed to be a prelude to training camp and something to get people excited for Jets football, the series knocks the figurative ball out of the park with its insider knowledge and overall presentation.

One Jets Drive is bound to draw comparisons to the famed HBO series Hard Knocks but its universal themes and focus were a bit different than its more noteworthy counterpart. The latter tends to focus more on team drama and positional battles while the former instead decided to highlight team chemistry and the franchise goal.

Still, where One Jets Drive truly shines is in its presentation of the Jets players giving both prominent and unheralded players the chance to show their personality and share their stories.

With that, the following slides will include a breakdown of each individual episode as well as an overall analysis of the series as a whole.

Episode 1: Building Blocks

Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlIw8vTVaKI

The majority of the first episode focused on, as the title would indicate, the team’s young stars. Players like Leonard Williams, Jamal Adams, and Marcus Maye were given ample screen time to display their personality and share their thoughts on the team with the audience.

But before the optimism for 2018 was allowed to begin, the episode first detailed the disappointment following the team’s loss regular season finale to the New England Patriots. This was accompanied by voiceovers from Todd Bowles and various players who shared their displeasure with the way the season ended.

This was an integral part of not only the episode but the series as a whole. It’s important to focus on the optimism for the future but it’s equally important to understand how the team got to where they are now.

It can be hard to appreciate the good times if the bad times aren’t highlighted.

After this introduction to the series, the camera crew traveled to Williams home in Kinnelon, New Jersey where the 2016 Pro-Bowler talked about the team’s chemistry while he played with and fed his two dogs.

This helped show a human element to Williams who is seen as a dominating monster on the field but this documentary made sure to highlight his humble and down-to-earth nature off of it.

Perhaps the most interesting topic discussed by Williams was the role reversal he has gone through while apart of the Jets organization. Now, going into his fourth NFL season, the former USC Trojan is one of the veteran players on a very young team and he will be asked to be a more vocal leader than ever before.

This is something the documentary could’ve touched more on in later episodes but decided not to. Still, it served as an interesting subplot to follow nonetheless.

The episode then shifted to focus on the dynamic between the team’s two young safeties in Adams and Maye.

A sit-down interview with the two really showed off not only their individual personalities but the growing bond that the teammates have between each other. It’s very clear that these two are legitimate friends off the field and this most certainly helps their chemistry when actually playing.

To the surprise of no one, Adams came across as the clear vocal leader of the two as he talked up the team chemistry and his own basketball game. Maye displayed a more “lead-by-example” demeanor which has served him well to this point and will continue to be a perfect compliment to Adams’ boisterous personality.

The final couple minutes of the episode completely switched gears to put the center of attention on the Jets pursuit of quarterback Kirk Cousins. While this was a welcome look into the mind of general manager Mike Maccagnan and the Jets front office, it felt a little out of place compared to the remainder of the episode.

Chronologically, it does make sense to include this part of the offseason early on in the series but it didn’t necessarily flow with the rest of the first episode.

Regardless, it was still intriguing to see the team’s recruitment of Cousins unfold before us and equally as interesting to hear that the Jets backup plan had been to trade up in the draft with the Indianapolis Colts for quite some time.

Altogether, “Building Blocks” laid the foundation for what would come later in the series and was an overall solid introduction for “One Jets Drive.”

Next: Episode 2: Making Moves

Episode 2: Making Moves

Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYIwEmRku2Q

“Making Moves” was perhaps the most action-packed, comprehensive episode of the entire series as the documentary jumped from topic to topic, not lingering on any one subject for very long.

Overall, the episode was essentially a synopsis of the offseason up until the draft including free agency and the college scouting process. Newcomers such as Avery Williamson and Trumaine Johnson were given ample time to speak to the audience and give their first impressions on life as a New York Jet.

However, the episode started on an interesting note with the retirement press conference for longtime Jets stalwart center Nick Mangold. Mangold was shown officially signing his one-day contract to retire as a New York Jet with a clearly appreciative audience in attendance.

This transitioned into the signing of former Washington Redskin, and new starting center Spencer Long. Long’s segment was more used as a way of establishing the theme for the episode rather than highlighting him as a player but it worked effectively nonetheless.

The official announcement of Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings was featured giving way to what the documentary would call the team’s “contingency plan.”

From there on out, the episode moved at a quick pace emphasizing the fast-moving nature of NFL free agency. The Jets had to think quickly and on their feet once the Cousins signing fell through but Maccagnan had made it very clear that the team was well-prepared for this scenario.

A spotlight was first given to Williamson who was shown unpacking in his new apartment as he spoke about his adjustments to a new environment in a big city. The former Tennessee Titan was noticeably giddy as he spoke with the camera crew clearly exhibiting excitement for his first season with the Jets.

Johnson was up next as he spoke about his transition process from the west coast to the east coast. The former Los Angeles Ram was more laid-back than Williamson as he spoke with a very casual and relaxed tone.

The most interesting tidbit from his segment was the focus put on defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson and how he helped in the recruitment of Johnson. The two were both a part of the Rams organization previously and it was clear that Wilson heavily weighed in Johnson’s decision to join Gang Green.

The remainder of the episode served as sort of a prelude for the following episode with the focus shifting to the quarterback situation and the upcoming NFL draft. The signings of Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater were shown with both Maccagnan and Bowles speaking highly of each of their characters.

“Making Moves” then focused on the NFL draft scouting process putting the spotlight on the top four quarterbacks in the class. While all four were given the time to shine, it was clear that the documentary made Sam Darnold the focal point, and with good reason.

The end of the episode was essentially the introduction to Darnold as a player and the final moments made it clear that he would take center stage next episode.

This was arguably the best episode of the entire series as its quick-paced presentation made for an enjoyable 12 minutes while it simultaneously prepared viewers for the next episode.

Next: Episode 3: The Call

Episode 3: The Call

Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXCZGT0TPwI

The third episode of One Jets Drive is titled “The Call’ but a more appropriate title may have been “The Sam Darnold Episode.”

Original? No. Accurate? Absolutely.

The entire episode focused on Darnold and his experience on draft day as the night progressed. “The Call” made sure to emphasize his relationships with his parents, his former head coach at USC, his new coaching staff, and even his friend and fellow first-round pick Josh Allen.

An interview was done early in the episode with Darnold and his father where the soon-to-be top-five selection appeared much more relaxed than his clearly antsy father. This was a recurring theme throughout this episode and the series as a whole as Darnold rarely seemed out of his element and always came across as a very composed individual.

Some of the most enjoyable elements of the episode were the little glimpses into the friendship between Darnold and the aforementioned Allen. The two became close friends during the draft scouting process and seemed to develop a bit of a bromance as evidenced by scenes from the draft.

One particular scene occurred before the draft had kicked off where Darnold joked with Allen and suggested the Wyoming signal-called pick up his phone and pretend to talk with someone to prank those around him. This was a quick little comedic element of the episode and a good way to highlight their friendship.

Their relationship is revisited multiple times throughout the latter portion of the episode first when Darnold is drafted and later when Allen is selected by the Bills. They both expressed their pride for one another and shared the excitement that they would now play each other twice a year being in the same division.

About halfway through the episode, the title of the episode rang true (pun intended) as Darnold finally received the call from the Jets solidifying his future. He spoke with Bowles, Maccagnan, and team owner Christopher Johnson who all expressed their enthusiasm to have him on the team.

Throughout the entire process, Darnold showed maturity and poise, something every team dreams for in a young quarterback. At just 20 years of age, nothing seemed to faze Darnold. Not the bright lights, not the lofty expectations, not even the overbearing New York media.

If anything, he seemed to embrace it all.

This episode did its job in detailing the arrival of Darnold and the future of the Jets organization under his command. Jets fans should be excited for what’s to come and if they aren’t, a quick watch of this episode should do the trick.

Next: Episode 4: First Impressions

Episode 4: First Impressions

Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9lQUMkWW2Y

Chronologically, episode four picked up right where episode three had left off as the Jets new rookies all came together for the first time to attend rookie minicamp. This time, however, Darnold took a backseat as the episode highlighted some of the team’s other draft picks.

The narrator’s first lines in the episode come at about the one minute mark and sum up the theme for the episode while also reiterating the episode’s title, “In the NFL, first impressions are key.”

The Atlantic Health Jets Training Center was the site of the Jets rookie minicamp and the players arrived with a mixture of emotions ranging from disbelief to pure excitement. Sixth-rounders Folorunso Fatukasi and Trenton Cannon were among the players whose elation couldn’t be contained.

The primary focus for the first half of the episode, however, was on third-round pick Nathan Shepherd and his unbelievable journey to the NFL.

Shepherd’s approach to his first day or practice with his new team was noticeably different from his fellow rookies. The Fort Hays product exuded a more professional attitude even going as far as to declare himself “an intern in the Jets organization.” He didn’t appear overwhelmed nor did he let his excitement get the better of him. He simply approached this job as he would any other.

The documentary did a great job of highlighting his incredible life path evoking empathy for a player who at one point at given up on his NFL dreams. It wasn’t until a chance encounter with former NFL wide receiver Nate Burleson at a Vancouver club where Shepherd was working as a bouncer at the time that the big defensive lineman decided to give football another shot.

If you aren’t aware of Shepherd’s journey and all of the trials and tribulations he had to go through to get to this point in his career/life then I highly suggest watching this portion of the episode. It’s certainly something that every Jets fan should be aware of and it makes it very easy to root for a guy like Shepherd.

The episode then shifted to veteran player report day where the team’s head strength and conditioning coach, Justus Galac, emphasized the team’s motto, “blame nobody, expect nothing, do something.” This underlined one of the key themes of the entire series which was team unity.

Ultimately, the series did an excellent job of highlighting the Jets individual players while still stressing the significance of teamwork and unanimity among teammates.

The episode also touched on the new relationship between free agent acquisition Avery Williamson and the incumbent Darron Lee. Williamson spoke about the interesting dynamic between him and Lee and how it was an odd feeling being the older guy but feeling like the new guy. Despite Williamson having the edge in experience, he still admitted to going to Lee for guidance and even said that Lee had taken him under his wing a little bit.

The final five minutes of the episode featured perhaps my favorite scene in the entire series. Third-year linebacker Jordan Jenkins was given the spotlight that he never would typically get as the camera crew followed him out on a relaxing fishing trip near a quiet, isolated lake.

The scenery was beautiful as the cameras perfectly captured the wildlife surrounding Jenkins making it feel as if the audience was actually present. The sound effects were amplified and the former Georgia Bulldog was given time to relieve stress and decompress as the audience did the same.

This relaxing nature was juxtaposed nicely with the ferocious highlights shown from Jenkins 2017 season. Jenkins talked about how he is typically very relaxed off the field and how he has to “flip the switch” come game time.

The episode concluded with Jenkins restating one of the principal themes of the series when he insisted that one of the reasons he loves the game of football so much is because you have guys from all different backgrounds coming together to compete for a common purpose.

They may all have different life stories, but at the end of the day, they are all a part of one team.

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Next: Episode 5: Center Stage

Episode 5: Center Stage

Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VVCXETYfi4

As an episode, “Center Stage” kind of jumps around without a clear purpose or designed message. As a result, the episode suffers slightly and could be looked at as the weakest of the six episodes in the series.

That being said, there are still a few noteworthy and impactful segments, mainly the part of the episode that focuses on the unheralded Kelvin Beachum.

Nevertheless, the episode begins with wide receiver Jermaine Kearse participating in a celebrity Pro-Am golf tournament with professional golfer Jordan Speith. This part of the episode, unfortunately, drags on a little as Kearse doesn’t have the most decorative personality and little attention was given to the interaction between Kearse and Speith.

In fact, Speith was never really even shown interacting with Kearse which ultimately left the segment feeling empty. This was one of the few spots in the entire documentary series where an opportunity to showcase the personalities of the team’s players wasn’t taken full advantage of.

However, the episode then switched gears to talk about Quincy Enunwa as the Nebraska product was shown competing in a celebrity softball game at Yankee Stadium with teammate Jamal Adams and former Jet Willie Colon. Enunwa visibly enjoyed his time in the limelight even having a quick conversation with star Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge before popping out in his only plate appearance shown on camera.

The episode briefly touched on Enunwa’s long road back from the neck injury that forced him to miss all of last season. However, the attention was shortlived as the documentary moved on quickly and instead adopted a different focus for the remainder of the episode.

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That focus was placed solely on a player who rarely gets the chance to shine, but one who remains a solid contributor on the team. Left tackle Kelvin Beachum was allotted the final five minutes of the episode, nearly half of the total duration of the episode, to tell his story and speak from his perspective.

The series highlighted Beachum’s humble beginnings in a small country town called Mexia located in eastern Texas. Beachum spoke of the differences between New York and his small country upbringing but maintained that his core values and beliefs have remained the same.

For those who weren’t already aware of Beachum’s incredible off the field impact and charity work, the documentary accentuated the intelligence and modest nature of the Jets offensive lineman. Apart from being a professional football player, Beachum is also an active philanthropist, a business investor, and a professional speaker.

Despite his many life endeavors, Beachum was repeatedly praised for his time management, ability to make time for his family in the offseason, and presence of mind to plan for life after football. The SMU product made it very clear, however, that during the season it’s all about football.

The part of the documentary rivaled the Jordan Jenkins scene in the previous episode for the best segment in the entire series. Once again, One Jets Drive shined by giving a platform to a player that wouldn’t typically receive one. In this case, Beachum took full advantage of it.

Next: Episode 6: Signal Callers

Episode 6: Signal Callers

Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMD9du0DLU

The final and longest episode of the series told the story of each of the three quarterbacks on the Jets roster.

“Signal Callers” delivered a powerful message of unity amongst individuals with each distinct journey recapped in full detail all while the underlying theme of team unification was present.

Early in the episode, Teddy Bridgewater gave a quote that perfectly summed up the motif of not only the episode but the entire documentary as a whole. “It’s not about us, it’s about the New York Jets,” Bridgewater spoke with conviction.

While the mini-documentary may have given the spotlight to its players and provided them with a platform to express their thoughts and tell their stories, the common goal shared by all of them isn’t individual success, but team success.

Ultimately, winning as a team is paramount.

That being said, the individual stories of the team’s quarterbacks are enthralling and compelling nonetheless and each deserves their own spotlight. The episode first centered on Bridgewater and his road to redemption.

The former Minnesota Vikings quarterback talked about his journey back from the devastating knee injury that altered his career and life path for the foreseeable future. The footage from his miraculous return to the gridiron in the fourth quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals last season was played and it surely sent chills through even the most indifferent of viewers.

Bridgewater spoke about how he was inspired to keep fighting after his injury because of his mother who battled through and survived breast cancer. The Miami native also made it clear that he never once questioned why he was injured. Instead, he decided to focus on what he had rather than what he had lost.

It’s hard not to be inspired by someone like Bridgewater who has had to overcome so much already in his life but continues to have a positive outlook on everything and give back to the community that raised him.

His segment ended with a declaration that he is ready to write the next chapter in the book of his life.

Josh McCown was up next and the episode wasted little time in establishing him as a leader of men…..or at least boys. McCown was shown playing a game of “HORSE” with his two sons on a basketball court in their backyard. After he defeated them, his two sons were required to do 10 push-ups each.

This was the first of a few glimpses the audience would get of “Coach McCown” as the documentary made sure to play up his maturity and leadership ability. Later, the 39-year old was given the opportunity to help out as a part-time coach at his son Owen’s high school.

This is another instance where the audience can get a potential glimpse into the future as McCown was evidently in his element and very comfortable as a coach. It would be shocking not to see McCown pursue a career in coaching after his retirement.

Of course, the documentary made sure to fulfill the old jersey cliché showing all of the different jerseys McCown has accumulated over his NFL career. Heading into his 15th NFL season, McCown has basically seen it all and is fully aware that his career has come full circle.

He has embraced his role as a mentor to Sam Darnold and is excited to see the next step in the comeback of Bridgewater. McCown made it clear that he will do whatever is necessary for the team to have success this season and beyond.

There may not be a more humble and down-to-earth athlete in all of sports than McCown. His emotional, tear-filled press conference following his season-ending injury in the team’s game in Denver last season and his gracious attitude towards receiving the Jets 2017 team MVP award solidify his status as one of the most benevolent people in the entire NFL.

The final segment of the episode focused on the last but certainly not least quarterback on the team as Darnold once again took center stage. His portion of the episode proved to be the least captivating of the three but that’s simply because his NFL journey is only just beginning.

The story of Darnold will continue to be written throughout his career. This is only the first chapter.

Still, the audience was given a look at Darnold’s family life as his parents and friends all accompanied him for a nice home-cooked meal at home. His mother and father expressed their excitement while his friends remarked that they still see him as just a regular guy despite his newfound stardom.

Here, Darnold was allowed to be more of his laid-back self as he came across as juvenile and fun while interacting with his parents. It was a far cry from his professional attitude when speaking to the media or even when on the gridiron, but it helped to further establish Darnold as a typical 20-year old boy rather than a full-fledged, mature man.

When asked about his relationship with Bridgewater and McCown, however, Darnold slipped back into professional mode speaking very highly of their character and leadership ability and saying how much he has already learned from them.

Before the episode could end, a final minute-long hype package was put together for the 2018 season before a promo advertising the second season of One Jets Drive titled “2018 Training Camp” was shown.

Ultimately, One Jets Drive was a fantastic mini-documentary that was put together at just the right time to get fans excited for the 2018 season. It helped show off some of the most charismatic players on the team while also giving time to the unsung heroes of the Jets roster. It accomplished what it was supposed to in getting fans excited and should have fans equally as excited for the arrival of season two.