Davante Adams pulled surprising move after first game with Jets

Oct 20, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) takes the field for warms up for a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Davante Adams has only been with the New York Jets for one game, but it did not take the star wide receiver long to assume a leadership role with his new team.

Adams stood up in front of the Jets and addressed the team in the locker room after Sunday night’s 37-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aaron Rodgers told reporters on Wednesday that Adams delivered “the realest speech I had ever heard in a locker room in 30 years.”

When asked why he chose to address his teammates just five days after being traded from the Las Vegas Raiders, Adams said it is not in his nature to sit quietly when he sees a problem.

“Obviously, it was a lack of energy and urgency out there and it was apparent,” Adams said. “I’ve played on teams that have that winning culture. Basically, I just took a moment to let them know I had reservations about speaking up too early and being too vocal too early. But in my mind I said F that, we don’t have time. I gotta do whatever I gotta do to help this team move forward.

“Lacking energy, that’s a prerequisite to be able to go out there and have a good year or have a good play or whatever it is. In my mind, it was something that I wouldn’t have been able to sleep if I didn’t speak up on it.”

Adams said many people expected him to be the savior for the Jets and put up 200 yards and 3 touchdowns, but he feels he is “here to help shift this culture more than anything.”

"It's not my personality to see something that's not right and just let it go on. There was a lack of energy and urgency out there, and it was apparent.

I had reservations about speaking up too early and being too vocal too early, but I said, 'f that,' because we don't have… pic.twitter.com/a4pylHlfjp

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) October 23, 2024

Adams was with the Raiders for two-plus seasons and never gave that type of locker room speech. He said the difference in Las Vegas is his former team had “juice,” which he did not see from the Jets on Sunday night.

“Two totally different situations,” Adams said, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “I’m talking about juice. The Raiders, we had juice. We had many other issues, but it wasn’t about energy on the field and celebrating with one another.”

The Jets fell to 2-5 with their loss to Pittsburgh. Adams knows that the wins need to start piling up fast in order for his new team to make a postseason push.

Fortunately for the Jets, a Week 8 matchup with the New England Patriots awaits. Rodgers might be a bit banged up heading into the game, but New York is in even bigger trouble than we thought if they can’t beat their division rival.