Pads come on Monday, and everyone's excited
Training camp began early last week. Football season starts Monday.
That’s when the Jets will go through their first practice in full pads, and veterans and rookies alike are excited for the change in equipment, tempo, physicality and mentality that will bring.
“The last time I got to put on pads was in January so it is super fun,” defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said on Saturday. “That’s my game. I want pads, I want contact, I want to feel doubles. That’s the type of thing I really enjoy.
“All of this offseason has been patiently working toward these moments.”
Rookie edge rusher David Bailey gave a remarkably similar answer when asked about his pending padded pro debut, even noting that he too hadn’t worn the full gear since January.
“It’s been a while,” he said. “It’s always an exciting time.”
Bailey admitted that there may be “a little bit of nerves” as he suits up and gets to whallop people – and get whalloped too by the likes of Armand Membou and Braelon Allen -- for the first time.
“But it’s good overall,” he said.
It’s football is what it is. And it's back.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
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