Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams says he and head coach Adam Gase are on the same page
Jets head coach Adam Gase, left, and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams chat during training camp at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on July 28, 2019. Credit: James Escher
There were no apologies and only a slight flicker of remorse.
Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said Friday that he felt no need to clarify the remarks he made last week that were interpreted by most to be a shot at the team’s head coach, Adam Gase.
"Coach Gase and I are great friends. We’ve been that way," Williams said on a Zoom media conference call. "We’re on the same page. We talk about those things. That thing is no thing. We got to go on and make them kick field goals and do our stuff and do our job."
A week ago Friday, when discussing the fact that his unit had been giving up an average of 32.2 points in their first five games, Williams said, "It’s not a very good number and a lot of it is not all defensively."
On Sunday, Gase responded to the criticism by saying "everyone needs to shut up and play."
"That’s not what we need," Gase told CBS when discussing Williams’ comments. "No one is pointing fingers. We need to pull in the same direction. Everyone needs to shut up and play."
Williams, talking to reporters for the first time since he made those comments, was asked if he regretted saying what he said.
"I always take a look at all those things, but here’s the deal," he said, "I know who we are. I know who the head coach and I are. The players know that too."
Williams seemed to tire with the line of questioning when asked if he could understand how those comments were perceived as divisive.
"Let’s get onto the next thing," he said. "It’s not divisive with our players. It’s not an issue. It’s not anything."
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
