Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich spoke on Thursday for the first time since he last week referenced defensive tackle Quinnen Williams as “gasping for air” on the sideline as the reason he rotates his defensive linemen and doesn’t keep Williams on the field more often.
For those who were in the room when Ulbrich made that statement, it was clear he’d merely used a poor choice of words to make his point, but that he was in no way insinuating that Williams was out of shape.
Social media being the runaway train that it is, the comment went viral and was misconstrued by the masses — including Williams — who were not in on the interview knowing exactly what Ulbrich meant.
The situation flared into an unnecessary mini-crisis, with Williams initially reportedly upset about Ulbrich’s words and Ulbrich quickly reaching out to his top defensive lineman to clarify his words.
“Yeah, I absolutely talked to him,’’ Ulbrich said Thursday. “Quinnen’s a guy that I have tremendous respect for not only as a football player, but as a man, and for him to have felt any angst, or felt any way about that would’ve really bothered me because I have tremendous respect for and it was never my intent to insult him, or say anything bad about him.
“I love the guy in every way, and I have no questions regarding anything about him conditioning or otherwise. He’s an absolute game-wrecker, kick-ass player in every way, and just love having him here with us, and I hope that we have him here for a long time.’’
Ulbrich said he “wanted to make sure that there was no grey [area]” when he spoke to Williams.
“I think he knows where my heart is,” he said.
Mike LaFleur, in his second season as the Jets offensive coordinator, said on Thursday that Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, whom the Jets face Sunday, “is one of my best buddies.”
LaFleur and McDaniel worked together on three different teams — the Browns, Falcons and 49ers — before landing their respective positions.
LaFleur was an offensive intern in 2014 at Cleveland when McDaniel was a receivers coach. Both LaFleur and McDaniel were offensive assistants in Atlanta in 2015-16. LaFleur was the passing game coordinator in San Francisco from 2017-20 while McDaniel was the running game coordinator from 2017-21 before being hired as the Dolphins head coach this season.
“It’s well-documented how smart of a coach he is, but now he’s getting to show how good of a leader he is,’’ LaFleur said of McDaniel. “His game and Green Bay [where LaFleur’s brother, Matt, is the head coach) and San Francisco are the three games that I’ll watch every Monday after we get done reviewing ours. I’ve seen every one of [the Dolphins] snaps.
“[McDaniel] is one of my best buddies. Outside of this Sunday and one more Sunday (when the Jets and Dolphins play) you wish him all the best, but this week is about the Jets and Dolphins.’’
Along with QB Zach Wilson going from limited practice to full from Wednesday to Thursday, LB Marcell Harris (neck) also practiced in fullThursday. RB Breece Hall (knee) remained limited.
For the Dolphins, their top CB Xavien Howard didn’t practice for the second consecutive day with a groin injury. WR Jaylen Waddle (groin) went from not practicing Wednesday to limited Thursday. WR Tyreek Hill was added to the list Thursday and was limited in practice with a quadriceps ailment. So, too, was Salvon Ahd with a bad back.
When Jets special teams coordinator Brant Boyer was asked about Hill, who also returns punts, showing up on the injury report, he said, “I like Tyreek, he’s a heck of a guy. If he sprained a toe or something and he couldn’t return punts, I wouldn’t be sad. He’s a heck of a player. Anytime he gets his hands on the ball no matter what he’s doing, he’s as dangerous as it gets.”
Ulbrich said he expects to see a similar player to Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa (out with a concussion) in backup Teddy Bridgewater on Sunday.
“I think they’re very similar players,” he said. “[Bridgewater] is an experienced player that sees the field very well. He’s still a good athlete even though he’s been playing for quite a bit, he can challenge with his legs, and his arm, and his mind. So, I don’t see the offense changing wholesale.”
