Heading into his first offseason as a general manager, Joe Douglas has a plan: bring a winning culture to the New York Jets.
New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas held his end-of-the-year press conference on Tuesday. As per usual, Douglas talked about many things, but almost always talked around questions.
The one thing Douglas did state that pertains to the future is his goal that travels beyond talent
“The plan is to create the best culture in sports,” Douglas proclaimed, via ESNY’s Robby Sabo.
“The plan is to create the best culture in sports,” says Joe Douglas.
“Every great team has that culture. It’s gonna take people with the right level of commitment, character and competence.”
Encouraging words for #Jets fans. This GM knows it’s NOT only about talent. pic.twitter.com/xvJUNVaVfW
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) December 31, 2019
Douglas isn’t the first general manager to look to change the culture of the Jets. Culture is a keyword that every coach and general manager turns to when things are rough. They want to create a winning environment that is self-sustaining.
The last time the Jets dove deep into the idea of building a proper culture was with Mike Maccagnan. Maccagnan looked to draft players who might not have been the best fit or talent-wise, but who would provide leadership and a culture boost.
The most famous example of that is the 2017 draft. Mike Maccagnan drafted five college captains. The most egregious choice was ArDarius Stewart in the third round. Most draft pundits had Stewart as a day three pick, while universally liked wide receiver prospect Chris Godwin was still on the board.
Macc chose Stewart for his culture fit. It was about bringing in the right people to lead this team into the future and fix the image of the franchise. Stewart lasted just one season in the league, while Godwin is now a Pro-Bowler with over 1,300 yards this season.
Building a winning team isn’t about creating the right culture. It’s about bringing in talented players and using them effectively. A winning culture is created by actions and success not by bringing in nice guys who don’t fight in the locker room.
Joe Douglas’ bread butter is his scouting. If he wants to lead the Jets into the future and create “the best culture in sports,” he needs to draft well. That’s what’s going to help the New York Jets grow.
