Mike drop! Jets' Jamien Sherwood makes 'impassioned' speech to team, latest step in linebacker's growth

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jamien Sherwood stood in front of the team a week ago Saturday and did something he wouldn’t have been able to do earlier in his career.

The Jets’ fourth-year linebacker delivered a speech that interim coach Jeff Ulbrich described as “impassioned” and Quincy Williams called “powerful.” It showed how far Sherwood has come as a player and leader since being drafted in the fifth round in 2021.

“Like night and day, on the field and off the field,” Williams told Newsday.

Sherwood was on the quiet side, not really comfortable speaking up on a team that was filled with veterans, especially as he was transitioning from playing safety at Auburn to linebacker in the NFL.

He was and continues to be a sponge around C.J. Mosley, learning everything he can from the Jets’ captain, a former All-Pro linebacker. Mosley has had a big hand in Sherwood’s development, and Sherwood acknowledged that during his speech.

Sherwood, 24, spoke about his “love and regard” for all of his teammates and that he’s playing for them and the coaches. He opened by recognizing Mosley, who is on injured reserve.

“My first point in that speech is how I play the game for C.J.,” Sherwood told Newsday. “Since I got here, C.J. taught me how to become a linebacker in this league, how to become a better linebacker in this league. So every chance I get and opportunity I get to go out there and play, I do it for him.”

Sherwood mentioned other players in the speech that Williams said was “real big,” because when Sherwood spoke to the team previously, “ he’d be timid, stuttering, very short.”

Now Sherwood’s words carry weight, and his play speaks loudly.

The next day, the 6-2, 216-pound Sherwood was all over the field against the Dolphins. He recorded 18 tackles, matching the most in the NFL this season. According to Ulbrich, Sherwood “did exactly what he said he was going to do” in his speech.

“That’s one of the best games I’ve seen a linebacker play in a long time this game against Miami,” Ulbrich said. “Just a really cool moment for a kid who’s worked really hard to get where he’s at.”

Sherwood has enjoyed a breakout year in this disappointing season for the Jets (3-10). He leads the team and is fourth in the NFL with 125 tackles. Sherwood wishes the Jets had won a lot more, but he takes pride in knowing he’s proved himself as a player.

“I am proud of myself for going out there and being able to do it,” he said. “The main thing I’m most proud of is to show everybody that I’m capable and that I am going to be one of the best linebackers in this league in the future.

“Coming in, I was pretty undersized, a lot of people doubted that I could do it and I went out there and showed it. That’s the most special thing that means to me. Forget the stats, forget whatever, my main thing was showing I’m a linebacker now and I’m not just a safety.”

Former Jets coach Robert Saleh believed Sherwood would become effective playing a hybrid linebacker role and that his experience as a safety would help him in coverage. The Jets began training him as a rookie.

Sherwood spent his first three seasons playing mostly special teams. With Mosley and Williams, an All-Pro last year, as every-down linebackers, Sherwood totaled 77 tackles in 358 defensive snaps. Only Williams has played more snaps than Sherwood (806) this year.

Ulbrich estimated that Sherwood might have played about 75% of the snaps as the Jets’ strong-side linebacker and in a dime package. Mosley suffered various injuries — most recently a neck issue that may have ended his Jets career at the very least — that led to Sherwood getting his chance.

When Mosley got hurt, Williams had a conversation with position coach Mike Rutenberg about becoming more of a vocal leader on defense. Sherwood stepped into the Mike linebacker role — the play-caller on defense — and was driven to fill Mosley’s void as a leader and tackle machine.

“I think he took off with that one, I’m going to be honest with you,” Williams said. “He was like, ‘I’m here to dominate this position, I’m here to make it feel like C.J.’s not leaving, like we don’t have a weakness just because a guy went down.’ ”

Sherwood needs 15 tackles in the final four games to become the fifth Jet to register 140 in a season. Mosley did it three times.

“He’s been so important to this defense,” Ulbrich said. “He’s brought so much energy and positivity and leadership. For his play to really start to reflect all of that, it’s a beautiful thing to see. He’s a guy that’s absolutely deserving of all the success he’s having.”

The timing couldn’t have been better for Sherwood. He’s set to be a free agent and should have plenty of teams interested after the season he’s had. He has had at least 11 tackles six times, including at least 17 in two of the last four games.

There were times earlier in the season when Sherwood thought about his future, but he said not anymore.

“I did at the beginning and middle of the season,” Sherwood said. “Right now it’s mainly just focusing on finishing. As long as I finish strong, continue to do what I’ve been doing, it will work itself out at the end of the day. Hopefully it’s here. If it’s somewhere else, it is what it is.”

To Sherwood, finishing strong means winning some games more than anything. He said it’s “heartbreaking” that the Jets’ record is what it is. The Jets will play in Jacksonville on Sunday, looking to snap a four-game losing streak. They have lost nine of 10 games overall.

“As much as it’s frustrating and heartbreaking, it’s still motivating for me because we still have four opportunities to get some wins on the board,” Sherwood said. “ I don’t want to finish the season with just three wins. We have the roster to be better than that and have a better record than that.”

Spoken like a true leader.

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.