Quincy Williams found motivation for this season during the offseason when he was talking to the Jets about a contract extension.
The Jets were giving Williams and his agent players they felt were comparable to him as a linebacker.
This is part of the negotiating dance, and occasionally, teams insult players with the comparisons.
Count Williams as one of those.
“I’m going to be honest with y’all,” Williams said Monday, “the contract situation kind of threw me off for real, for real. The biggest [thing] was through the contract was it was like highs and lows, it’s like a ceiling and a floor. It’s like where they [rank] you as a player. Just listening to the players they thought was better than me, that kind of put a chip on my shoulder. I was like, you know what? I want to see what it’s going to look like for a year of me buying in.”
It has worked out for the Jets and Williams after they re-signed him to a three-year, $18 million contract in March.
Williams has been one of the Jets best players early this season.
He led the team with 12 tackles Sunday in its win over the Eagles and also recovered a fumble, had a pass defensed and a tackle for loss.
Williams said he set his eyes on making the Pro Bowl this year.
His brother, Quinnen, went to the Pro Bowl last year. Quincy said he called Quinnen while he was at the Pro Bowl and made a vow.
“I told him, ‘Bro, next year, I’m going to be at the Pro Bowl with you,’ ” Quincy Williams said.
If he does make it to the Pro Bowl, Quincy Williams will point back to what the front office told him while they were negotiating his contract.
“That chip on my shoulder with them telling me where I’m placed and what’s my ceiling and stuff like that, I didn’t really like that because I make my own ceiling,” Quincy Williams said.
WR Allen Lazard called his penalty for a blindside block an “unfortunate play.”
The penalty wiped out a 25-yard gain by Garrett Wilson that would have set the Jets up inside the Eagles 10.
“I think the ref made the right call, based on the rules,” Lazard said. “It’s just obviously a newer call that’s been implemented the past few years. I think for anybody who has played football, it’s kind of hard to ease off the gas sometimes when situations come like that. Obviously, I was just trying to make a play for Garrett to score.”
Jets coach Robert Saleh did not offer any injury updates.
Guard Joe Tippmann (thigh) is the one to watch, but the Jets do not have to provide an injury report until Oct. 25 before they face the Giants.