Adams: Jets felt disrespected by boos at home
Jamal Adams says he had a stern conversation with his team after getting booed by Raiders fans during pregame warm ups. (0:40)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — When the New York Jets came out for their pregame warmups on Sunday, they heard loud boos. In their own building, MetLife Stadium.
It was filled with a large contingent of Oakland Raiders‘ fans, who tried to make it like the Black Hole. The Jets took umbrage, especially outspoken safety Jamal Adams, who addressed his teammates when they returned to the locker room before the opening kickoff.
“I’m not going to lie to you, when we came on to the field, we felt disrespected,” Adams said after the Jets’ 34-3 victory. “We got booed in our own home stadium by the Oakland fans. We came back into this locker room. It was a hell of a talk. It was something that needed to be said.”
When pressed, Adams said: “I’m not going to get into what was said, but we felt disrespected. I came in here and sparked it up.”
It’s not often a home team derives motivation from a negative reaction in its own stadium, but it worked for the Jets (4-7), who won their third straight and snapped the Raiders’ three-game winning streak.
“Put up or shut up,” said Adams, describing his team’s mentality. “I don’t want to sound arrogant or cocky, but [the Oakland fans] came in a little too happy, let’s put it like that. They thought it would be easy, put it like that.”
This was the Jets’ third home game that had an away feel to it, as the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants (obviously) drew many fans.
The Jets’ record in those games: 3-0.