How do you become a confident team?
It can take time, and positive reviews from spring practices don’t mean a thing.
“It’s like this is the world’s greatest honeymoon,” Saleh said about his first spring as Jets coach. “Whenever a new group comes in, there’s the benefit of the doubt.”
But he knows, from first-hand experience over his 16 years in the league, becoming a confident team is a process.
“It’s never easy,” Saleh said. “I’ve been fortunate and unfortunate. I’ve been a part of Super Bowl teams, I’ve been a part of teams that have gone 2-14, 1-15 the very first year I was in the league (with the Houston Texans). It’s not easy, especially when confidence is a very hard thing to regain and to be honest with you, when you talk from a confidence standpoint, it’s not even back yet.”
Saleh feels the true gauge of a team’s confidence comes when they’re hit by adversity.
“Adversity will be the cement that solidifies everything that’s been built, going through those tough times,” Saleh said.
And they could hit as soon as August in training camp.
“When we get those adverse moments in the dog days of summer, and we’re in preseason games, and we might have an injury, or we’re down players in a position group. and some guys have to take extra reps, these moments, they’re the moments that are going to define this team, shape the leadership of this team, shape the identity of this team and propel us into the season,” Saleh said.
Then during the season, there will be myriad situations that test their meddle as well.
“We’ll see more adversity during the season and how we handle those moments is what’s going to build us for not only this year, but the years to come,” Saleh said.
So Saleh knows all the positivity around the team right now needs to be put in perspective.
“It’s cool that there is a positive outlook, it’s exciting that there’s a positive outlook, but we haven’t even scratched the surface yet in terms of what the overall outlook of this organization will be, for again, not only this year, but the years to come,” Saleh said.
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