New York Jets captain CJ Mosley: Firing coach 'a wake-up call'

“We have 100 percent trust and support for Brick, as does the coaching staff,” said New York linebacker and team captain CJ Mosley. “At the end of the day, our goal remains the same, so we have to approach it that way because this is a business.”

With the Jets at 2-3 following a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 6, the former Theodore High School star and Alabama All-American said he was “pretty shocked” by Saleh's firing the next day . Mosley missed that game and a 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos on September 29 because of a toe injury.

“You get the news and you think about it, the only thing that comes to mind is, 'How could I have done it better?'” Mosley said. “I missed the last two games that were going on in my head. So I'm always thinking about: What can I do to make things right, or what could I have done better? He's the reason we're in this situation today, man. You know, most of this team is based on his picks and what he saw and what he believed in the players that we have on this team, some familiar names that will hopefully keep this Jets organization going for a long time become . Therefore, coach Saleh deserves a lot of credit.

“When he came here, he didn't have to take a second chance at my return to the Jets, but he did. And he challenged me to be a great linebacker in his defense because he once told me that he wasn't sure if I would fit in his defense because of my style of play with the Ravens, things like that. He challenged me that day, and every single day I came here to work I wanted to be one of the best linebackers in this system. A lot of what he did, the stories he told about tough defeats and the great victories we had together, built us up, it shaped his attitude towards his team, so we definitely have to keep going.”

Mosley said Saleh's firing should be “a wake-up call and an eye-opener for a lot of people.”

“Ultimately, as I said, we all have to take some responsibility for not letting this stop us from achieving our goal,” Mosley said, “but we also have to make sure that something like this won’t happen.” happen again.”

Ulbrich was New York's defensive coordinator in 2021. In 2022, the Jets averaged the fourth-fewest yards rushing in the NFL. In 2023 they were third and this year they are second.

“He’s an ultimate competitor,” Mosley said of Ulbrich. “Working with him every day and going through the struggles we have experienced over the last four years, I know what drives him. I know his story. I know his why. I know his family. So when you know someone so well, you naturally want to do your best for them and do things that make them proud. So he's one of those coaches that gets that out of you every day. Even when you’re tired, even when he’s tired, he finds a way every day to motivate our defensive staff and our defensive room.”