Jamal Adams has already expressed his fondness for new Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

Perhaps one reason why is the tough love Williams showed him early on.

Williams recalled the first thing he said to the Jets' Pro Bowl safety the first time they met, and surely it'll light a fire within Adams:

"I've coached a lot better people than you before."

The 23-year-old Adams, an Associated Press second-team All-Pro last season, is entering his third year in the league since being the No. 6 pick in 2017. He finished the 2018 season with one interception, 12 passes defensed, 115 combined tackles and three forced fumbles.

And despite his early success, it's clear Williams wants more out of him.

Among the players Williams has coached before: Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald, Jonathan Vilma, Malcolm Jenkins, LaRon Landry and Sean Taylor.

Surely, Adams has high expectations for himself. Yet even he feels he has room to grow.

"I don't put a limit on myself," Adams said last month. "Obviously I want to become a better teammate, a better person off the field and even on as far as communicating and reading. And as far as my eyes, having a step before the snap. Just getting better at everything -- that's what I think I'm focused on."

With Williams and new head coach Adam Gase, Adams has said the Jets have a win-now mentality, despite the fact they have gone 8-24 over the past two seasons.

Adams said Williams has been "kind of like an uncle, really," adding he loves Williams' aggressive defensive system.

"He's coaching us hard, he wants the best out of us, and you can run through a wall for a coach like that, you know what I mean?" Adams said last week. "I think our whole staff is like that. our whole staff has a lot of energy, different backgrounds, they've been with each other obviously in different places, but to have all of them in one spot, I think it could be special for us, and we're excited to have them all."

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