It has been a moment he has looked forward to since entering the league, so it makes sense that S Jamal Adams is having the time of his life down at the Pro Bowl in Orlando this week.
"It's exciting, man, honestly, just to be here with some of these great players and be recognized as a great player by my peers and the fans," Adams told NewYorkJets.com's Eric Allen. "It's definitely an honor and I'm excited to be here."
Adams' high energy has been on full display all week, and he admits his family and agent have asked if he can turn down his intensity of the go-with-the-flow Pro Bowl vibe. During the Skills Competition, Adams was flying all around the field as he hyped up his AFC teammates and showcased his hops and speed during the Gridiron Gauntlet.
And come Sunday, he knows that intensity isn't going to fade. It's another game he wants to show out in.
"I've definitely been asked about that quite a bit, by my agent and my family," Adams said about toning it down during the game. "But my father knows the real me, he knows I know one speed. That's all I can give you, and come Sunday, that's definitely what you're going to see."
That energy, along with many other things, is why Adams is in Orlando right now. Over his first two seasons in the NFL, he has solidified himself as a defensive captain that has garnered respect from all his Jets teammates and coaches.
Now, he has a new head coach in Adam Gase, who has already reached out to get acquainted with his new safety. In fact, he let Adams know how much of a pest he was when the Jets played Miami.
"I'm excited to have Coach Gase join the start of something new, I believe. He definitely reached out to me and gave me kind words," Adams said. "He was just saying it's a long way ahead and he's excited for it. And he's looking forward to working with me. He said I gave him a couple of problems through the years, so he's definitely excited to coach me."
Gase's new defensive coordinator in Gregg Williams is also going to love having Adams on his side during the season. Known for his aggressive style of play and high-octane energy, his persona will match that of Adams.
And No. 33 knows it will be a good match.
"Energy, passion, just holding guys accountable, talking noise -- he's all of the above," Adams said. "But I don't say that just because he's the new DC. I say that because it's facts. I do strongly believe he's the best in the business. He's definitely going to help us for the future."
Adams, along with the rest of the Jets, hope the very near future involves some postseason football. The Jets still have work to do in free agency and the draft, but the organization believes it has good core pieces, and now, the coaching necessary to reach that goal next season.
"That's the goal, man, that's definitely the goal," he said. "Obviously it's a long way getting there. We've got to put some pieces together. We've got to jell as a team, jell as a coaching staff, jell as an organization. ...We're just going to take it one step at a time."
But that preparation for next season will come after this week's festivities that Adams is enjoying along with fellow teammates KR/PR Andre Roberts and K Jason Myers.
"It's so surreal," Adams said. "You dream about this, and finally our time has come. You've just got to take advantage of it, soak it all in. You have so many legends and so many great players that you're recognized with and you're one of those guys. So I think it's a huge honor and I'm just happy to be here, happy to represent the New York Jets, happy to represent my family and the state of Texas."
