Unlike the delays the NJ/NY airports were dealing with today, the New York Jets cleared the runway for takeoff and cruised to their second win of the season against the Cleveland Browns.
The Jets have typically been anemic on offense for most of this season, but today they were able to spark a little fire thanks to a 42-yard touchdown by running back Breece Hall, a 99-yard kick return by Kene Nwangwu, and a solid showing from the defense. With the Jets trading away their star players in Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, predicting a Jets win was a tall order but with some extra fight and real mental toughness, the Jets pulled it off.
We’re 10 weeks into the 2025 season and even though Gang Green doesn’t have the record they want, you can see the progression in their grit as a whole — something head coach Aaron Glenn has been working on with this team. Grit takes time. Undoing a losing culture takes time. Trading away your star players in a fire sale and then hitting the rebuild button… again… takes time.
And even though most Jets fans are seemingly out of time and patience (judging by the half-full stadium this afternoon), you’re starting to see little glimmers of hope more and more each week. Where they might have given up a few weeks ago, this week they showed up for each other as a team and fought until the end. Even if it was wet and ugly. A win is a win and showing some signs of life is a positive step at this point.
Putting It All Into Perspective
During the second half, the Jets in partnership with Tunnel to Towers, a foundation that provides specially adapted smart homes for injured veterans and first responders — surprised Corporal Adrian Simone as the “Veteran of the Game.” Simone thought he was simply being honored as part of a Veterans Day ceremony. Instead, he was surprised with a custom-built, mortgage-free smart home.
Simone, who lost both of his legs serving in Afghanistan, was in a state of shock when he spoke to reporters, but said he was deeply grateful and happy about receiving the home and that having accessibility will make life a lot easier for him. Simone, who was accompanied by his girlfriend for today’s ceremony, had a message of gratitude for everyone: “Thank you. There are good people out there, and this is a good country.”
It’s moments like this where you realize there are things that are bigger than the game of football and that we are all incredibly lucky to live our lives in the way we see fit. There is a price for freedom. Most of us just don’t pay it.
On behalf of all of us at ONNJ Sports, we would like to congratulate Corporal Adrian Simone and thank him, and all of our veterans, for their service.
