Monday Locker Room Interviews

Jetnation.com
January 26, 2010

S Jim Leonhard

On if the loss stings less today…

It doesn’t really feel any better at this point. It’s frustrating still, knowing you were this close. You get this far in the playoffs and you know anything can happen. To be one step short of a Super Bowl, it hurts. It’ll hurt until that game is over. I’ll watch that game and it’ll be frustrating. I’m definitely not throwing a Super Bowl party. We played well. We had a good season. We set the foundation of the team that we want to be. We put that out there to the rest of the league of who the New York Jets are and who they’re going to be from this point forward. We can’t be disappointed in that. You lose that game and you’re obviously not satisfied with what you’ve done this year.

On what he knew about the culture of the Jets before he came here…

I knew a little bit. I learned the history and how the fans seem like they are waiting for disappointment. It’s changing. I think that was the first thing Rex [Ryan] tried to get out there to the fans that this will not be the Same Old Jets. I think we laid that foundation. The fans should have that confidence just like we do now that it’s not the Same Old Jets. We’re moving forward and we’re going to be a contender year-in and year-out. That’s our goal. Hopefully, the fans realize that because the players in this organization realize that things are changing.

On what it will take for the team to take the next step to the Super Bowl…

Obviously, we need to get better. There are great teams and Indianapolis is one of them. You look at the teams that continuously get to this level and what they’re made of and who they are and you have to learn from them. Now, we have that experience. Maybe this team needed this experience this year in order to take that step. It’s hard to say, but I know the guys in this room and everything they’re made of. We’re hungry and we want to have success. We will do everything we can as a team and individually to take that next step. It’s hard. It’s not something you can point your finger at and say this is what we’re missing. It’s definitely not easy that way, but we’re not afraid to work. No one in this organization is afraid of work and we’re willing to put that in.