Getty New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley must journey back from a two-year abyss created by injury and circumstance.
The New York Jets released a YouTube video of ex-linebacker Bart Scott talking nothing but Gang Green 2021 the only way he knows how — loud and proud.
During the midst of his rant about Robert Saleh and the new All Gas No Brake mentality, Scott took a moment to talk about linebacker C.J. Mosley.
The two middle linebackers share a unique bond, aside from wearing the number 57 on the back of their jersey. Both played for the Baltimore Ravens before joining the Jets in free agency.
In many ways, Mosley replaced Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, who starred for the Ravens from 1996-2012. Scott was the Baltimore legend’s partner in crime from about 2005-2008, although he joined the Ravens franchise in 2002.
Then in 2014, two seasons after Lewis finally retired, Baltimore spent a first-round pick on Alabama Crimson Tide standout Mosley. Just like that, he became the heir apparent to an all-time great.
Only Mosley ended up being more like Scott than Lewis, and that’s not an insult. It just means he chose green over purple.
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Scott: ‘Remember Who Mosley Is’
“I feel like he feels like he owes the Jets fanbase a lot,” Scott told team reporter Eric Allen.
As we know, Mosley was sidelined with a groin injury in Week 1 of his inaugural season with Gang Green. Before he was forced off the field, the MIKE-backer was having an incredible performance with six tackles, a fumble recovery, two passes defended and an interception for a touchdown.
More importantly, the Jets defense was stifling Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills with Mosley, before collapsing without him.
After missing just about the entire 2019 season from that point on, the big-money defender chose to opt-out in 2020 due to family concerns.
Now that July 2 passed and Mosley has officially not opted out in 2021, we can finally get optimistic about the veteran’s return. He seems hungry to prove himself to Jets nation and Scott reminds us not to sleep on the four-time Pro Bowler.
“I feel like he feels like hey man, let me remind you guys who you signed a couple years, and listen, it is an alpha male here [and] his name is C.J. Mosley,” impersonated Scott, “And I’m going to show you how to lead these dogs — because he was taught by some of the best in the business.”
Scott continued: “He’s a top-five linebacker in the league. Remember who he is… just like we had a guy — and I’m not going to put him in the same [talent] level — [named] K.D., but people forgot how good Kevin Durant was and a lot of people in this division never got to see how dominant a player [Mosley] was [and] how many games he won for that Ravens defense.”
Linebackers know linebackers and leaders know leaders. That’s why Scott is so confident in Mosley, who was an absolute gamechanger in Baltimore and New York the one game he was fully healthy.
So long as he keeps himself on the field, he should return to being the high-impact, high-intelligence and high-character captain of this defense.
“They don’t know that they don’t know,” Scott said when describing just how good Mosley can be, “but I know because I’ve known the young man for a long time, and all 57s stick together.”
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Kevin Durant, or Fred Warner?
The Durant comparison makes sense because both playmakers are returning from major injuries that kept them out multiple seasons (if you include the opt-out). They also both started relatively fresh with a new franchise having everything to prove.
The NBA superstar tore his Achilles with the Golden State Warriors before deciding to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, while Mosley suffered his injury just after beginning his next chapter with the Jets. Still, both feel an obligation to help their organizations win after receiving mega-contracts.
While the talent level of K.D. would be phenomenal, I’d prefer Mosley to act more like Fred Warner.
No offense to Durant but he only played 35 out of 72 games in 2021, while Saleh’s ex-San Francisco 49ers MIKE-backer Warner has never missed a start in three NFL seasons.
A perfect 48 for 48, a rarity in a sport this violent.
Mosley was known for this type of durability when he was with the Ravens, starting 77 out of 80 possible games. He factored in 10-plus games all four seasons at Alabama as well.
2019 was an outlier for Mosley. 2020, a hard choice. What will 2021 bring? Redemption.
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