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There is a budding love affair between New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and veteran linebacker Chazz Surratt.
On the first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks”, a national audience was introduced to Surratt and Saleh’s very tight relationship.
“Good job, attaboy Chazz, attaboy Chazz,” Saleh screamed on the sideline during the Jets versus Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame game. “God he’s so fast. He is so fast! I f****** love that guy.”
With 10:28 remaining in the second quarter, Surratt intercepted a Kellen Mond pass and returned it for 13 yards.
“Hey that’s my guy dog, I’m just saying that’s my f****** dog,” Saleh exclaimed after the big play into his headset. “Good job bro, keep stacking them up. Keep stacking them up. That guy is so good, he is so good, so good. You guys don’t know what you have.”
One of my biggest takeaways from the first episode of #HardKnocks? LB Chazz Surratt sounds like he’s making the #Jets roster + Robert Saleh said, ‘I f****** love that guy’ 🤣 ‘that’s my f****** dog’ 👀 I didn’t realize how much coaching staff loves him 🎥 @NFLFilms #TakeFlight
Forgotten ‘Longshot’ Transformed Into a Viable Jets Piece to the Puzzle
Liev Schreiber the voice of HBO’s “Hard Knocks”, or the “Voice of God” as Aaron Rodgers said on the show, appropriately categorized Surratt as a “longshot” during the first episode.
The 26-year-old originally entered the league as the No. 78 overall pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Despite his draft status, Surratt only lasted a year and a half with the Minnesota Vikings before he got released.
A few days after he was cut on August 30, the Jets added him to their practice squad to develop.
Last season he only appeared in one game for the Jets and made a single tackle. Heading into training camp Surratt was firmly on the roster bubble and was commonly predicted to get dumped ahead of final roster cuts.
However, after all of the buzz in the first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” some people are changing their tune.
Takeaways from #HardKnocks Ep.1
– Rodgers is really the glue to this team already
– Sauce vs Garrett to the moon!
– Chazz Surratt is a 53-man roster lock if healthy
– Eagles vs Crows of 2023 is the message we all needed
#TakeFlight @JetNation 🛩️🐉🏈
Dylan Tereman of JetNation called Surratt a “53-man roster lock if healthy” coming off of the show.
Well I’d say Surratt is making the 53
Joe Caporoso of “Badlands” on Twitter, “well I’d say Surratt is making the 53.”
Robert Saleh on Chazz Surratt: “God he’s so fast. I fuckin love that guy.”
Stock up.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said “stock up” on Twitter during the first episode.
A Perfect Explanation for Lack of Jets Interest in Kwon Alexander
A lot of Jets fans were clamoring this offseason for the team to re-sign veteran linebacker Kwon Alexander.
He was a fan-favorite, a big energy guy, and provided some depth at the second level of the defense just in case an injury occurred. Despite the public pressure, the Jets resisted the urged to bring him back and ultimately, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers roster instead.
Well, it certainly appears that one of the reasons the Jets didn’t bring back the former LSU product is because they were so high on Surratt as a player.
Surratt is listed at 6-foot-2 and tips the scales at 233 pounds on the team’s website. He was recruited to North Carolina to play the quarterback position in college. Surratt spent his first three seasons at the collegiate level as a quarterback and then made the transition to linebacker prior to his redshirt junior season.
Surratt is uber talented but when you consider that late change in his football career it is fair to say that this young man is still figuring things out.
At the beginning of camp, he was an afterthought to make the roster. Now as we head into the thick of the preseason, Surratt has a legitimate chance to make this roster and turn his football career around.
This was one of my biggest takeaways from Hard Knocks