Things that an NFL defense can rally around usually range from a desire to dominate the opposing quarterback, a great individual leader who pumps up the whole squad, a feeling that they need to deliver for the passionate fan base, a lethargic offense that won't win the game without a great defensive performance, or perhaps a coach/exec that really, really inspires the team to be great.
Or, as I've just found out, an NFL defense can rally around their dislike of their own team's executive, and use that anger and frustration to fuel their performance and tighten their bonds. This probably isn't an everyday case — I sure hope not — but it seemed to be what went down with the late-2010s Jacksonville Jaguars.
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Former Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey, now a member of the Los Angeles Rams No. 1 ranked defense, spilled all the details about the defense's relationship with Coughlin, then the Jaguars' Executive Vice President of Football Operations, in an interview with Aqib Talib on the "Catchin' Fades" podcast.
"...As a whole team, we came together and we created a bond... that we [were] gonna fight for each other, ride for each other, because to be honest, we [didn't] like Tom Coughlin. That's what it came down to," Ramsey said. "We didn't. That was his first year in there, and we were a sorry team the year before, so when something new comes in, they're gonna go complete opposite.
"So we went from being relaxed, having relaxed coaching staff, a coaching staff that let us be adults and live our life and just kind of be who we were, but we [were] too young for that at the time... so when they [brought] in Tom Coughlin, he went complete opposite of that. It felt even worse than college it times. We didn't even feel like half the stuff he was trying to implement was even about football. Like, you've gotta wear white socks? Damn coach, it [doesn't] matter if I wear white socks or black socks, the receiver's gonna get shut down regardless."
It appears as though that united aversion to Coughlin's way of doing things wasn't so bad after all — the Jaguars went 10-6 en route to the AFC Championship game, where they ultimately lose to the Patriots. Their defense? Second best in the league. Ramsey's performance? No matter the sock color, it seemed he was dominating, with 17 passes defended, four interceptions and both a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selection.
"...As a team we didn't really like him like that, nobody really liked him or rocked with him, so we decided as a team, like, forget him," Ramsey said. "Forget what they're going up top, and let's make this about us."
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