What message has new New York Jets defensive coordinator Steve Wilks delivered to his players?
Speaking with team reporter Caroline Hendershot, Jets defensive tackle Jay Tufele revealed the identity Wilks has instilled in his unit.
“The identity for Steve is it starts up front, it starts with the d-line,” said Tufele. “We set the tone, we set the message, we’ve got to be the most violent, just coming off the ball with that great intent to win.”
After stepping away from the NFL for a year, Wilks, 55, remained connected to the game, working as a volunteer advisor for the Charlotte 49ers at the collegiate level.
In 2023, he served as defensive coordinator under Kyle Shanahan with the San Francisco 49ers, just a year after his stint as the Carolina Panthers’ interim head coach in 2022, thanks to the in-season firing of Matt Rhule. Before Rhule’s dismissal, Wilks held the roles of defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach in Carolina.
Wilks’ defensive unit with the New York Jets is expected to reflect the same core principles emphasized by head coach Aaron Glenn: toughness, grit, and physicality.
Tufele, 25, was selected by the Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft. The USC product only spent one season in Jacksonville, appearing in four games before being waived in August 2022.
He was then claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals one day after being waived, and spent the past three seasons with the Bengals.
Throughout his career, Tufele has played in 34 games (five starts), logging 44 total tackles (three for loss) with four quarterback hits, a half-sack, and a pass deflection.
This offseason, the 25-year-old signed with the Jets on a one-year contract worth up to $1.2 million with no guaranteed money, and he is expected to compete for a role in New York’s defensive line rotation throughout the summer.
Winning starts in the trenches, and that’s exactly where Wilks has planted his flag.