Shonn Greene was at the Jets facility yesterday for the a program to help kids learn healthy eating habits, and while he was there, he talked to Manish Mehta of the Star-Ledger about his role in 2010, his relationship with Thomas Jones, and more.
“That’s how I prepared last season,” Greene told The Star-Ledger. “Even though I wasn’t the starter — I wasn’t the guy last year — I always prepared that way, because you never know what can happen. And I’m going to do the same thing this year. … I’m just going to do what the team asks of me. If that’s taking on a bigger role and taking on a bulk of the carries, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Greene was a postseason star with a league-high 304 rushing yards in the postseason. In fact, 36 percent of his rushing yards and 33 percent of his carries in his rookie campaign came during the playoffs. Greene’s breakthrough obviously made it easier for the Jets braintrust to cut leading rusher Thomas Jones. Greene admitted that he would “absolutely” miss Jones as a mentor. (He hasn’t spoken to Jones in the offseason, but plans to give him a call now that the veteran has found a home with the Chiefs.)
“He’s been almost like a father to me, teaching me everything about (playing at this level),” Greene said. “Everything I know now, I got from him — how to go about the business in this game, how to carry yourself, how to watch film. We had a good bond.”
TJ will be missed.
Look at from this perspective.
As sad as it was to see Jones go, he obviously was a great influence and mentor for Greene. Now Greene gets to learn from the best to ever play te game.
Greene will be a star in this league if he keeps it up.
yep. That story reminded me of how Curtis Martin took LaMont Jordan under his wing also.
best ever to play the game??? easy there….
and LT will be a good influence as well….
C Low
Lets hope Greene dosent become another L Joordan…..A lof of promise but a bad career
LT’s definitely one of the best, but not the best.
LT is top 3-5 all time
Lt best all time? Top 3-5? He barely makes top 10. I dont even want to think of the better rbs. And i dont care what his stats say. Now with that said he is going to be good this year and is a future HFer.
Barely makes top 10? LT is 3rd all-time in touchdowns. I think that’s being unfair to the guy.
espn.go.com/blog/afcwest/post/_/id/11144/the-good-and-the-bad-of-the-chiefs
the espn article has a pic of shonne greene masquerading as thomas jones! lol
Wow what a classy move… quoted: “He was almost like a father to me”. Nice touch kid!
Jones will be missed.
By all accounts Greene is a good kid with solid morals. I mean, the kid was humble enough to lift furniture in a warehouse while he worked to fix his grades at Iowa. I don’t think the bright lights are something we have to worry about with Greene.
I guess i shoulda put IMO because thats all it was. How was what i said being unfair? Dont sit here and let me name 15 rbs. And i understand he broke alot of recs. Sayning he is top 3 or 5 is like sayn he is close to Walter Peyton, Barry Sanders and Emmit Smith. NO. But he is close to the Hershal Walkers, Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martins. Yeah. And please i know his stats already.
LT is maybe top 10, not top 5. In no particular order: Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson and Emmit Smith can all claim top 5 status. IMO, LT, C-Mart, Faulk and Earl Campbell round out the top 10. Too bad Bo Jackson didn’t stay healthy because he and Sanders were the 2 best RBs that I’ve ever seen.
i think if lamont would of stayed a jet or went to a good team he would of had a pretty good career….on the other hand i think shonn i ready to be a productive starter not worried about the fumbles just him staying healthy is all i worry about with him
Wow sackdance lol u read my mind. I didnt even want to bring up Bo Jack because Brenden would brought all these stats and i aint tryn to hear it. Stats mean nothing to me. EYES mean everything meaning i seen Bo and Barry run and they were the most explosive backs of all time. Emmit Smith has stats and rings. BUT IS HE BETTER THEN BARRY SANDERS? NO. Im not curbing LT though. Its just like people that say Lebron is better then Jordan. NO.
Interesting to see how Greene is going to transition into a primary back role. I think he showed high levels of success last year because he complimented Jones by being the total polar opposite. With a backfield of him and LT I’m not sure he may be as effective. He may actually become easier to defend and without another back could be less effective. I think letting Jones go was a mistake, however, the Jets do have an opportunity to take a back in the draft. I’d like to see them take a hard nose North/South runner similiar to Jones. I think with that and LT Greene has a big year. Without it, might be too predicatable to break out. Will have to assess the situation better after draft day.