Jeremy Ruckert won’t allow himself to get worn down by the Jets’ struggles.
The Lindenhurst product is in his fourth season with the Jets. They had a losing record each year, but this is by far the worst. The Jets are the NFL’s only winless team. Ruckert is remaining optimistic that things will improve.
“The moment you let stuff wear on you you’re going to be looking for a job,” Ruckert said during a Monday Zoom call. “You need to stick together. We need to not waver through tough times and lean on each other to get out of them.
“It’s been tough these past few years. You obviously want to get in the win column. You want to go to the playoffs as everybody wants to do, but the minute you start worrying about things outside this building, outside this locker room, you’re going to start getting in trouble, start pressing and you’re going to be looking for a new place to be.
“I don’t want to do that. I want to be here. I want to win here. “I want to do everything I can to help this team get there.”
Ruckert, a third-round pick from Ohio State in 2022, is in the last year of his contract. The 6-5 tight end has eight catches for 72 yards and a touchdown this season. The Jets use him more as a blocker.
A lifelong Jets fan, Ruckert embraces his role and hopes he’s still with the team when they end their 14-year playoff drought.
“It’s a dream for me to come to work every day,” Ruckert said. “The wins aren’t showing up – that sucks. It’s the main thing that we want to get focused on, but for me, I love being here. I want to bring the same energy every day and be a part of the team that turns this around.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.