The New York Jets and the New York Giants have held joint practices in the offseason for the past 15 years. However, that tradition will be broken this year. Jets head coach Robert Saleh explained why on Friday.
“With the Giants, I’ve already talked with [Brian] Daboll and we’re going to bypass this year,” Saleh said. “It’s just one of those things where we’re playing them in Week 8 and we just felt like it was in the best interest of both teams to not do it this year.”
Robert Saleh Explains Why Jets Are Breaking Offseason Tradition
The Jets and Giants will meet on October 1st at MetLife Stadium. The two teams have not met in the regular season since 2020.
Saleh said that he and Giants head coach Brian Daboll are still planning to meet up this offseason to discuss football. However, the joint practices will not be held.
“We’re still going to get together and talk football,” Saleh said. “We’re still going to have a great relationship. But we just felt like it was in the best interest of both teams to not do the joint practices this year.”
The decision to break the tradition of joint practices is a sign of the growing rivalry between the Jets and Giants. The two teams have been rebuilding in recent years, but they are both expected to be competitive in 2023.
The Jets have a young and talented roster that includes quarterback Zach Wilson, running back Michael Carter, and wide receiver Elijah Moore. The Giants have a veteran roster that includes quarterback Daniel Jones, running back Saquon Barkley, and wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
The Jets and Giants are both expected to be in the mix for a playoff spot in 2023. The joint practices would have been a great opportunity for the two teams to get a head start on the season. However, the decision to break the tradition is a sign that the rivalry is heating up.
