Steve McLendon

[AFJF]

Feel free to open and paste the article here.  Can only see the tweets but can't access NYDN in England.

 

[Irish Jet]

Along with Fatukasi the most underrated guy on the team. 

[Lizard King]

Jets’ Steve McLendon is the role model most players don’t want to be
Inside his new home away from home, surrounded by the sounds of kids in a spirited Tug-of-War battle, Steve McLendon reflects on an improbable football life.

He is brimming with optimism, excited about the promise of a new day and ready to share everything that he has learned along an uneven path. He is what that so many athletes hope never to be.

McLendon is a role model for everyone.

The Jets defensive lineman will embark on his 12th NFL season whenever players return to work. Somehow, an undrafted kid from Troy University has managed to survive more than a decade in the most demanding, vicious sport, logging nearly 4,000 snaps in the trenches.

Jets veteran Steve McLendon isn't just another lineman, he's a role model.(Bill Kostroun/AP)

McLendon embodies what you want your children to become: Loyal, hard-working, humble and selfless.

He is a father, friend and willing teacher. He always practices what he preaches.

“I’m just dedicated to the game,” he said recently via videoconference. “I live by a code. And my code is a focused, driven life. I talk about it every single year. I continue to live by that… That’s how I look at it. I continue to have that same type of focus. Absolutely. Every single day.”

McLendon opened the Team MVP (McLendon Vision Performance) Gym this offseason an hour north of Atlanta, bent on helping kids, Joes and Pros.

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His eternal mission statement: Sharing is caring.

It’s the only way he knows. It’s helped him survive and thrive after being cut twice from the Steelers practice squad once upon a time.

McLendon has been a bedrock for the Jets since arriving four years ago. Nobody is more respected in the locker room. And nobody cares more about the greater good.

When McLendon won a spear — one of the weekly prizes doled out last year to defensive linemen who delivered on gamedays — he gave it to reserve/practice squad lineman Bronson Kaufusi as a token of his appreciation for helping the group every day at practice.

McLendon proved last season that he still has juice left in his 34-year-old tank, finishing with career-highs in tackles for loss (10) and quarterback hits (seven).

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“If somebody would have told me that 10 years ago…” McLendon said of ability to last this long in the league. “I believed in me. I always believed in me. I knew how many years I wanted to play in the league. And I’m there. And that’s one of the biggest blessings.”

He keeps his stated goal of how long he wanted to play in the NFL to himself, because “I don’t want nobody to feel like I put limitations on myself.”

“But just know I’m there,” he said.

McLendon has long believed in the Jets abilities. That hasn't ever changed.(Howard Simmons/New York Daily News)

The coronavirus restrictions have prompted McLendon to adjust like everyone else. Although he admitted the Jets virtual offseason meetings are “very very very different for me, because I’m not used to being on my phone as much,” his glass is always overflowing.

“We understand that it’s a crazy time,” he said. “But we have to understand also that we still have to keep business going. We have to continue to make the necessary corrections from last year to get better this year. We will be a better team. We are a better team. And the only we can become that better team is through hard work, the same dedication, continue our training and continue to just learn more about the game.”

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McLendon, who played an instrumental role mentoring Quinnen Williams last season, wants to open the doors to his new training facility to teammates if they’re already in Georgia. He’s been in communication with many of them, but wants to make sure that the Jets off-season additions — especially the rookies — know that they have a place to train and learn if they’re in the area.

“I’m going to have them come out and be like, ‘Hey, y’all come and check the gym out,’” McLendon said. “Then, I can teach them how the game goes and slow the game down. It’s a lot of learn to learn. And it’s a tough situation. But I’m open to it. We’re willing.”

“I just want everybody to be safe,” he continued. “That’s the biggest thing: Being safe. But when we get that opportunity to get together, I’m going to continue to pour as much knowledge as possible on it. Not only that, I’m going to help them get bigger and stronger.”

McLendon has unyielding faith in the 2020 Jets. The franchise’s star-crossed history and nearly decade-long playoff drought don’t deter him. So, he speaks with resolve and a hope that this is the year when things will be different.

This is the year when his team becomes a winner.

“I believe in my team. And I always will,” McLendon said. “I just know the type of work that we will continue to put in. I’ve been talking to a lot of the guys. We’ve been communicating this whole offseason. And we’ve been doing little workouts. At-home workouts… Just pushing each other… We continue to push each other when we’re not together. So, I can imagine what’s it’s going to be like when we get together.”

McLendon resets every offseason. So, he doesn’t necessarily believe that the AFC East suddenly is up for grabs now that Tom Brady is gone.

“I feel like [the division] has always been open since we all put on our pads the exact the same way,” McLendon said. “We wake up the exact same. I try not to lose focus on us. That’s what it’s all about. So, I’m not really thinking about Tom Brady. He has a team that he has to put together to make sure that they are ready to go. And we have to do the exact same.”

“[The Patriots] have won more than we did,” he added. “But it’s a new year. It’s a new time.”

Every opportunity should be treasured.

[heymangold]

manish still sucks.

[AFJF]

I was already a HUGE McLendon fan before talking to a few people in the organization who know him and they could not have spoken any higher of him.  As I've said before, IMO, he's the guy the smart vets look to for leadership.  He's not out there promoting himself and trying to get everyone to look at him.  He just shows up, kicks ass and meets with the media like a true pro after every win or loss.

They have to make this guy a coach the second he retires.

[More Cowbell]

He has been a good steady presence on the DL. Good player. 

[Ghost]

He’s so underrated. 

[Bronx]

Mike got it right. 

[pdxgreen]

Peace offering, Manish?  Yeah. McLendon's a real one.  So glad he's on this team.

[Lith]

Steve Mclendon embodies hard work and professionalism.  Exactly what you want to seee in team leaders both on and off the field. 

And he is that rarest of Jet football players.  A good Maccagnan signing.

[rangerous]

mcClendon has done well.  the jets need a few more guys like him.  and it's funny that the steelers let him walk.

[slats]

2 hours ago, AFJF said:

I was already a HUGE McLendon fan before talking to a few people in the organization who know him and they could not have spoken any higher of him.  As I've said before, IMO, he's the guy the smart vets look to for leadership.  He's not out there promoting himself and trying to get everyone to look at him.  He just shows up, kicks ass and meets with the media like a true pro after every win or loss.

They have to make this guy a coach the second he retires.

It's the former walk-ons, the UDFAs or low draft picks that make it that more likely have real coaching ability, as opposed to the all-time greats. 

[Savage69]

3 hours ago, AFJF said:

I was already a HUGE McLendon fan before talking to a few people in the organization who know him and they could not have spoken any higher of him.  As I've said before, IMO, he's the guy the smart vets look to for leadership.  He's not out there promoting himself and trying to get everyone to look at him.  He just shows up, kicks ass and meets with the media like a true pro after every win or loss.

They have to make this guy a coach the second he retires.

Steve Mac is pure class..

[JoePNYJ1]

Yeah I believe we are stacked on the DL....McClendon, Anderson, Sheppard, Foley, and Q....and rookies Zuniga and Huff.  Q should have a better year and the other guys have been effective in a rotation.  Foley is a wall up front and Sheppard has shown he can get to the QB.

[Jetsfan80]

7 hours ago, slats said:

It's the former walk-ons, the UDFAs or low draft picks that make it that more likely have real coaching ability, as opposed to the all-time greats. 

Yep, and that's true pretty much across all sports.  Elite athletes just can't relate to the struggles of average athletes/fringe players who need the coaching the most. 

[Bungaman]

7 hours ago, slats said:

It's the former walk-ons, the UDFAs or low draft picks that make it that more likely have real coaching ability, as opposed to the all-time greats. 

I agree. These guys learn how to play - without having the natural gifts that some have that allow them to skate through their careers, until those gifts give out. The ones that learned can teach; the ones that got by on ability don't have as much insight to pass along. 

[Jetlife33]

Steve McLendon has been on the team since 2016, WOW time flies. I remember his first game against Cincy ( which we lost ) he was a beast that game. Great to still have him here. We basically replaced Snacks with him, and he’s been a huge contributor. Better person.