FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Jeremy Bates did all he could on Friday to shift the focus from number 14 to number 11.
The former is what the Jets’ rookie quarterback, Sam Darnold, wears on his jersey; the latter is the number of players on the field for each team.
Of 18 questions over nine minutes that the offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach fielded in his first news conference of the regular season, 17 referenced Darnold in some form.
But Bates repeatedly, sometimes comically, sought to steer the conversation to the fact Darnold is only one of 11.