Kevin Mawae made a free-agent visit to the New York Jets in February 1998, even though he didn't think there was much of a chance he'd sign. Two reasons: He didn't want to live in New York, and he didn't want to play for an abrasive coach such as Bill Parcells. He shared those concerns with Parcells during their meeting, but great centers know how to adjust at the line of scrimmage.
And so he did.
Mawae played eight seasons with the Jets, made eight Pro Bowls and six All-Pro teams over his 16-year career and was instrumental in transforming the Jets from a pre-Parcells laughingstock into a respected franchise.