Making the most of an opportunity is the key to a successful NFL career. When LB Jamien Sherwood was drafted by the Jets in 2021 after having played safety at Auburn, he used that initial opportunity to become the Jets' team MVP 3 years later.
"From a fifth-round draft pick who used to play safety, to now a linebacker, to playing with guys that I used to use at Madden, there's no other thing that I could say other than God is good," Sherwood said reflecting on his fourth season in the NFL. "Without him, none of this would be possible. From tearing my Achilles my rookie year, to actually just getting the opportunity to play this season, it's just amazing. I got the opportunity to make my mom proud, my family and friends proud back home. It's just a blessing all around and I'm so thankful and grateful for the opportunity."
Sherwood's opportunity came this past season in mid- October when veteran and team captain C.J. Mosley missed games with a neck injury. Sherwood had to takeover at Mike linebacker and help direct the defense. It's a position he got to watch a five-time Pro Bowler excel in.
"C.J., just like from using him on Madden [growing up], I was always astounded by everything he did," Sherwood said. "He could never do anything wrong in my eyes. Like I always say, he is just a cheat code for everything that I needed to do. When I did get the opportunity this year, I just looked back and reverted to all the things that he's taught me, all the notes that I took from him and all the film that I've watched on him.
"That's why I study so hard. I never want to give somebody the wrong information. So again, I do my due diligence in studying, preparing, watching everything that I can. Even when it's late at night and even when I get tired. I'm not just doing it for myself. Obviously, I do it for my family and friends, but I'm doing it for another man that's trying to feed his family. I take pride in studying as hard as possible because I want him to be just as successful as I want for myself."
Not only did Sherwood step up and fill in for Mosley when the Jets needed him most, but he excelled among a talented group of linebackers. With 95 individual tackles, Sherwood was tied for first in the NFL with Budda Baker. He also had a personal best season across the board with 2 sacks, 3 PDs and 154 combined tackles (more than triple his personal best of 46 in 2023).
"It all that comes down to just being ready when your moment comes," Sherwood said of his success. "Staying prepared so you don't have to get prepared. Those three years prior that I was sitting on the bench, watching C.J., I studied so hard because you never knew when your moment would come. My second year, I probably got 20 snaps in total the whole year. But again, I was always ready for that moment because I studied so hard. Same thing in 2023, never knowing when my opportunity was going to come, but when Coach told me to get in there, I was always ready for that moment. I never thought that I wouldn't get the chance, I knew. I prayed for the opportunity. I knew it was going to come at some point, and I wanted to be ready for it every time."
Sherwood, who could soon be a free agent, said that sustaining success comes down to playing his style of football and maintaining confidence in his ability.
"I always say, once a man finds his confidence, he's hard to stop," he said. "All that stuff that I studied from down distance to formation recognition to learning and understanding the game, all I needed was the confidence. Trusting my preparation, trusting my technique and just going out there and doing it. Obviously, the man in front of me is getting paid as well, so he's going to go out there and put his best foot forward. It's just that confidence allowed me to think I don't care who's in front of me, just go play ball. Go be you. Ultimately, that's what I do every time."
