Does Brad Smith miss New York Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff?
“Sure I do,” Smith told the New York media Wednesday via conference call.
Westhoff, who is considered one of the best in the business, coached Smith for his first five years in the NFL and saw the all-purpose player thrive on kick return. The Jets were unable to fit Smith into their plans after he became a free agent during the offseason, so the Buffalo Bills scooped him up.
“Honestly, he’s an unbelievable coach, not just Xs and Os but as far as pushing guys to reach their maximum potential,” Smith said of Westhoff. “Sometimes he can be very harsh. As I was there longer, I learned to understand him and his method. I have a lot of respect for Mike.”
Sunday, when the Bills host the Jets, Smith will face his former team for the first time.
"It’s going to be crazy," Smith said. "It’s kind of a surreal experience just knowing those guys and playing with just about all of them."
During his Thursday press conference, Westhoff was asked about facing Smith, who returned three kickoffs for touchdowns over his last two years with the Jets.
"It would help if he'd quit calling me harsh," Westhoff joked. "I was disappointed he said that to tell you the truth. I don't think I'm harsh. I don't know, maybe I am. I wasn't harsh with him, you know how much I like Brad. Brad did a great job for us.”
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