FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - Brandon Marshall is wearing his motivation. The star wide receiver has his New York Jets teammates decked out in optimism, too.
Marshall created gray T-shirts with the words “DUE SEASON” printed in green inside a green box on his chest. It’s a reminder to himself and other players that there’s still hope despite a 1-4 start.
“This year, it’s due season,” Marshall said Wednesday after at first being hesitant to explain the meaning. “Due season, meaning, it’s time. You can never grow weary or grow weak of doing the right things because in time, you will reap a harvest. It’s due season.”
Marshall has a tradition in which he picks a term to represent the year. He picked “Ju Go” last year - the No. 15 in Japanese - as a way to honor his late dog, who went by that name. Marshall also wears the No. 15, it was 2015, and his wife Michi is part-Japanese. In 2014, Marshall made T-shirts that read “NO NOISE” for his Chicago Bears teammates during a 5-11 season.
Marshall wrote on Instagram that the term “due season” comes from the Biblical passage Galatians 6:9 - “For in due season, we shall reap.”
“So for this year, I’m just praying over my family, for there to be breakthroughs in my family, our marriage,” Marshall said.
“So that’s off-the-field things, like really believing that our family will be healthy and overcome some of the cycles that we’ve been in, generational curses. And on the football field, I’ve been in the league for 10 years and never made the playoffs. I haven’t really had the success I wanted to have.
“And it’s due season. It’s due. I believe when you put in the work, you will reap a harvest.”
Marshall and a few other players wore the T-shirt during media availability, while several others had theirs visibly hanging in their lockers.
“The game always pays respects in that regard: If you put in the work, it will always treat you good,” Marshall said. “I still believe that. Sitting at 1-4, I still believe it’s due season. Absolutely believe there’s still hope. So that’s what that means.”
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