Read the full transcript from HC Jeff Hafley's media availability on October 11, 2026.

With the bye week coming up, how do you keep this young roster focused on the process and not get discouraged?

Jeff Hafley: It's just (what we have been saying since) day one. It's who we are. It's what we have to be. We got really good guys. I don't even think that's going to be an issue.

Talking to the guys in the locker room, they said they loved the plan and they saw everything on the tape before, but they just couldn't execute. I'm just curious why you think there's maybe a disconnect from what you are teaching or like why it's not translating on Sundays?

Jeff Hafley: I mean, I just think that's a broad statement. I think some is, some isn't. I would say that's just – I appreciate our guys saying that and not pointing the finger. They're putting it on themselves. And I think the coaches need to put it on themselves, too. And I think everybody in that locker room needs to put it on themselves. I think that shows a lot with the guys saying that the plan was right. Clearly, it's both. The plan needs to be better and the execution needs to be better. There's some good execution and there's some poor execution, but it's just not good enough to win.

How would you assess the play of the offense and Malik Willis?

Jeff Hafley: Well, one, I know you can't turn the ball over three times. I mean you just, you can't do it. To play that team and it's a seven-point game at the end of the game, you can't (turn it over that much). You're never going to win a game turning the ball over three times. And then when we get down to the one-yard line, we got to score. If you just look back through the game like I'm trying to right now, those are things that we can do a better job as coaches and we can do a better job as players. Now running the ball, I think our net yards rushing was 217 against what I thought was one of the best defensive lines that we've played this year. And credit to them, I thought the Bengals played a good game and obviously made some big plays. I thought we ran the ball well. but the turnovers not scoring and not sustaining those drives need to get better.

With Malik Willis, I think this is three games in a row with a lost fumble. How do you kind of impart onto him the importance of protecting the ball, particularly while still in the backfield?

Jeff Hafley: Yeah, we got to look hard at it during the bye week. We talk about ball security all the time and we work on it and we've got to do a better job of putting him in those situations and he's got to have the awareness to protect the ball as well. We'll take a hard look at fixing that because we're not going to win games if we're fumbling the ball like that.

We've been seeing this team keep it within a touchdown late against the Vikings, the Chiefs, and then today down by three scores and fighting back late. Was this a step back at that point to be trailing by three scores and not really in the game until those late scores?

Jeff Hafley: I mean, we were in the game. We're going to score and make it a one possession game there in the second-half down to the one-inch line. But too little, too late. So I'm agreeing with what you're saying. But we put ourselves in those situations. I think Zac (Taylor) does a great job and those guys played well, so give them credit. But you can't open up the game and have a kickoff return go down inside the 10-yard line. That's just a tough way to basically spot them seven points and start from there and start in a hole. I thought we fought back but we just kept having some self-inflicted moments that just weren't good enough today.

Without the benefit of film review, we know that Malik Willis has the ability to make exciting plays with his legs and his arm. Is it fair to assess in general that for him to take the next step, he needs to develop more consistency on taking the simple, safe plays?

Jeff Hafley: I just think without assessing the film – which again, I need to do and I'll have a very clear answer for you tomorrow – he made some splash plays with his feet and we're going to need – I would say this, we're going to need more consistency in our pass game, in general, with all 11 players to be better in order for us to take the next step.

Overall, how can the bye week help this team recalibrate and potentially fix some areas so that all the effort that we see there week after week can potentially start translating into wins?

Jeff Hafley: One, I think we need the time to get healthy. We got pretty beat up out there today. A lot of guys, give them credit, they came back and finished out the game. And then two, I think it will be a good time for us to look hard and evaluate the players, evaluate the scheme, evaluate how we're coaching, evaluate what certain guys can do, and take a hard look and then come back and go back to work. It's going to be who we are. We're going to roll up our sleeves and this group's going to work. And I know that they're going to. This is not going to be a group that starts going backward and pointing fingers. It's not who they are. They're going to work and they're going to get better and they're going to compete, and we need to do the same thing as coaches.

To the point that you guys were banged, how's Jonah Savaiinaea doing? I know the other guys went back in but Jonah didn't.

Jeff Hafley: Yeah, I don't – I just saw him in there as I walked in, so I haven't even had a chance. I'll have a better answer for you on that one.

I know that when you were asked on Friday for the hot hand or the committee approach, you said both. But considering his workload and his production the past three games, is it fair to say that Ollie Gordon II's established himself as kind of a lead guy now with De'Von Achane out?

Jeff Hafley: I would say this, I am extremely proud of how Ollie has played, how hard he's run, and the job that he's done, and I think he's taken a big step in his career. We're going to need him to continue to do that. And again, with that, I give the offensive line credit. I thought they did a really good job blocking a really good front.

If we look at the first five games as sort of a third, I know it doesn't add up perfectly mathematically, but I guess with the bye, what do you want to especially see from the team in the second third?

Jeff Hafley: I want to see more consistency. I want to see better execution. I want to see the same fight. I want to see the same energy. I want to see the same connection. We need to execute better. And that's all of us. That's not me just talking about the players. That's everybody.

You did say earlier in the season that it would take until around Week 5 to kind of see what you have in your team. How would you assess based on where you thought you would be at this point in the season and I guess whatever predictions that you thought you would get at this point?

Jeff Hafley: One, I never made any predictions and expectations with me is not – I mean I go day-by-day, every day in practice, every single game that we play. There's some positives. There's some negatives. I mean, that's how I would assess us in our first five weeks. Ultimately, we haven't won, so we need to be better.

The first two touchdowns we see Jacob Rodriguez is the nearest defender. Is he playing the right leverage on those plays?

Jeff Hafley: I thought the first one, if I think about it, I thought the tight end did a really nice job going in and then whipping back out. And then, I'll look closer on the second one. It was an angle route. We should have been inside-out on it. But I'll look back and see where we could help him more or where his help was. It's just, if you look at that game again in totality, we have been really good in the red area, especially on third down. We had a chance to get off the field on, I think, on three of them, and we didn't do that. And again, that's why, when you look at this thing on offense, defense, and special teams, everybody had a part in it. So it's not just the turnovers. It's not just the kickoff return. It's moments throughout the game where our team needs to be more efficient and play better.

And the one deep to Ja'Marr Chase, is that just an All-Pro making a play?

Jeff Hafley: I mean, you guys probably had a better angle of it when he threw it up. I saw us right there. I thought we were going to go up and make a play. I think they threw for 190 yards and that was 45 of them. I thought the guys did a pretty good job on Ja'Marr all day. Again, I do believe – I think he's the best receiver in our league after seeing him twice live. I thought we were right there. I didn't see the catch on the video board because I just kept going. But give him credit. That is a heck of a catch that he made. We got to do better.

I know you're not even halfway through the season yet, but does this team have an identity? And if so, what do you think the identity is at this point?

Jeff Hafley: Well, I think we're building. You're probably tired of hearing it, but I think we're a team that plays really hard and gives great effort. I think we're a tough, physical team. If you look at identity, those are who we are. Now we need to take the next step and we need to be more efficient and we need to execute at a higher level. And again, that's not me talking about players only. That's coaching, too. We keep getting these questions and I really appreciate (you because) you guys have been unbelievable with me through five weeks. I'm going to have these five weeks to really sit down and watch everything (over the bye), to take a step back and digest it all. So I think I'll have a lot clearer answer for you – whether it's the first quarter of the season or the first five (games) – (when I'm not) walking off the field and in the locker room like I am today. So I'm sorry if I'm not giving you the greatest answers on all these questions about the first five (games). Clearly, I'm not very happy right now.

How early do you start looking at stuff for the Jets?

Jeff Hafley: We'll clean this game up just like we always do. And then we'll take time to self-assess, as everybody keeps asking me. I'll go back and watch everything – offense, defense, and special teams – because I'll have a little bit more time to do that because you're not in a rush to prepare for a test on Sunday. And then we'll prepare for them earlier than normal with the extra time that we have.