Despite looking like playoff contenders at one point, the New York Jets’ 2022 season was ultimately defined by a struggling offense and a frustrated quarterback who couldn’t seem to make things click, even with the unwavering support of his head coach. 

But behind closed doors, the situation was more complex than what fans saw on the field and in the media.

The Jets announced a number of coaching staff changes at the end of the season that were headlined by the exit of offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who had just completed his second season in New York. 

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"Over the course of the few days we've gotten a lot of inquiries about his availability from some teams and just talking with Mike, felt like it would be in everyone's best interest for him to pursue those opportunities," coach Robert Saleh said at a press conference last week.

"I always try to do right by people. He had options and there was a lot of discussion over the last three days. You guys know I love Mike, I love his family. There was some [opportunities] that he wanted to pursue and we've just given him the ability to do that."

While LaFleur had the full support of Saleh – they'd worked together with the San Francisco 49ers – some players took issue with their offensive coordinator’s process. 

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According to The Athletic, some players thought LaFleur’s system was "needlessly complicated," including quarterback Zach Wilson. LaFleur reportedly adjusted his scheme to match Wilson’s capabilities after a poor rookie season.

But despite watering it down, Wilson still struggled and became publicly frustrated. Naturally, so did the offense. 

According to the report, second-year wideout Elijah Moore got into a heated exchange with LaFleur after not being targeted during the Jets’ Week 6 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, which ultimately resulted in him requesting a trade from the team. 

"Go f--- yourself" and "you suck," were among the things Moore reportedly shouted at LaFleur during a practice that followed. He was sent home and shortly after requested a trade. 

The issue resolved itself and in Week 12 against the Chicago Bears, Moore scored his first touchdown of the season off a 22-yard pass from Mike White – Wilson’s backup that seemingly stole the show and the support of his teammates. 

"I’m just grateful I get to stand up here today and be the person that I know I am and contribute to a winning game. I’m really just blessed," he said after the game. 

The Jets will look to change up their offense first with a new offensive coordinator. Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired by the Denver Broncos this season after just 15 games, reportedly interviewed with the Jets on Wednesday. 

They will also have to fill the positions of offensive line coach John Benton and wide receivers coach Miles Austin after their respective firings.

Eric Schmitt, the former Missouri attorney general who led the first-of-its-kind lawsuit against the Biden administration, alleging collusion with Big Tech to censor speech, vows to bring the same "fighting spirit" as a freshman senator to the 118th Congress.

"I firmly believe that the First Amendment is a beating heart of the Constitution that protects fundamental human expression," Schmitt told Fox News Digital.

"And in this country, we believe in individual rights, and we believe that people can speak their minds without the government or the regime censoring them or telling them what they can say and can't say. So I'm going to take that same fighting spirit for the Senate, wherever it leads."

Schmitt, who served as the Show Me State’s top prosecutor for four years, is stepping into the seat of longtime Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, who retired.

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During his tenure as attorney general, Schmitt spearheaded a landmark lawsuit against the Biden administration, alleging top government officials colluded with Big Tech companies to suppress certain speech about COVID-19, efficacy of masks and the Hunter Biden laptop story, among other things.

Schmitt says accountability for that type of alleged "vast censorship enterprise" will remain a focus of his work on Capitol Hill.

"Whatever committees I'm on, whatever legislation, that is going to be an essential thing to protect those individual rights and freedoms and go after overzealous and overbearing and overreaching federal government," he said.

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Committee assignments have yet to be set, but the Senate convenes Jan. 23, shortly after which those assignments will be decided by senate leadership.

Schmitt also wants to dismantle what he calls the "administrative state," federal rules and regulations instituted by agencies without federal oversight.

"I think we need to fundamentally dismantle the administrative state. The founders never intended a bunch of unelected folks to have this much power and not be accountable to anyone," he said.

Tactically, Schmitt says he’d like to impose legislation that says for every new rule, agencies would have to pull back multiple other rules and regulations.

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"It would get off the books some of these rules and regs that just, if they ever had a purpose, have outlived any purpose that they had, and get in the way of innovation, ingenuity and people pursuing their dreams," he said.

Schmitt is among some of the Republican politicians who, during the midterm elections, opposed Mitch McConnell's leadership of the Republican minority in the Senate. Despite a challenge from Rick Scott, R-Fla., McConnell was elected as Senate minority leader once again, making him the longest-serving party leader in the history of the Senate.

Schmitt says that leadership disagreement won’t be in focus during his term.

"I'm gonna always keep in mind the voters who sent me here and what they wanted. They wanted a fighter. They wanted a champion for the things that they care about in Missouri," Schmitt said.

One of those things, Schimtt says, is fighting inflation.

"High inflation ... it's not some act of God, like a hurricane. There's a formula for it," he said. "And it turns out when you spend trillions and trillions and trillions of dollars that you don't have and cut off domestic energy supply, the prices for everything goes up.

"And so I'm gonna fight for those working families every day, and I'll work with anybody that shares those same values and intentions. And I'm going to work to block really bad legislation that makes it harder for people to achieve their dreams."