Adonai Mitchell on playing with diabetes, fitting in with Jets after trade

Second-year receiver Adonai Mitchell, who arrived to the Jets via the Sauce Gardner deadline deal with the Colts last month, catches up with Post columnist Steve Serby for some Q&A.

Q: When did you find out you had Type 1 diabetes?

A: It was funny ’cause I think it was developing in my body for about three months, and then kind of once I had it in my body — I was going through all the symptoms, like urinating a lot, losing a lot of weight, constant dehydration, all of those things — and what’s actually funny is kind of a month before — what was it? February 1, 2019 — I was in health class, and it was a segment about diabetes. It was always right after practice, and I was diabetic at the time and I didn’t know it. So I’m extremely tired — and I slept through the whole entire segment. I found out officially Feb. 1, 2019. … The only question I had for my doctor was, “Am I still gonna be able to play football?” He said, “Yeah, you know, as long as you take care of your body, you can live a normal life. So I didn’t really think it was that bad (laugh), in my opinion. Just as long as I take care of it, I could live life just like everybody else.

Q: How have you taken care of it?

A: Dexcom … a lot of insulin … a lot of injected shots. I’m working on getting a pump. I tried a pump this offseason, which basically just allows me to just live free. The pump, it’s called an Omnipod, it will work with the Dexcom monitor and just slowly administer insulin without me having to inject myself. So we’re gonna be giving a test run in the offseason. I’m excited about it. I think it’ll be a big step for me.

Q: How do you treat it now?

A: Insulin.

Q: How often?

A: A lot. Every time I eat, and once before I’ll go to bed. It ain’t that bad, though.

Q: You inject it?

A: Yeah. Check my blood sugar, inject it.

Q: Describe your on-field mentality.

A: I like having fun. At the end of the day, we’re playing a game, and I feel like what allows me to have fun is the preparation that I put in throughout the week, whether it’s Jugs, watching film, just anything like that, kind of once I get into the game I just feel confident in my abilities. I’m confident in what I’ll do, I’m confident in just winning my matchup. So that just allows me to just play free, just have a smile on my face, not be stressed out because the work’s already put in. I can’t go back in the week and make sure I catch 100 more balls. I already did the work so that I can go out in the game and just relax.

Q: What drives you?

A: I feel like God has blessed me with a lot of strength just for this sport, mentality-wise just being able to take in information and then apply it to the field. So I feel like I’ve been extremely blessed, and if I don’t really live out my potential, I feel like I’m doing myself a disservice and I feel like I’m doing the game a disservice.

Q: Can you name me the 10 receivers who were drafted in front of you in 2024?

A: Marv [Marvin Harrison Jr], Malik [Nabers], Rome [Odunze], Keon [Coleman], [Xavier] Legette, [Ricky] Pearsall, [Xavier] Worthy, Ladd [McConkey], [Ja’Lynn] Polk …

Q: One more. He plays for the Jaguars.

A: Oh, B.T. [Brian Thomas Jr.]. Yeah, me and him got the same birthday.

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Q: So, obviously, that motivates you in some way.

A: I feel like I put a little more emphasis on it last year. What’s done is done. Now the only thing on my mind is just maximizing the opportunities that I am given.

Q: You had a predraft visit with the Jets. Did you think they were gonna draft you?

A: I did, I’m gonna be honest. I was trying to show out (laugh). I wanted to show ’em why they should draft a receiver.

Q: What did you tell them? Draft me?

A: Pretty much (laugh). The draft is very complex, there’s a lot of moving parts.

Q: Have you envisioned playing with Garrett Wilson?

A: Oh yeah. I feel like it’ll remind me of just my time at Texas playing with Xavier Worthy, with him being as explosive as he was. I feel like we were the best duo in college, in all honesty. SEC teams are lining up playing LSU pretty much however they wanted (laugh), just letting them have their way. But kind of every game for us was we’re looking at three safety, drop eight every single play, and that’s with the best running back in the country at the time being Jonathan Brooks. I feel like the things that [Wilson] brings to the game, if you have more people around that person, ’cause everybody knows how good Garrett is, and what he can do. Whether we’re linked up — in a stack, we’re on the same side of the ball, or whether I’m in the boundary, he’s to the field, he’s in the boundary, I’m to the field — I feel like we could spread the defense out, it just makes it harder to hone in on one person. Plus the explosive run game that we have and one of the best running backs in the country [Breece Hall]. I feel like it’ll be exciting to see.

Q: What impresses you most about Garrett on the field?

A: Just his routes. I pride myself on running good routes and getting open. I feel like he is extremely explosive. He has an excellent burst, a great first step. I mean, he’s a baller. He got a whole lot of targets and a whole lot of experience from high school to college and now to the pros where I feel like it isn’t a look that he hasn’t gotten yet. I feel like he’s truly prepared for whatever is thrown his way.

Q: Tell me about John Metchie III, who was acquired in a trade with the Eagles a few weeks before your deal.

A: I played against Metchie, man, and I didn’t like that man when he was at Baylor, man. He hit the little Kung Fu Kenny on us, and I was mad (laugh). Now just playing alongside of him, and you look at the story that he’s had to get to this point, I have a ton of respect for him as a person and a player. He’s very savvy. I was talking to him earlier just about how he releases. It’s really good, but it doesn’t really jump out at you. He’s a smooth route runner, he knows how to get in and out of his breaks, he feels space around him very well. I feel like as soon as he catches the ball, he knows where everybody is. He’s just the type of guy that you want to get behind. The character that he has, and just who he is as a person, makes him even more respectable.

Q: Describe the infamous moment when you dropped the ball at the end of a 75-yard catch before the goal line with the Colts. Did your father say nothing to you about that?

A: I wasn’t really trying to hear what nobody had to say, honestly, at the time. They were being my parents, loving and caring.

Q: Twin Twin.

A: (Laugh) That is my daughter [Icylinn]. Born June 21, 2021. My little me. That was really the main purpose of me going back to Texas [in 2023] and leaving Georgia, just to spend more time with her, be closer to her and just be more involved in her life. ’Cause that’s what I had growing up. I had a lot of friends who grew up without a father. That was my main focus was to give to my kids what I was blessed with. That’s usually the whole goal anyway, to always give your kids better than what you have. … A lot of people thinking a lot of whatever. They were like, “He’s going for the money.” People had respect for when I informed everybody that I’m going ’cause of my daughter or whatnot. Initially people didn’t think too highly of the move. I felt like that was just the best thing for me.

Q: Where is she now?

A: She’s in Nashville with her mom.

Q: I read that your father once was homeless in Central Park for a year?

A: I’m the youngest of four boys, so by the time I came around, I feel like I missed a lot of things. He probably told my older brothers this story a billion times compared to how many times he told me. He was on the grind. He pretty much had to get it the harder way. The road to where he is now was not easy at all. He was becoming a comedian, and he had to find his path. Now that you bring that up, I’m gonna have to go ask him about that again (laugh). I think the last time he told me I was probably like 12. His goal was to make a living so he could provide for his family, for his kids. He made sure to give his sons what he didn’t have, or whatever he had and more.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “Life.”

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Denzel Washington.

Q: Favorite entertainer/rapper/singer?

A: Future.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Breakfast.

Q: Your thoughts on Aaron Glenn?

A: I love A.G., man, I love what he stands for. He’s a true player’s coach. He’s a guy that gets us all going, he rallies the squad. If A.G. says the sky is purple, then dammit, the sky’s purple ’cause we have that much faith in him to lead us in the right direction. He wants buy-in, and he wants stay-in, and the players are trying to give him that, and more.

Q: How do you feel about playing in New York — the big stage, the bright lights?

A: I don’t think there’s a light too bright for me. I feel like I fit right in (laugh).

Q: How good do you believe you can be?

A; We’re gonna hold off on that (laugh). I think I can be better than a lot of people, I’m gonna say that.

Q: What message would you want to give Jets fans about AD Mitchell?

A: Turn your TV on Sunday.