FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- To change the present, Todd Bowles reached into the past.

And it required an office renovation.

While planning for the 2017 season, the New York Jets' coach did more than overhaul the roster, which got old and stale last year. Bowles wanted to improve the vibe at One Jets Drive, home of the team's state-of-the-art facility. This encompassed several cosmetic changes, the most noticeable of which can be seen in the 100-yard hallway that connects the front lobby to the locker-room area.

What used to be known as "Fan Alley," panoramic stadium photos that stretched the entire length of the corridor, is now a tribute to the greatest players in Jets history. The generic fan shots have been replaced by life-sized pictures of 26 players and one coach (Weeb Ewbank), a virtual Wall of Fame that includes everyone from Joe Namath to Vinny Testaverde.

"As players, I thought it was important for them to know their Jets history and their Jets lineage," Bowles told ESPN. "I wanted them to know how gritty they were and how tough they were back then, and what they stood for in the city. I thought it was important to know who was before them, so they can try to emulate that and go forward from a history standpoint."

Bowles took a hands-on role in the project, selecting which players he wanted on the wall. He made sure every decade is represented, starting with the 1960s. The wall includes most of the Ring of Honor, plus other former players such as Chad Pennington, Wayne Chrebet and Kevin Mawae. The only current players are Leonard Williams and Quincy Enunwa.

Because of the team's recent struggles -- no playoff appearances since 2010 -- millennials might not appreciate the history, and that's too bad. It includes many great players, including Hall of Famers Namath, Don Maynard and Curtis Martin. The late Dennis Byrd, tragically killed in a car accident last year, also appears on the wall.

"Playing in the NFL is a dream, and it's awesome to walk down that hallway and see all the Jets greats," Muhammad Wilkerson said. "On top of that, we have the Lombardi. All that should make everybody want to be on that wall and bring a Lombardi here. I know it does for me. You want to be on that wall and be in the Ring of Honor, and be one of the best Jets to ever play. That's a lot of motivation."

Wilkerson was alluding to the new location of the team's lone Lombardi Trophy. At the behest of the players, Bowles agreed to have it moved from the front lobby to the players' lobby, not far from the locker room. It fit nicely into Bowles' master plan for changing the culture.

"You want them to focus and get a little more energy coming into the building," Bowles said. "Putting the Super Bowl trophy down there gives them a goal, 'This is what we're shooting for.' It's easy to say that, but when you see it every day ... It's one team, one goal. The more you hear one team, one goal, you build chemistry and everybody gets on the same page."

Bowles' new theme -- "One team, one goal" -- is displayed throughout the building. The players see it on the wall in the team auditorium; employees and visitors see it on the door to the main lobby, etched in the glass.

There's also a quote on the door to the locker room: "If you are not prepared to put the team first, turn around." Bowles is big on inspirational quotes, which pop up occasionally on the video monitors throughout the building.

"That reminds them of how I'm feeling when they get too fat and happy," Bowles said, smiling. "The guys have taken to it, and it's working from a chemistry standpoint."

It's not hard to read between the lines: The Jets weren't unified last season, as big egos and overpaid players wrecked the chemistry, and the coach wants to change that. Bowles unloaded many of the bad apples. Now he's trying to galvanize the holdovers and new players.

They've been accused of tanking for the top draft pick in 2018. The politically correct description is a youth movement. Ironically, they're trumpeting the old timers -- the wall of famers -- to provide inspiration. It's a hit among the former greats.

"I'm grateful to the Jets and coach Bowles for appreciating what I've done for the organization as a player and a man," former linebacker Marvin Jones, who appears on the wall. "The Jets over the years have shown that they value their former players and their contributions to the organization."

Not everyone agrees. Privately, others have said the organization hasn't done enough for its former players. In that sense, Bowles' idea is a win-win. But make no mistake, the purpose is to improve the environment at One Jets Drive.

"In order to help change the culture and change the building, you have to change quite a few things around," Bowles said. "We changed coaches, we changed players and we changed the building."