With the offseason underway, eyes turn to 2026, where the Jets will look to rebound after a three-win campaign in 2025.
Although the full season schedule won’t be released until May, we are now able to look at the full list of opponents that the Jets will have on their ledger for next season, comprising of the usual AFC East suspects plus a rotation of other teams from across the league.
This year, the AFC conference takes the turn of having one fewer home game, meaning the Jets play eight at MetLife Stadium and nine on the road. Among the teams they will come up against are the AFC West, NFC North and three opponents based on division ranking in the Browns, Titans and Cardinals.
The international schedule is yet to be announced, so it is unclear whether the Jets will play in London for a third consecutive season at this time – they likely won’t be a designated team with just eight home games in their schedule this year.
A quirk of the schedule means that the Jets will play the Denver Broncos for the seventh consecutive season despite being in different divisions. By contrast, their game against the Cardinals will be just the seventh matchup between those two teams since the turn of the century.
The full schedule will be revealed later this year, at which point we will get the dates and times of all of the Jets matchups – stay tuned to our social media channels to be the first to know as that news breaks!
HOW UDFA BRADY COOK EARNED HIS CHANCE WITH THE NEW YORK JETS
There’s something about a good UDFA story that inspires the imagination of a sports fan. Everyone loves an underdog, some of the best sports movies are based on this very simple fact. Brady Cook is an underdog, based entirely on his draft positioning.
A 3-star recruit coming out of Chaminade College Preparatory School in Missouri, Cook threw for 33 touchdowns and 3,194 yards as a senior in high school before electing to stay home and enroll at the University of Missouri.
His senior year he almost took Chaminade to a state championship title but fell just short when a 2-point conversion attempt was stuffed by Mekhi Wingo, now a defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions. But in interviews after the game, the opposition De Smet coaches said they hadn’t realised just how good he was.
St Louis QB trainer Matt Biermann said in an interview with AOL that he believed that defeat was the turning point for Cook and his emotional maturity. It wasn’t the perfect way to finish his high school career, but it’s often said we learn more in our defeats than our victories.
Cook grew up a Missouri diehard, lining up Tiger Walk dreaming of one day following in the footsteps of his childhood heroes. He would spend his Saturdays in the Faurot Field parking lot playing catch, waiting to see Chase Daniel take the field. In 2020, he got that opportunity to walk onto the field himself, but it wasn’t until 2022 when he took over the starting role.
The first year was all about getting his feet wet in the college football landscape. Although the Tigers would finish with a 6-7 record on the season, which included a 3-5 mark in the SEC, there were some notable games for Cook in his first year.
He led the Tigers to a victory over South Carolina who were ranked #19 at the time, had Missouri up 22–12 in the 4th quarter over #1 Georgia before a late comeback stole the victory away. He tossed 3 touchdowns against the Tennessee Volunteers who finished the year as the nations 5th best team and threw three touchdown passes in victories over Abilene Christian and New Mexico State.
It was just the start for Cook, who used that 2022 season as a springboard for 2023.
2023 was one of Missouri’s best seasons in program history and Brady Cook was a huge reason why. With his command, grit, intelligence and athleticism the Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 start on the season. Cook went 23–35 for 356 yards and 2 TD’s in an upset victory over #15 ranked Kentucky before completing 80.5% of his passes for 395 yards and 4 touchdowns against Vanderbilt.
Cook finished that year completing 66.1% of his passes for 3,317 yards, 21 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions while leading the Tigers to an 11-2 record (6-2 in the SEC) and a famous Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State.
Just when Cook was building momentum for the NFL draft, he suffered through an injury-riddled season in 2024, where he had to deal with both ankle and wrist injuries. His streak of 35 consecutive starts was ended when he was forced to miss the game against Oklahoma and his stat line during his final year where he completed 62.6% of his passes for 2,535 yards, 11 touchdowns and 2 interceptions paled in comparison to his 2023 season.
But Cook’s reputation as a smart, tough, accurate QB continued to grow, especially in the Auburn game. After being injured on the first drive of the game, Cook was taken to hospital and the Tigers fell into a 17-6 hole heading into the final quarter. Cook shockingly re-entered the game to lead two touchdown drives, giving Missouri a 21-17 victory.
This weekend, Cook will get another opportunity to show that he belongs in the NFL with a trip to the big easy to face Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints. “I want to continue to evaluate him and see exactly how he’s going to operate on a consistent basis,” Aaron Glenn said. Part of that evaluation will be to see whether Cook can cut down on the turnovers after throwing five interceptions over his first two games.
Although the results haven’t been what he’d like them to be, Cook has impressed teammates with his talent and command in the huddle.
“I feel like he did good. I feel like Brady Cook is special. Like I told him after the game, because me [and] Mitch [Adonai Mitchell] we were just talking about it, and we were like bro, he got it — he is special. We all have games where it’s going to make or break us, and how he came back every time to the huddle, and like everybody was just bought in what he was doing, like he’s special, he’s got it. Like when people talk about that ‘it’ factor, he one of them guys that got it,” wide receiver Isaiah Williams explained.
Jets centre Josh Myers added “Yeah, look, I think Brady is a good player who has a future in this league. He just has some learning to do. [Cook was] poised; he was calm in there, I thought he did a nice job calling everything and operating within the offense. I really think Brady has a future in this league,” and Myers has played with some pretty good QBs in his time including Aaron Rodgers.
When you get eliminated from the playoffs as the Jets have, the game becomes about evaluation. It’s key to know what you have in the building so you know what to prioritise outside the building come free agency and the draft. Cook will be hoping to show that the Jets have an NFL QB on their hands.
AN EARLY LOOK AT THE 2026 NFL DRAFT QUARTERBACK PROSPECTS
Last week, the Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention, and while there is plenty of evaluation to be done over the final four games, many fans are now turning one eye to the offseason, with the Jets facing some critical decisions.
Year one of a new regime is all about transition. We’ve seen a number of moves made by Darren Mougey with an eye to creating a sustainable winner in New York for the next decade. We’re already seeing some of those players put down statement performances, namely from Jowon Briggs, AD Mitchell and others.
The big question around the Jets heading into the offseason is at the quarterback position. The Jets have a number of options and plenty of cap space and draft capital to ensure they can come away with one of their primary targets.
Over the next few weeks we’ll start looking more towards the offseason, and we’re kicking things off today with a quick introduction to the QB class in the 2026 NFL Draft.
If you’re looking for QBs in the first round, there are three names that you need to be familiar with.
Fernando Mendoza from Indiana, Dante Moore from Oregon and Ty Simpson from Alabama.
There is however plenty of uncertainty surrounding who will put their name forward for the draft and who will elect to return to school. All three prospects have college eligibility remaining and the latest rumours doing the rounds make me believe that Dante Moore is the most likely to return to school with Fernando Mendoza the most likely to enter the draft.
There’s an argument that Mendoza has very little to prove by heading back to college considering he’s just led Indiana to their first Big Ten Championship in 58 years with an upset victory over powerhouse Ohio State. That performance at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis ticked a lot of boxes for NFL teams, not because of the numbers (15-23 for 222 yards and 1 TD) but because of the way the Florida native managed the game down the stretch, making big throw after big throw to secure the title.
Dante Moore, on the other hand, may believe that heading back to school for another year is the best course of action for his long-term career. Moore has just one year of starting experience in college and while he put up an outstanding year (72.5% completion, 24 TDs, 6 INTs) some question his ability to perform under pressure and his arm strength when trying to stretch the field. Those are concerns that could be answered with another year of starting experience.
The same can be said for Ty Simpson, who has only this year become a full-time starter at Alabama despite joining their college ranks in 2022. If you’d have looked at Simpson a month ago his draft stock chart would have been like a rocket launch, but struggles over the last month have caused some pause for thought in his pre-draft evaluation. He has 6 TDs to 4 INTs over his last five games, along with a completion rate that has fluctuated between 48.7% (vs Georgia) and 68.8% (vs Eastern Illinois). Another year in college could show teams that Simpson can play up to the standard of his opponents.
But the college football quarterback class doesn’t finish with the first round talents, and if the Jets do miss out on their first target or baulk at the asking price to move into position to draft him, they could look down the draft to find and develop a QB.
It is also worth remembering that while there are no guarantees in college football, most experts believe the 2027 class will be loaded with talent, headlined by Texas man Arch Manning and OSU star Julian Sayin.
As with the top of the draft and the doubt over Simpson and Moore, there is doubt further down the draft about which quarterbacks will declare. Listen to draft analysts and they’ll tell you that South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers is likely heading back to Columbia after a down year where he managed just 13 touchdowns in 12 games and threw 8 interceptions.
John Mateer is an incredibly talented passer but his first year at Oklahoma didn’t go to plan following his transfer from Washington State. After throwing for over 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024, he managed just 2,578 yards and 12 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in the Sooner state. If he does enter the draft, he’ll likely be drafted in the middle rounds and a team could see that as an opportunity to buy low on his talent. If he chooses to return to school, it could allow him to re-build his stock up towards the first round, which is where many had him projected at the start of 2025.
One prospect who could hold a lot of interest for the Jets is USC signal caller Jayden Maiava, who has spent the last two years learning his trade under ‘QB whisperer’ Lincoln Riley. The Junior finished this season completing over 66% of his passes for over 3,500 yards and 23 touchdowns. He has the ideal size at 6’4 and 225lbs, has a plus arm and quick release and has shown the ability to step up and avoid pressure and deliver the ball on time. There is some momentum behind him returning to school next year and I’m sure Riley will make a big push to return his leading man for a potential run at a title.
Another name to watch is Brendan Sorsby whose name has been linked with the transfer portal in recent days following a breakout campaign in the Big 12 with Cincinnati. The 21-year-old Texas native completed 61.6% of his passes for 27 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions to go with over 500 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns. Considering the Jets looked to the dual ability of Justin Fields, bringing in a QB who has the ability to hurt defenses both on the ground and through the air could be very appealing. I’d consider Sorsby a big name to watch.
There are of course other QBs to consider and I’m sure that as we work through the draft process, the projections will become clearer. Expect to hear a lot about Garrett Nussmeier, Sam Leavitt, Cade Klubnik, Drew Allar and of course 2 x CFP national champion Carson Beck.
If you want a sleeper name to watch out for, then mark down Duke QB Darian Mensah who has decent size, a live arm and is coming off a year where he threw for 3,646 yards, 30 TDs and 5 INTs while completing 67.9% of passes and throwing 20 TDs against the blitz. The only thing holding Mensah back is his deep ball consistency. One to watch.
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAYS FOR INTERNATIONAL FANS!
Christmas has come early for international Jets fans!
We are delighted to be running our festive ’12 Days of Christmas’ giveaway campaign once again in 2025, with new prizes available exclusively to Jets fans in the UK and Ireland, every day from December 13-24.
Our first giveaway will be available right here at nyjetsinternational.com – head over to the fan zone from Saturday 13 December and enter for your chance to win a signed London Game helmet from the 2025 season!
Following that, we will have further giveaways available to fans each day via:
Instagram – follow @newyorkjetsinuk to see the relevant entry posts during the competition period.
X – follow @nyjetsinukandie to see the relevant entry posts during the competition period.
NYJFC – sign up for free now and log in to check the rewards section of your account each day during the competition period in order to enter our exclusive contests.
Winners will be selected and contacted on the week commencing 29 December – best of luck to all entrants!
HOW JETS SPECIAL TEAMS UNIT HAS BECOME ONE OF NFL’S BEST
The Jets have experienced the kind of season you expect when you have a new regime installing from the ground up. There have been some sensational highs, some depressing lows and everything in between. The one consistent throughout the 2025 campaign has been the Special Teams unit led by first year coordinator Chris Banjo.
There is an argument to be made that the Jets have at least three Pro Bowlers on their special teams unit in punter Austin McNamara, kicker Nick Folk and return man Isaiah Williams, with all three of them playing a part in the Jets recent victory over the Falcons.
Isaiah Williams had a momentum shifting 82-yard return, Nick Folk kicked the winning 56-yard FG and Austin McNamara consistently pinned the Falcons deep in their own territory, including one punt that was downed inside the 5-yard line.
You don’t need statistics to tell you that the Jets have one of the best special teams units in football, but I’m going to give them to you anyway.
Last weekend, the Jets had an EPA (expected points added) of 15.22 against the Falcons, the second best single-game performance of any special teams unit in a game this season, and it just so happens to be the second best single-game performance by the Jets since the year 2000.
The Jets are:
#1 in the NFL in terms of field goals made (95.6%).
Joint first with a 100% conversion rate on extra points.
They’re one of only two teams to have both a kick return TD and a punt return TD.
The unit ranks 3rd in EPA across the entire season.
They’re #1 in kickoff return average at 29.6 yards.
They lead the NFL with 55 returns of 20+ yards and are 3rd with 5 returns of 40+ yards.
They’re a top 10 team in punt return average and have had two returns of 20+ yards and one return of 40+ yards.
That’s just on the offensive production side of special teams. Defensively they’re also right up there with the best units in football.
The Jets rank 3rd in the NFL having allowed just 89 yards of total punt return yardage all season, which is good for an average of 5.6 yards per return.
They’re top five with 22 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
They have the 6th best net average in the NFL at 43.6 yards per punt.
They also haven’t allowed a single return TD all season, whether through punts or kickoffs.
Right now, Austin McNamara is making a very good argument for being the #1 punter in the NFL. The Arizona native went undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2024 and was cut early in August last year before catching on with the Jets this season.
His success is not overly surprising. Austin was a 3× first-team All-Big 12 in college and the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year in 2023. His emergence this year will have you dreaming that your punter position is secure for the foreseeable future.
Austin often said that he believes his hang-time is what got him his opportunity with the Jets and the stats back him up. As of week 13 his 4.75 hang-time is the 2nd highest in the NFL. You can have a booming leg, but it’s largely pointless if you continuously outkick your coverage.
McNamara has the perfect combination of directional punting, leg strength and hang-time. Right now he’s 7th in Pro Bowl Voting, but I think we can – and should – get him climbing up those rankings.
The Jets are getting contributions up and down the lineup, including from Isaiah Williams who has quickly turned his Jets tenure around after he was demoted to the practice squad following some difficult moments on MNF. Add in the play of guys like Kene Nwangwu and Qwan’tez Stiggers who dived on the fumble on Sunday and you have a unit that is operating at a very high level.
Then you get to Jets kicker Nick Folk, who made his debut in 2007, 6 years before special teams coordinator Chris Banjo made his own debut with the Green Bay Packers in 2013.
Folk spent 7 years with the Jets between 2010-2016 before returning to the team this year, and his steady presence is proving incredibly helpful to first-time coordinator Banjo.
Banjo learned his trade under one of the finest special teams coordinators in NFL history and a name very familiar to Jets fans, Mike Westhoff. Banjo worked as Westhoff’s assistant in Denver, and Mike has often called Banjo his protege. When Banjo was hired with the Jets this offseason, he brought Westhoff into camp, which if you ask this humble writer, was an incredibly smart thing to do.
Earlier this week Aaron Glenn was asked about what makes Chris Banjo such an effective coach: “Those guys can relate to him really, really well. He was one of those guys that was a true special teams demon so he understands how that part of our team has to operate.”
He certainly has the playing experience to tell some old war stories. Banjo recorded over 2,600 special teams snaps over his 10-year career, and when you combine that with the experience working under one of the very best, is it any surprise the Jets have one of the best units in football?
GAME RECAP: NEW YORK JETS 27-24 ATLANTA FALCONS
As November came to a close, on a dark, cold, gray day at MetLife Stadium, the Jets (3-9) prevailed over the Atlanta Falcons (4-8), 27-24, in a back-and-forth battle that ended with a game-winning 56-yard field goal from 41-year-old kicker Nick Folk.
“There’s nothing like playing on Sunday in front of your fans,” Folk said. “Getting a chance to help your team win – there’s nothing like that. I tell everyone that I just get to put the cherry on top. Everyone gets to make the sundae – I just get to put the cherry on top. Just happy to help us get a win.”
Down by 7 with under 9 minutes remaining in the game, Tyrod Taylor commanded a 15-play, 65-yard drive capped with a 10-yard rushing TD by the QB. Atlanta and New York then exchanged three-and-outs, and the Falcons took the ball with 1:06 remaining. The Jets defense then came up with a stop when it mattered most, forcing yet another three-and-out to put the ball back in the hands of Taylor and the offense with 44 seconds remaining.
Adonai Mitchell, who had a career game for the Jets with 8 receptions for 102 yards and 1 TD, picked up 15 critical yards to help move the ball into Atlanta territory.
Folk came out onto the field with just :05 remaining and converted the 56-yard attempt to secure the win.
“Man, you talk about back and forth, ebbs and flows of how a game goes,” said HC Aaron Glenn. “Just the grit that we’ve been talking about for some time and our guys just being able to gut this game out.”
In the first quarter, the Jets took advantage of a muffed punt to take an early 7-0 lead. Falcons return man Jamal Agnew mishandled Austin McNamara‘s punt inside the shadow of his own goal line and Qwan’tez Stiggers recovered at the 2-yard-line. On the ensuring play, RB Breece Hall (19-68) punched it in for the score.
After being scoreless for the majority of the first half, Atlanta made it a 7-7 game on a Tyler Allgeier 1-yard TD run. While Allgeier got the touchdown, RB Bijan Robinson was the visitor’s workhorse in the first half with 90 rush yards on 13 carries (6.9 per). He finished with 193 yards from scrimmage on 28 touches.
McNamara pinned the Falcons deep early in the third quarter, but the visitors responded with a 95-yard drive, taking the lead on Robinson’s 5-yard scoring run with 9:36 remaining in the quarter. Robinson’s 42-yard catch and run, plus a roughing the passer penalty on LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball, flipped the field for Atlanta.
Stuck in quicksand for most of the first two-and-a-half quarters, the Jets’ offense got a lightning strike from Taylor and Mitchell in the third. The recently acquired receiver flashed his his speed and Taylor was on the money with a 52-yard scoring connection — the Jets’ longest TD of the season — and knotted the game at 14.
“Something we had been talking all week,” Taylor said. “Got the perfect coverage for it and AD went up and made a play. The offensive line did a great job, that was a longer developing play. I confirmed the coverage before I did my fake and gave AD a chance down the field. He made a great play.”
After the long score, kickers Zane Gonzalez (from 50 yards) and Folk (from 55) exchanged field goal misses before Gonzalez’s 55-yard boot gave the Falcons at 17-14 lead at the end of the third quarter.
But Isaiah Williams returned the ensuing kickoff 83 yards and the Jets had a golden opportunity to take the lead before settling for a 32-yard field goal from Folk.
Atlanta responded with a 74-yard scoring drive of its own, getting 31 yards on a toss to Allgeier before Kirk Cousins found David Sills for a 9-yard TD.
The Jets have now won three of their past five games and will play host to Miami Dolphins (5-7) next Sunday.
“Even though we have this long-range vision of what we’re trying to get to, the now is what’s important for our guys to understand how to win games, especially in situations like this,” Glenn said. “To understand how you win games especially in situations like this when the weather was not at its best, teams going back and forth fighting.”
Jetcetera
The Jets started the same five offensive linemen for the 12th consecutive game. They are the only NFL team to have the start the same unit in every game and it’s the first time it’s happened for the team since 2012.
… Rookie S Malachi Moore led the defense with 10 tackles and the Green & White totaled 7 TFL.
…. DL Micheal Clemons and S Tony Adams both recorded first-half sacks of Kirk Cousins.
… CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and rookie WR Arian Smith were among the Jets gameday inactives.
… Veteran K Nick Folk, who started the season with 20 consecutive FG conversions, saw his streak come to an end in the third quarter when his 55-yard boot fell short and to the right of the uprights.
… While the Falcons had the total yardage edge (389 to 269), the Jets were better on third down (7-of-16 to 4-of-12) and were +1 in turnover differential.
AARON GLENN’S FULL CIRCLE PATH TO NEW YORK JETS HEAD COACH
For the Jets head coach, life in green and white stretches back a long way.
Aaron Glenn grew up in Humble, Texas and went on to play for Texas A&M after a brief stint at Navarro College in Corsicana. As a teenager he nicknamed himself “Prime Time Jr.”after the legendary CB Deion Sanders. That changed to “showtime” at Navarro, where it became clear that Glenn was destined for bigger things.
Glenn’s penchant for post-tackle theatrics didn’t go down well at College Station, with Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum saying it gave him a bad name. Glenn focused on his craft and won a number of accolades over his two year stop with the Aggies including the SWC Newcomer of the Year award in 1992, the SWC Defensive Player of the Year in 1993 while being named a Consensus All-American the same year.
Coming out of college he was seen unanimously as a first-round draft pick. He reportedly ran a sub (or close to, depending on who you ask) 4.40 forty yard dash. Renowned for his quickness and ability to mirror receivers, Glenn was taken with the 12th overall pick by the Jets in the 1994 NFL Draft.
GM Dick Steinberg, who made the selection, said this of Glenn following the pick: “He’s got the speed, the instincts, and the toughness you want in a corner. We see him starting right away and helping us in the return game too.”
It was those instincts which really made people pay attention. Glenn had nine interceptions in two years with the Aggies and his 13 passes defensed led the nation in 1993. He also returned 2 of the 19 punts he returned in college for TDs.
The focus in that 1994 offseason was to refresh the Jets defense with young talent and experienced veterans. As well as taking Glenn in the first round, the Jets also selected defensive tackle Lou Benfatti in the 3rd, linebacker Horace Morris in the 5th (great name by the way) and signed veterans Donald Evans and Perry Williams…although some of those moves worked out better than others. Williams, for example, never actually played for the Jets despite winning two Super Bowls with the Giants (XXI and XXV).
Glenn has always had humility and honesty. When he was asked to review his preseason performance against the Eagles in his rookie season he simply said “I don’t want to really talk about it… It wasn’t good.” While he didn’t log a trademark interception as a rookie, he made a number of notable plays and finished his season with 67 tackles and 2 forced fumbles, showcasing the quickness and instinctive play that made him a first round player.
His first interception would come in 1995 as he picked off Rick Mirer of the Seahawks, jumping a slant route, and in the same game he’d recover a fumble and take it on a mazy run that lasted around 30 seconds and gained around 10 yards.
His career with the Jets was full of marquee moments. There was the 100-yard pick-six against the Dolphins in 1996, the 6-interception season in 1998 and of course we have to mention the fake spike situation in 1994, with Glenn along with the rest of the Jets defense being faked out by Dan Marino, which led to the TD that won the game for the Dolphins.
In total, Glenn played in 124 games for the Jets including three in the playoffs. He recorded 24 interceptions, with three of those being returned for touchdowns. He had 36 pass defenses, 6 forced fumbles and 396 tackles. He returned 115 kicks and even took one to the house against the Bills in 1997.
During his final season in New York in 2001, Glenn’s 14 pass defenses led the team, as did his 5 interceptions. But that offseason, the Jets exposed him to be selected by the Houston Texans in the expansion draft. The decision to leave him unprotected was made by Terry Bradway who cited salary cap restraints as the reason he allowed both Glenn and Marcus Coleman to be selected from the defensive side, as well as offensive tackle Ryan Young who was taken with the second pick by the Texans.
Glenn held the highest salary of all players selected by the Texans in the draft, and while his selection helped to solve the salary cap issues in NY, the Jets missed not only his playmaking ability on the field, but his leadership in the locker room. The Texans got a Texas native to build their defense around, and Glenn would go on to pick off 11 passes in 43 games for Houston as well as being named a Pro Bowler in 2002.
Glenn would go on to play for the Cowboys, Jaguars and Saints before calling time on his career after the 2008 season.
After a short stint as GM with the Houston Stallions in the Texas Lone Star Football league, it was the Jets who gave Glenn his first front office opportunity as a personnel scout in 2012. Glenn credits his mentor Bill Parcells for the motivation to scout because getting into the coaching game: “Bill Parcells told me, ‘If you want to be a great coach, learn how to evaluate talent first.’ That stuck with me.”
He credits that start in personnel for helping him on his coaching career: “Being a scout taught me how to look at players beyond just athleticism. You learn to see character, fit, and upside. That’s helped me tremendously as a coach. I always knew I wanted to coach. Scouting was the bridge. It gave me the foundation to teach, not just react.”
That holistic approach to coaching is what Glenn is hoping to bring to the Jets as he continues to build this roster for sustained success. You sometimes have to go through some tough periods before you reap the rewards, and Glenn has experience in Detroit to call upon for that. Dan Campbell and Glenn arrived together in Detroit in 2021 with the Lions having missed the playoffs for four straight years and without a playoff victory since 1991.
It wasn’t until week 13 of their first year that they tasted success on the field, and while they won just 3 games in that first year, it set the foundation for what we see today in Detroit. A team that has won more playoff games in two years than they did in the previous 30. Glenn will be hoping to replicate that turnaround and end another playoff drought here in New York.
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS FOR NEW JETS RECEIVERS
The New York Jets that took the field last Sunday to face the Cleveland Browns looked a lot different to the team that recorded their first win of the season two weeks prior in Cincinnati, even if the final act in both cases was a celebration on the field.
Darren Mougey stated that the trading of Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams didn’t equate to a teardown, but the value on offer was too good to pass up. It’s never easy to trade two All-Pro’s and plenty of fans are disappointed to have lost two good players and two players who were beloved by the fans.
But the Jets have now positioned themselves to control the first round of the next two drafts, and you can be sure that we’ll be getting into those draft discussions as the season winds down.
Along with an array of picks, the Jets picked up several intriguing pieces which includes defensive pair Ja’sir Taylor and Mazi Smith, but today we’re focusing on the two new receivers added to the roster in Adonai Mitchell, acquired as part of the Sauce Gardner trade and John Metchie III, acquired in the Michael Carter II trade.
Aaron Glenn said that he was unsure how long it would take to get both new receivers up to speed. We saw Metchie in limited action on Sunday, and both could play key roles on Thursday, offering intriguing upside for a team looking to improve their receiver room to help Garrett Wilson who is so often doubled on Sundays and has been ruled out this week with a knee injury.
Let’s start with John Metchie III, who was the 44th selection in the 2022 draft by the Houston Texans. The former Alabama man was forced to miss his entire rookie season as he recovered from acute promyelocytic leukemia, a type of cancer of the white blood cells. In 2023 he joined a Houston Texans team that had plenty of receiving talent ahead of him including Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Dalton Schultz and Noah Brown.
Two and a half years into his career, I think it’s fair to say that Metchie would have hoped to have more than the 44 catches for 440 yards and 1 touchdown on his resume, especially considering at one point he was generating first round buzz following his 96 catch, 1,142 yard and 8 touchdown season at Alabama, a season in which he secured 61.1% of his contested catches and forced 20 missed tackles.
Metchie landed in Philadelphia in a trade this offseason but again found himself buried on a depth chart that included DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Dallas Goedert, Saquon Barkley and Jahan Dotson. That resulted in 4 receptions on 4 targets for 18 yards and a move to the Jets where he should be given an opportunity to showcase his talent with a higher snap % than he’s had at any point in his career.
The Jets have the perfect opportunity to evaluate him due to him being signed through the 2026 season and this is the perfect example of buying low and trusting your coaches to develop the skills that convinced the Texans to spend a 2nd round pick on him.
Coming out of college Metchie was renowned as a savvy and polished route runner who had plus body control and reliable hands. The fact he’d played in a pro-style offense at Alabama and excelled against elite level competition didn’t hurt either.
Joining Metchie is Adonai Mitchell, a player who electrified during his one year as a Texas Longhorn in college, making 55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns.
It’s rare to find a 6’2 receiver who has 4.34 speed and a 1.52 10-yard split. Within those three numbers you find the size you want, the long speed you want and the acceleration you want in a prototype wideout.
With Mitchell having been drafted in 2024, he’s signed through the 2027 season. Not only does that give the Jets plenty of time to evaluate him, it gives them plenty of time to develop him and unlock his potential.
That development is clear for everyone to see, even halfway through his second year in the league. He’s improved his reception % from 45.1% to 60.0%, improved his yards per reception from 13.6 to 16.9, and his yards after the catch per reception from 4.5 to 6.2. He hasn’t had a single drop this season on 15 targets and has caught 100% of his contested catches.
It may be a small sample size, but it shows that Mitchell is heading in the right direction.
The Jets now have two promising and very exciting young receivers in the mix, players who are signed through the 2026 and 2027 seasons respectively at very reasonable cap hits. The wide receiver room has been refreshed and both players will look to prove that they’re long-term solutions in the quest to find some help for Garrett Wilson.
‘SPECIAL’ SPECIAL TEAMS HELP JETS TO VICTORY OVER BROWNS
Fueled by two game-changing special teams plays, a season-high 6-sack performance and some fourth quarter magic from RB Breece Hall, the Jets (2-7) topped the Browns (2-7) on a rainy Sunday at MetLife Stadium for their second straight victory.
“Tough, hard-fought game,” HC Aaron Glenn said. “… One thing that we’re trying to do, we’re trying to build something. And I’ve said this from the beginning, there has to be a foundation that has to be set. These guys understand that. We’re trying to build that foundation.”
The Browns took an early lead, as QB Dillon Gabriel connected with TE David Njoku for a 9-yard score. The Jets wasted no time responding, though, as RB Kene Nwangwu returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a TD. The score marked the fifth kick returned for a touchdown of Nwangwu’s career and his second as a Jet.
The defense then forced a quick three-and-out and Cleveland punted the ball. Fresh off an AFC Special Teams Player of the Week performance in Week 8, WR Isaiah Williams picked up right where he left off, returning the punt 74 yards for a TD.
“Our special teams really gave us a spark today,” Glenn said. “That’s what we need. That’s what I talk about — playing complementary football. When all three phases can go out there and play. But today was really supportive football again, and our special teams did a hell of a job.”
In the second quarter, Browns S Ronnie Hickman intercepted a Justin Fields‘ pass intended for WR Garrett Wilson, and the Browns capitalized on the field position just one play later. Gabriel found WR Jerry Jeudy in the end zone and the extra point tied the game, 14-14
The Jets responded with an 11-play, 64-yard scoring drive capped with a 26-yard Nick Folk FG. The drive was highlighted by a 22-yard run by Hall, who finished the day as the team leader in both receiving yards (42) and rushing yards (83).
“He’s our workhorse,” Glenn said. “That’s something that we’ve talked about quite a bit. When we needed him, he came through. That’s something that’s not new to us. … This is a win by any means necessary type of league. And at that point, our way of winning this game was making sure we feed him.”
The half ended with a 7-play, 34-yard drive by Cleveland. After edge Will McDonald IV recorded his third sack of the day on third down, K Andre Szmyt converted a 45-yard FG to tie the game, 17-17.
After both teams were held scoreless in the third quarter, the Jets struck first in the fourth. Fields threw a short pass to Hall, who ran to the end zone for the 42-yard score. The Browns then drove down into Jets’ territory, but on fourth-and-1 from the 33-yard line, McDonald sacked Gabriel for a 7-yard loss. It was McDonald’s fourth sack of the day, which tied the Jets’ single-game sack record.
Following the turnover on downs, Hall rushed for 30 yards and ultimately set up a 37-yard FG by Folk to extend the Jets’ lead. The Jets then held Cleveland to a FG and ran out the clock to secure the win.
“It was great,” Fields said. “This was a great defense we played, great D-line. We finished the game. Breece ran the ball well, the offensive line — they did their thing today. And of course the defense, too, they showed out as well.”
Jetcetera
LB Quincy Williamsand edge Jermaine Johnson each recorded a sack, contributing to the Jets’ season-high 6. …
With 2 FGs, K Nick Folk remained perfect on the season. …
Austin McNamara continued his strong punting performance this season — 3 of his punts Sunday were downed inside the 20-yard line. …
WR John Metchie III recorded his first reception as a Jet. …
Rookie CB Azareye’h Thomas sustained a head injury during the second quarter and did not return. Before leaving the game, he recorded 3 tackles and a pass defensed in his second start for the Green & White. …
WR Garrett Wilson left the game with a knee injury in the third quarter and did not return.
JETS SHOW OFFENSIVE CEILING IN STUNNING BENGALS VICTORY
New York Jets fans have waited a long time for the sweet taste of victory and that wait was rewarded last Sunday with a 39-38 victory in Cincinnati over the Bengals.
The Jets faced deficits of 17-3, 24-10, 31-16 and 38-24 during that game, but walked out of Paycor Stadium with Aaron Glenn’s first win as Head Coach.
That win on Sunday was also the first time the Jets have won in Cincinnati since that 2009 wild card game where Shonn Greene rushed for 135 yards and a TD and Chad Johnson took a short visit to Revis Island.
The victory was propelled by an offensive explosion which saw the Jets outscore their opponents 23-7 in the fourth quarter. Finishing strong is a trait associated with good football teams, and if we can maintain that trait then more wins will surely follow.
After several down weeks for Tanner Engstrand and his unit, the Jets put on an offensive clinic:
- 39 points, including 23 in the fourth quarter
- 502 total yards
- 248 passing yards
- 254 rushing yards
- 9 conversions of either third or fourth down
- 7.2 yards a play
- 0 penalties
- 0 interceptions
- 0 fumbles
- 0 sacks
- One memorable afternoon for Jets fans.
Just like the Mike White game of Halloween past, this may be remembered as the Breece Hall game. The Jets RB played a hand in three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and became just the fourth RB since 1950 to throw a game-winning TD in the final two minutes. Legendary Jets RB Curtis Martin did it back in 2000, which means the Jets are responsible for 50% of those unique plays.
Hall also became the first non-QB since 1950 to have two rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown in the fourth quarter. In fact, he became just the third non-QB since 1950 to have two rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown in any quarter.
Hall became the first RB since Ronnie Brown in 2008 to have two rushing and one passing touchdown in the same game. It also represented Hall’s 16th career game with 100+ scrimmage yards, which ties Laveranues Coles for the third-most such games by a Jet, only Thomas Jones (21) and Curtis Martin (48) have had more.
The Jets scored 35 points and had over 500 total yards for the first time in a game since the year 2021 and that fourth quarter deficit that they faced was the second largest that the team have ever overturned to win. It was also the first time this season and the first time since 2023 that the Jets hadn’t allowed a single sack in a game. The game marked Joe Tippmann’s 35th consecutive start, the longest such streak for a Jets offensive lineman since Kelvin Beachum notched 37 consecutive starts between 2017-19.
The Jets 502 yards of total offense are the fourth-most and their 254 rushing yards are the second-most by any team in a game this season.
When you put all of these stats together, you realise just how unique that performance was, and now Aaron Glenn and Tanner Engstrand will be looking to build on that success over the coming weeks, with the Browns coming up straight after the bye week.
When the Jets take the field against Cleveland they’ll have a new face at receiver. Late on Wednesday night it was announced that the Jets had traded CB Michael Carter II to the Philadelphia Eagles for WR John Metchie III. A former Alabama standout who has overcome considerable adversity to get to the league, which included a battle with cancer which forced him to miss his entire rookie season.
The talent possessed by Metchie III is unquestionable. He played for a Nick Saban team that made winning look easy. In his final year at Alabama he caught 96 passes for 1,142 yards and 8 touchdowns while bringing in 61.1% of his contested catches. With Metchie III signed through the 2026 season, this move gives the Jets plenty of time to get him up to speed and evaluate whether he could be part of the solution to the playoff drought puzzle.
Expectations for this Jets offence has risen considerably after the outburst against the Bengals and providing Justin Fields with another weapon is never a bad idea. Metchie will join star receiver Garrett Wilson, alongside rookie receiving options Mason Taylor and Arian Smith. He’ll also have the veteran presence of Josh Reynolds to lean upon. If the Jets want to consistently hit the dizzying heights of 30+ points and 400+ total yards they’ll need contributions up and down the lineup.
