Xavier Gipson was standing within the MetLife Stadium tunnel earlier than Sunday’s Jets recreation in opposition to the Seahawks having a phrase with Kene Nwangwu, who’d simply been elevated off the observe squad to the gameday roster.
“We stated on the best way out of the tunnel, ‘If not you, then who? If not then, then when?’ ” Gipson, the Jets punt returner, stated. “He by no means complains, is at all times in good spirits and at all times prepares like that is his second.”
Nwangwu, a fourth-year operating again and kick returner signed to the Jets observe squad in September, appeared prepared for his second, all proper.
He was one of many few shiny spots for the Jets of their dispiriting 26-21 loss to Seattle by advantage of his 99-yard kick return for a landing to present the Jets a 21-7 lead within the first quarter.
Earlier within the first half, Nwangwu stripped Seattle kick returner Dee Williams of the ball, recovered by Brandin Echols. The turnover led on to the Jets’ second landing and a 14-0 lead.
“What an incredible story,” Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich stated of Nwangwu. “Kene was a man for weeks now who we now have been spotlighting and exhibiting the group — simply his course of and the way laborious he’s labored. He earned the proper to play at the moment and all that tough work got here to fruition.
“[The kick return] was a extremely wonderful second, not only for him however for the group as a result of the group is basically invested in that human being.”
Nwangwu has had some success within the NFL, having returned 4 kickoffs for touchdowns and as soon as incomes an All-Professional nomination.
He was drafted within the fourth spherical out of Iowa State in 2021 and spent three years of his NFL profession with the Vikings. In 2021, he led the league with two kickoff return touchdowns and added one other in 2022.
He’s spent the season working as a scout-team participant in practices, giving the protection appears to be like. And Sunday was his first game-day second as a Jet.
“I knew on Saturday walkthrough that I used to be going to be up,” Nwangwu stated. “It’s like driving a motorcycle, ensuring I’m ready if I used to be going to be up, taking notes, being intentional in observe, taking keys from coaches and all that kind of stuff. It was good to see that it interprets to recreation days.”
For a participant who’s performed within the league to take a seat that lengthy on the observe squad confirmed nice endurance on the a part of Nwangwu.
“The problem comes from realizing that you simply made performs on this league earlier than,” he stated. “Yeah, I need to be on the market making performs for my teammates, however on the finish of the day I do know my function proper now. After I got here to this group, my function is to serve the most effective search for the protection and ensure if I’m ever referred to as upon, I do know what I’m doing.”
He referred to as the “better part” of the kick return “celebrating together with your teammates,’’ including, “You may’t do that recreation alone. All of us made a giant play there. It wasn’t simply me.”
The disgrace is that such a cool story was buried in one more Jets loss.
