Smooth Landing
Five Jets that were the light at the end of the tunnel in a dismal Jets season.
Not one interception by a Jet in 2025 yet their Head Coach was a defensive back in his playing days. Not one 400-yard receiver. For the fifth time in the past six years a quarterback did not throw for double digit touchdowns. A return specialist was named Jets team MVP. Another catastrophic disaster of a season for the New York Jets. However … here are five players that were the lone bright spots in a season to forget.
Tight End Mason Taylor
The son of the former Dolphins and Jets defensive end was drafted in the second round, 42nd overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. The LSU product didn’t disappoint in his rookie season. 44 catches, 369 yards, one touchdown, and averaged 8.4 yards per catch. His breakout game was under the spotlight vs. the Dolphins on Monday Night Football in late September in the same venue that his father starred on the defensive side of the ball. Taylor made 5 catches for 65 yards with his longest reception of the season for 27 yards in a loss to the Phins. The following week vs. Dallas the former Tiger made 9 catches for 67 yards. He made 5 catches in the Jets first win of the season in late October vs. the Bengals and christened the box score with his first NFL touchdown. It’s pretty gloomy when your tight end is your leader in receiving yards which Taylor was but it doesn’t take away from his impressive rookie campaign.
Running Back Breece Hall
In his fourth season in New York, Breece Hall became the first Jet to rush for 1,000 yards since Chris Ivory in 2015. Hall ran for 1,065 yards on 243 carries with 4 touchdowns averaging 4.4 yards a carry. He was the team’s leading rusher and placed third on the club in receiving yards (350) with 36 catches, averaging 9.7 yards per reception with one touchdown in the air; a 42-yard TD reception vs. the Browns in November. Hall had four 100-yard games this season vs. the Steelers, Cowboys, Bengals, and Patriots and had 75 yards in the air vs. the Ravens.
Defensive End Will McDonald
The pass rusher drafted 15th overall out of Iowa State in the 2023 NFL Draft had an admirable third season in green and white much comparable to his sophomore season. Last year, McDonald tallied 10.5 sacks and this year he had 8. Set a career high in all three tackling categories; 30 combined, 19 solo, 11 assisted. He feasted on the quarterback with his team leading 8 sacks including 4 in a victory over the Browns.
Linebacker Jamien Sherwood
Jamien Sherwood led the Jets in all three tackling categories; 154 total, 71 solo, and 83 assisted while making 2 sacks, 8 tackles for a loss and 5 quarterback hits. His 154 total tackles were seventh in the NFL while his 83 assisted tackles placed him in a 3-way tie for fourth in the league as Bobby Wagner and Blake Cashman also cashed in on 83 assists. In 16 starts Sherwood had 8 games of double-digit total tackles.
Return Specialist Isaiah Williams
The football gods smiled upon the undrafted free agent out of Illinois in 2025. After brief time with the Lions and Bengals last year, the Jets scooped up Williams off the Cincinnati practice squad due to Xavier Gipson getting cut after a costly kick return fumble vs. Pittsburgh in Week 1. When he got the call Williams impressed in his opportunity. With shades of Leon Washington due his versatile play and scrappy toughness, Isaiah Williams placed fifth in Jets reception leaders after reeling in 26 passes for 193 yards and averaged 7.4 per snag. Though, it was his special teams play where he made a name for himself. Carrying the ball 28 times on punt returns for 396 yards and scoring two touchdowns including one for 74 yards vs. the Browns while returning 28 kickoffs for 837 yards with an 83-yard kickoff return in a win over the Falcons. Williams averaged 14.1 yards on punt returns and 29.9 yards on kickoff returns. The return specialist was named the 2025 Curtis Martin Team MVP as voted on by his teammates. It was the third time in Jets history that a special teams player was named team MVP with Bruce Harper previously winning the award in 1980 and Pat Leahy achieving the honor in 1990. A redemption story for an unlikely star that may be a player to keep an eye on for years to come.