When I put the vote out for this week’s column, I didn’t expect people to select Will McDonald. Especially after Monday’s breakout performance from Allen Lazard who recorded multiple touchdowns for only the second time in his professional career. 

But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. 

Following a difficult matchup in San Francisco, there is growing concern from some parts of the fanbase that maybe this defence isn’t quite as good as we were all led to believe. Of course, it’s far too early to draw any conclusions, and my confidence in this team and this defence is still sky-high. 

There were plenty of questions asked when the Jets, loaded with defensive end talent, decided to take Will McDonald 15th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Where would he play and would he get the reps expected of a first round talent? Could the Jets, a team in win-now mode, afford to take a player many saw as a luxury at the time?

In his rookie season, McDonald showed flashes of his game-breaking ability that made the Jets select him. In only 99 pass-rush snaps he recorded 3 sacks, 12 pressures, 5 QB hits and 4 tackles for a loss. That’s a sack every 33 snaps and a pressure every 8 snaps. 

The advanced numbers provided by PFF also painted a positive picture. His 8.5 pass-rush productivity score was second on the team, and compared favourably to Maxx Crosby over in Las Vegas. His 16.0 pass-rush win percentage was also a top 25 number in the league (minimum 50 snaps) and showed that he could get pressure on the quarterback when given a chance.

Over the summer, McDonald worked to become stronger and Head Coach Robert Saleh pointed out the improvements in his game at the start of August:

“Will [is] much, much stronger. I know he looks the same, but his strength in the run game, his strength in the pass game is showing up,” Saleh told reporters.

“He’s flashed a little bit. I know he’s gotten a couple of wins on our starting tackles, and I really like the way he’s progressing.”

With the departures of Bryce Huff and John Franklin-Myers over the winter, McDonald was expected to claim a bigger role in his sophomore season. The pressure to perform is always there for a first-round pick, but that pressure has been intensified with the reliance that the Jets now have on the young edge rusher.

That larger role came to fruition on Monday night as McDonald was given 18 pass-rush snaps, which trailed only Jermaine Johnson at defensive end.

In those 18-pass rush snaps, McDonald was able to generate 2 QB pressures which is in line with the pressure-per-snap numbers showcased during his rookie campaign. Ultimately, however, the pass rush wasn’t able to be as effective as hoped, as the 49ers offence kept them off-balance all night.

Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the job done by the opposing team. The 49ers offensive line held up well and Brock Purdy was sharp with his decision-making. San Francisco’s QB had 15 attempts where the ball left his hand within 2.5 seconds, making it very hard for the Jets pass-rush to get home. 

McDonald spent as many snaps going against Trent Williams at LT (16) as he did Colton McKivitz at RT (16), showcasing his versatility but with little success on either side.

One of the most basic concepts of football is running the ball to slow down the pass-rush. McDonald is of course part of the unit that needs to slow that run-game down, but he’s predominantly a speed-rusher at this point in his career. The success of the San Francisco running game put the defence into third-and-short situations that made it difficult for McDonald to pin his ears back and show off his trademark moves to get home.

Not only does that create scenarios where Purdy was able to look for those schemed short completions but it gets speed rushers on their heels not wanting to be caught upfield against the run. 

If you watch the game again, the performance of #99 might not jump out at you. But don’t expect it to stay that way, starting this weekend against a Titans team who struggled to keep Will Levis clean in a week one loss to the Chicago Bears. The Jets defence will no doubt be keen to get back to their usual dominant ways, and that could well start up front with McDonald.

The 2024 NFL season is upon us, and with the return of football is the return of the International Fan of the Year contest, back for its second iteration!

The International Fan of the Year title celebrates extraordinary fans globally who inspire others with their passion for the game and have been a rallying force across their family, friends and local community through fandom. Fans can nominate themselves through this link for a chance to win a trip to the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin and to possibly be announced as the ultimate Fan of the Year.

Frazer Campbell, a die-hard Jets fan from the Isle of Man, was named our inaugural International Fan of the Year in 2023, and represented the team in Detroit in the NFL Draft this April. The launch of the 2024 competition will allow a new fan to be put in the spotlight for their dedicated and passion to the New York Jets, in a year where the team will travel internationally to London for a week five encounter with the Minnesota Vikings.

As of this year, there are nine eligible international markets for the contest, with the additions of Brazil, Spain and Ireland, allowing for a diverse number of fans from around the world to put themselves forward.

The submission window is now open, and will remain open though 11:59 p.m. ET on November 15, 2024. Fans must be 21 years or older to enter, and more information can be found at the application link.

To enter the 2024 International Fan of the Year contest:

1. Click this link to get started.
2. Fill out the form and nominate yourself for the title of NFL International Fan of the Year

Each NFL team will nominate their own International Fan of the Year, and the ultimate winner will be revealed on stage during the 2025 NFL Draft.

The 2024 NFL season kicks off this weekend, with the New York Jets taking to the field on Monday for their curtain-raiser against the San Francisco 49ers.

After a nine month hiatus, Jets football returns, with a schedule that includes a game in London, six primetime games in the first 11 weeks and season-ending rivalry games with the Bills and Dolphins.

Fans wanting to follow the action live have got a number of options from the UK and Ireland. To watch every minute of every game, NFL Game Pass on DAZN provides season-long access to live games, 40 minute recaps plus additional programming including documentaries and archived games.

With New York Jets FC, fans can subscribe to the ‘MVP’ membership tier to gain full access to NFL Game Pass, plus a host of other benefits including merchandise discounts and exclusive giveaways – so make sure to sign up now and enjoy the full season access.

Away from Game Pass, Sky Sports subscribers will be able to watch every primetime game that the Jets play in (Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football), plus select games from the 6pm and 9pm windows, depending on weekly scheduling.

Sky Sports will also be airing ‘One Jets Drive’, the Emmy-award winning in-season documentary produced by the New York Jets in-house production team.

There will also be free-to-air options for Jets fans through the season, highlighted by the week five game in London which will be shown live on ITV. Alongside this, every Monday Night Football game, including the season opener, will be live on Channel 5.

For radio listeners, talkSPORT will be providing season-long coverage of the Jets, including live broadcasts of 10+ games with exclusive interviews and content too.

Finally, on our Jets UK and Ireland social media channels, we will have the usual gameday coverage of every contest all season long with video highlights and to-the-minute updates!

After a long hiatus, New York Jets football is returning to our screens!

The Jets get their preseason campaign underway on Saturday 10th August against the Washington Commanders, with further contests to come against the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants.

Every minute of the Jets’ preseason schedule will be available to watch live on the New York Jets website for fans in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Fans in the United Kingdom can access the live streams at the links below, which will go live when each game begins:

vs WAS: CLICK HERE

@CAR: CLICK HERE

vs NYG: CLICK HERE

And fans in Ireland can access the live streams through the links below:

vs WAS: CLICK HERE

@CAR: CLICK HERE

vs NYG: CLICK HERE

Fans in the United Kingdom will alternatively be able to watch our final preseason game against crosstown rivals the New York Giants live on Sky Sports Mix. The game kicks off in the early hours of Sunday 25 August at 12:30AM.

The Jets will then have a week off before their regular season schedule gets underway on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers, live on Sky Sports and Game Pass International!

The New York Jets are delighted to announce the launch of their new international membership club, New York Jets Fan Club (NY Jets FC), for fans in the UK and Ireland!

Sign ups to NY Jets FC will be automatically placed into the ‘Rookie’ tier, with the option to upgrade to ‘MVP’ (£159.99 UK or €179.99 IRE). ‘Rookie’ tier members will enjoy a host of benefits, including a one-off Weekly Pro Game Pass International (GPI) code, entry into a London Games ticket ballot, merchandise discounts, a digital membership card, priority access to tickets at MetLife Stadium and Jets events in the UK, exclusive sweepstakes and more.

MVP members will earn access to GPI Season Pro, a full-season subscription to stream every NFL game including the Playoffs and Super Bowl, plus NFL RedZone, NFL Network, Hard Knocks and more for the entire ’24-’25 season. MVPs also have a greater chance to obtain London Games tickets, increased merchandise discounts, a physical membership card with a game-worn Jets jersey inlay, and access to virtual meet-and-greets with current and former Jets stars. See below for a full breakdown of benefits at each membership tier.

To celebrate the launch of NY Jets FC, new members will have the opportunity to enter an exclusive launch giveaway for the chance to win an autographed Aaron Rodgers Jets Football and a signed Legacy White Quincy Williams Jersey. Running from 31^st July to 20^th August 2024, fans can sign up to become a member at nyjetsinternational.com and activate their membership account to learn more.

Commenting on the launch of the new international membership club, John MacCarter, New York Jets Vice President, Finance and Analytics, commented, “After spending time connecting and listening to fans outside of the US we are pleased to introduce New York Jets FC to fans everywhere. The UK and Ireland are two important markets for the Jets, and we are excited to offer this growing fan base a new touchpoint to engage with us. We hope that the bespoke and unique offerings of New York Jets FC will continue to strengthen the bond and connection that our international fans feel with the team.”

NY Jets FC furthers the team’s commitment to its UK and Ireland fanbases, where they were awarded marketing rights through the NFL’s Global Markets Program (formerly IHMA) in 2022 and 2024, respectively. The Global Markets Program awards NFL clubs international marketing rights to build brand awareness and fandom beyond the U.S. through fan engagement, events, and commercial opportunities.

The news also comes ahead of the team’s highly anticipated return to the UK on October 6th to take on the Minnesota Vikings at the 2024 London Games. The game marks the team’s third trip to London, having previously played the Miami Dolphins (2015) and the Atlanta Falcons (2021).

As part of its commitment to the UK and Ireland, the team, in partnership with Charles Tyrwhitt, is also providing an opportunity to ‘Jet Across the Pond.’ From 31st July to 10th September 2024, UK and Ireland residents can win a three-night stay in New York, tickets for the New York Jets vs Buffalo Bills (14th October) and two $500 Charles Tyrwhitt gift cards. Fans can enter on the fan zone page now!

More information about NY Jets FC and how to join can be found at nyjetsinternational.com, and members can access their membership portal at https://members.nyjetsinternational.com. Please note that members must be 18 years of age or older and reside in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.

As the 2024 New York Jets reported for training camp, the organization paid tribute to its past with the unveiling of “The Classic” uniform.  “The Classic” is both a nod to the regalia the team wore in their 1968 championship season and the familiar design of the uniform worn from 1998-2018.

On Monday, Oct. 14^th, the team will debut “The Classic” when they host the Bills at MetLife Stadium.

“The Classic” fills the fourth available spot in the team’s “closet” and is part of a larger NFL platform. With white jerseys and white pants, the Jets classic uniform pays homage to the attire the team sported during their Super Bowl III landmark triumph over the Baltimore Colts. “The Classic” also has a clean front with no patch as a tribute to the ’68 jersey along with the same number and letter fonts.

The helmet, updated with a gray facemask to replicate the 1968 headgear, features the same white shell and the same logo from 1998-2018. The green in the decal and stripes matches the team’s current “Legacy Green”, which is an in-between shade between the 1968 Kelly Green and the 1998-2018 Hunter Green.

During the Jets’ April rebrand and unveiling of three “Legacy Collection” uniform versions, the team introduced the legacy black uniform/helmet as its alternate uniform. The Jets will don their black uniform on Halloween when they play host to the Houston Texans for a Thursday night clash.

With the “Legacy” and “Classic” ensembles reintroduced over the past four months, the Jets are making a return to their two most iconic identities to the field. Not only was “The Classic” worn for one of the most significant moments in pro football history but it provides the franchise an opportunity to highlight a uniform worn by 15 of its 19 players in its Ring of Honor. And on Oct. 14 vs. the Bills for one night only, the Jets will hit rewind to a familiar sight as a timeless tradition lives on.

The Jets will return to London in 2024, lining up as a visitor against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 6 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The game will kick off at 2:30pm locally in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The international contest will mark the Jets’ second game in Tottenham in three years. Also the “road” team at the stadium referred to by some as “New White Hart Lane,” the Jets dropped a 27-20 contest to the Atlanta Falcons in 2021.

On draft weekend, the Jets and the Vikings engaged in a pick-swap that saw the Vikings move up one spot in Round 1 to select Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy while the Jets dropped to No. 11, gaining valuable draft capital and selecting Penn State T Olu Fashanu.

Aaron Rodgers will be expected to make his Jets’ London debut after returning from an Achilles tear he sustained in the 2023 season opener against the Bills. In 29 regular-season games against the Vikings, the former Packers gunslinger owns a 17-11-1 mark while having hit on 68% of his passes for 7,157 yards with 57 TDs and 8 INTs.

The Jets defense could face Sam Darnold across the pond. Darnold, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, or McCarthy will look to get the ball into the hands of Justin Jefferson, who amassed 1,074 yards receiving in just 10 games last season and averaged 15.8 yards a catch. Sauce Gardner, the Jets’ two-time first-team All-Pro, has repeatedly stepped up to all his assignments stateside and will be poised for a marquee international individual matchup.

Garrett Wilson, the only Jet to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, had a career-high 162 yards receiving in the Jets’ 27-22 loss at Minnesota on Dec. 4, 2022.

This year’s London game will be the sixth game played by the Jets outside the United States. In the regular season, the Jets have won twice on the international stage, both Ws as road teams: by 19-13 over the Bills in Toronto in 2009 before a 27-14 takedown of the Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in 2015.

The Jets are 8-4 all-time vs. the Vikings and 3-3 when designated the road club in the series.

The NFL will feature five international games in 2024 with three designated in London: two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a third at Wembley Stadium, where the Jacksonville Jaguars will play a home game as part of a multi-year partnership. The Eagles and Packers will kick off the season Sept. 6 at Corinthians Arena in Sau Paulo Brazil São Paulo, Brazil. The NFL is also returning to Germany for a third consecutive season for a Panthers “home” game at Allianz Arena in Munich.

Since the NFL started playing internationally in 2005, a total of 50 international regular-season games have been staged with London (36), Toronto (6), Mexico City (5), Frankfurt (2) and Munich (1) all playing host to NFL teams.

The Jets full 2024 schedule has also been revealed, with the matchups detailed below along with UK & Ireland timings!

Unicorn, a fictional creature often used to describe highly unusual, highly exciting people, such as athletes, can also be applied to objects as well as subjects.

Such as the 2024 NFL Draft. As NFL Network’s Rich Eisen said with the seventh round winding down toward the Jets’ selection of Alabama S Jaylen Key as Mr. Irrelevant, “This draft has been record-setting on so many fronts.”

We’ll leave it to the national writers and talking heads to dissect how record-setting the draft truly was in terms of attendance, quarterbacks taken and then not taken, TV ratings and the depth of positions like wideout and tackle. But the same wild and woolly adjectives could be used to describe the Jets’ draft in microcosm.

In general, GM Joe Douglas and HC Robert Saleh seemed happy with the seven selections that were made over the last three days and nights.

“We felt like we had a lot of fun over the weekend,” Douglas said. “We added very good players to this team, and our types of guys,” Douglas said. “The board kind of fell our way and we were able to trade back and get guys we wanted.”

And the way it unfolded, this Jets draft was a unicorn in franchise history. Let us count the ways.

Offensive First 5 Selections

One quality that jumped out about the Green & White’s draft class: It was quite offensive.

For sure, the first five selections answered questions and filled holes on offense, from first-round T Olu Fashanu to Round 3 WR Malachi Corley to RBs Braelon Allen in the fourth round and Isaiah Davis in Round 5 to the anticipated day three selection of a QB prospect, and a promising one at that in FSU’s Jordan Travis, also in Round 5.

When was the last time the Jets took offensive players in even their first four selections? Those have been few and far between. The first Douglas/Saleh draft in ’21 had four offensive picks topped by QB Zach Wilson. Before that, we have to go back to 1983, marqueed by QB Ken O’Brien.

And the last Jets draft to go 5-for-its-first-5 on offense? This weekend’s draft was the first.

No secret that the Jets offense needed care and feeding this offseason, but Douglas swore the offensive avalanche was unintentional: “I think honestly it just fell that way with the board.”

A Cavalcade of Trades

Technically, for only the second time in franchise history, the Jets conducted an entire draft without spending one pick that was originally theirs when the full draft order was first established. We say technically because the Jets did hold onto No. 257, their third compensatory pick of this draft, the final pick of 2024 and thus the pick that identifies “Mr. Irrelevant.” It wasn’t a pick they started the offseason with but in March the comps were handed out and 257 then went to the Jets.

The only draft unquestionably without an “own pick” by the Jets was 2007, the Darrelle Revis/David Harris four-pick draft conducted by GM Mike Tannenbaum. Other Jets drafts with one own pick were 2022 (fourth overall CB Sauce Gardner the only own pick) and 2009 (sixth-round G Matt Slauson the only own pick).

“I was answering more calls today than making calls,” the GM said. “Calls were made, offers were made, we took a look at the board. … We were fired up to be able to move back, pick up a premium pick in ’25 [a fourth-rounder for next year’s No. 3 from Detroit in the first trade the Jets and Lions made in 15 years]. There were some pretty cool opportunities that came about.”

Most Draft Picks Held

The reason the Jets had no own picks is because they kept making those trades. Every one of their first six selections were acquired through trade. Douglas set personal records with four day-three trades and six total in-draft trades, and that doesn’t count a seventh trade, sending John Franklin-Myers to Denver for a Round 6 pick in 2026!

As a result of the trades, the Jets held, at one time or another, for a week, a day or a minute, 22 different draft choices. Seven they used on players. Fifteen they either held originally and traded, or traded for and then traded away.

Only once before in the NFL Common Draft era beginning in 1968 did the Jets hold 22 different picks in one draft, and that happened a full half-century ago. In 1974, the draft lasted 17 rounds. The Jets used 16 of their own picks that year, with Carl Barzilauskas going sixth overall up top. They traded for five other picks, and traded away one pick in a six-body deal with New Orleans. (In the AFL Draft days, the team annually had single draft selections rise into the mid-20s.)

Bottom Line ’24

All of these items are interesting but not necessarily important in the NFL scheme of things. Same goes for other trivia, such as fourth-round Braelon Allen being the youngest drafted player this year and will be 20 years old throughout his Jets rookie season. Or fifth-round DB Qwan’tez Stiggers being draft-eligible after a year in the CFL. Or Malachi Corley’s YAC dimension being available for a short tradeup to the top of Round 3.

But the trivia isn’t as important as what the Jets set out to accomplish over the past three days.

As Saleh said about this offseason’s offensive facelift, “It’s a good group all the way across the board. A lot of great competition, a lot of great character, a lot of guys coming in to work who are intrinsically motivated. We’ll throw it out there and see how the cards shake out.”

“I feel like we had a plan,” Douglas said, speaking of the entire roster. “We tried to keep the main thing the main thing throughout the offseason. We feel we stuck to what we tried to do and tried to avoid distractions and not waver from our process. We’ve been able to do that.

“Look, were excited about the team. We’re excited to get this thing going.”

Two months after Jets Chairman Woody Johnson informed fans the team will unveil new uniforms in April, a new legacy was born Monday morning. The Jets “Legacy Collection” with three uniform versions – legacy green, legacy white and legacy black – is a nod to the Sack Exchange era (1979-89) while modernizing and improving the iconic logo that resonates with all generations of fans.

“We work for the fans,” said Jets Chairman Woody Johnson. “They have consistently asked for us to return to our roots and we heard them. The new uniforms are explicitly designed to look and feel like the New York Jets while refreshing the club’s iconic logo – viewed by fans as our most identifiable mark.”

The team’s new regalia pay tribute to a historical time in the club’s history while taking advantage of technology advancements in the industry. The legacy jerseys will sport double-stripe shoulders and single-stripe pants, the same design the team wore from 1979-89.

“Recreating our uniforms, as well as developing a modernized look for the organization signifies our commitment to progress, remaining innovative, and delivering excellence to our players and fans,” said Jets president Hymie Elhai. “Elevating the New York Jets identity with a refreshed uniform embodies the unity, and a timeless sense of the Sack Exchange era, while empowering every player and generations of fans to stand out and stay true to our team’s heritage.”

The new Legacy uniforms include a refresher of the club’s iconic Sack Exchange logo, featuring custom typeface with bolder composition, a refined pointed nose of plane for a faster look and feel and tighter spacing between characters with consistent angles. The modernized Jets logo will be added to each helmet shell, with either a white or green face mask. Due to the popularity of the bespoke green and matte black, the helmet shells colors will remain the same.

A full suite of secondary logos has been developed to reinforce and expand the Jets brand identity. These logos incorporate key characteristics of the primary mark, including font, color and in some instances the distinctive shape of the Jet.

Jets fans have an opportunity to upgrade their wardrobe with the newest Jets apparel. A new collection of Jets wear has launched on NFL Shop Europe that features jerseys, jackets, hoodies, caps, and t-shirts, all with the new legacy logo. Fans can also purchase the new apparel on gamedays at the official Jets Shop at MetLife Stadium.