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There were not a lot of highlights from the Jets’ 2025 season.
It was a rough one for Gang Green and their fans.
But two lights in the darkness were the work of a coordinator and one of his top players – Jets special teams coordinator Chris Banjo and returner Isaiah Williams.
Some wondered if Banjo was ready to be a coordinator after just two years of coaching experience as a special teams assistant for two years in Denver.
But Aaron Glenn took a leap of faith, hiring a player he coached in New Orleans from 2016-18. Banjo was an NFL safety from 2013-22 with stops in Jacksonville, Green Bay, New Orleans, and Minnesota, making a name for himself as a special teams whiz.
And Glenn’s gamble paid off big-time.
While the Jets were underwhelming on offense and defense, their special teams shone all year.
One of the most impressive plays of the Jets’ season was defensive end Will McDonald leaping over the Tampa Bay offensive line to block a field goal attempt and return it 50 yards for a go-ahead touchdown late in the game.
The special team set the Jets up for the win, but the Jets’ defense, facing an offensive line with four starters out, could not prevent Tampa Bay from driving down the field for a late field goal and the win.
But the Jets special teams were excellent all season.
The Jets’ kicking game was outstanding with both punter Austin McNamara and placekicker Nick Folk having outstanding seasons.
And then there was Williams, who was a revelation.
Williams, signed off the Cincinnati practice squad early last season, did some great work as a returner, including a 74-yard punt-return touchdown in the win over Cleveland, a 78-yard PR score against the Dolphins, and an 83-yard kickoff return against Atlanta.
He was named team MVP after the season. How often do you ever see a player signed off a practice squad in season, turn into a team MVP? Not sure it’s ever happened.
Williams is clearly a gifted returner. A former QB at Illinois, as a punt and kick returner, he’s a rare talent.
I asked Banjo, who was a great kick and punt cover guy during his playing days, what makes Williams so challenging for kick and punt cover teams to deal with.
“There are a couple things with him,” Banjo said. “Honestly, his confidence, I’ll start with that, just his confidence believing that any time the ball is in his hands that he can make a play happen. I think he has really good contact balance. I think his start-stop is phenomenal. So, there are a couple different metrics that I think he possesses and talents that he possesses that really makes him a tough [guy to tackle] for anybody throughout the league.”
And preparing for Banjo’s special teams was tough for opponents throughout the league last season.
Being around Banjo, you can tell he has the “it” factor, and I would not be surprised if he’s a head coach in the NFL in the near future.
While many football decisions in 2025 didn’t work out ideally for the Jets, the hiring of Banjo and the signing of Williams, certainly did.
June 22, 2026
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