Running back Breece Hall will have a starring role in the Jets' offense again when their regular season kicks off against the 49ers in Santa Clara, CA, on Monday night.
Leading up to the game, however, Hall has been serving an important role for the Jets' defense, simulating in practice the running and receiving style of San Francisco RB Christian McCaffrey.
"It has been a lot of fun matching up with Quincy [Williams] and a couple of our safeties and nickels this past few weeks and just running routes helping them prepare," Hall said. "It is helping me get better while also getting them ready."
McCaffrey, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, is coming off a monster 2023 season in which he finished third in MVP voting and amassed a league-leading 2,023 scrimmage yards and 21 touchdowns.
Hall, a similarly versatile back, has spent extra time during and after workouts running routes against the Jets' linebackers and nickelbacks who could draw the assignment of covering the Niners' All-Pro tailback.
"Anytime I am supposed to run an option route, or I am lined up in the slot, Quincy is guarding me," Hall said. "We have been talking smack to each other whenever one of us wins. It prepares him for McCaffrey and helps prepare me for the great linebacking corps over there. We have our days where we are winning while also learning from our losses."
For Hall, playing McCaffrey in practice is not enough. Hall, a native of Wichita, grew up studying the former Stanford and Carolina Panthers player, and wants to prove he also belongs in the upper echelon of running backs.
"I have always watched him since I was in middle school," Hall said. "Everyone remembers the game he had against Iowa in the Rose Bowl including him taking an option route to the crib the first play and what he did in the return game. I like to watch him and how he has no wasted movement when he is running the ball or running routes. He is also good at running against zone or man, he always knows what read to make. He pretty much does everything right."
McCaffrey battled injuries early in his career, playing just 10 games over a two-year stretch from 2020-21. He rebounded with consecutive Pro Bowl seasons. After missing 10 games as a rookie with a torn ACL, Hall had a similar rebound last season.
In 2023, Hall totaled 1,585 scrimmage yards and got stronger as the year progressed, recording 507 scrimmage yards and 4 touchdowns over the final 3 games. He wants to carry that momentum into the coming season 2024.
"I look back at it now and just feel like there's nothing I can't do," Hall said. "I have a lot of long days, a lot of long nights, a lot of wondering if I was going to be the same again and just little stuff like that. And God willing, I was able to work hard enough, and it just took some time. I feel like I'm better than ever right now. Really to me, I haven't really done anything in this league yet. … [McCaffrey] sets the standard. He's a top-10 player in this league, and I feel like with my talent and the team we have, I have potential to trend towards that way. So, I'm just excited to get rolling."
