Jets RB-KR Kene Nwangwu has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 13.
Nwangwu, called up from the practice squad Saturday and signed to the active roster Monday, had a kick-return touchdown and forced a fumble on a kick return in the Green & White's 26-21 loss to the Seahawks. The 99-yard score in the second quarter was his fourth return touchdown in as many seasons in the NFL.
"The return happened just like we drew it up," he said. "I saw Irv [Charles] come down and kick out a defender, I read him and then up toward the middle of the field. Someone almost tackled me and then we were up the sideline. I slowed down to get a block and then got to the end zone and finally got to celebrate."
Originally drafted by the Vikings in the fourth round in 2021 out of Iowa State, Nwangwu led the league with 2 return touchdowns as a rookie and his 4 scores are the second most among active NFL players. He became the 13th Jet since 1997 to return a kickoff for a touchdown and the first since Braxton Berrios in 2021. Nwangwu was twice named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week -- once in '21 and again in '22. He's the 6th Jet to win the award since 2001 and the first since Berrios.
Nwagwu forced a fumble in the first quarter on Seahawks returner Dee Williams that Jets CB Brandin Echols secured. It was the team's first of two fumble recoveries on kickoffs as the Green & White became the first team since the 2016 Patriots to recover two fumbles on kickoffs in one game.
"I was just trying to be instinctual and trying to make a play," Nwangwu said of his hit. "I got off my block and I saw the ball and it was literally there on a platter for me. I kept it simple and tried to make a play."
With the help of Nwangwu, the Jets became the first team in NFL history to have a kick-return TD, two fumble recoveries on kickoffs and a blocked extra point (Quinnen Williams) in one game. They did it in the first half.
"The practice habits were as good as I've ever seen," interim HC Jeff Ulbrich said of the Iowa State product. "And for that to be a guy that's never playing on Sundays, he went five, six weeks of not even stepping on the field, but the practice would have never told you that. The practice would have said, 'Man, that guy is a starter.' That guy is going to be out there every rep on Sunday and he never wavered from that. I used to love to jump over [to the offensive in practice] and even the offensive drills, his burst, his speed and his intentionality on all the little details was every day, every moment, every drill, every practice, every walk through.
"Everything was on point and no surprise he played so well. It was just a byproduct all that work he'd put in. What a powerful message to the team that you keep grinding, keep working, selfless and all that you do, and you will get rewarded."
