Veteran RB Tevin Coleman has signed a new contract with the Jets.
Last season, Coleman (6-1, 210) averaged 4.2 yards a carry and added 11 receptions out of the backfield. Appearing in 11 contests, Coleman ranked second on the club behind Michael Carter in rush yards (356) and carries (84).
"More and more, you're seeing from a longevity standpoint, it's not a committee but more of a complement," said head coach Robert Saleh recently during a call with season ticket holders. "Ideally you have a one, two punch in there. Guys have different roles and they serve different purposes, but Michael can definitely carry the load and he can do anything you ask him to do. But there are 17 games in the season now, you want to make the playoffs, and obviously have a stretch in there, so there's that part of it. You have to make sure you pace it."
Coleman (28), a third-round pick of the Falcons in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Indiana, played in Atlanta four seasons before suiting up for the 49ers in 2019-20. Coleman is extremely comfortable in the Jets' scheme as Jets OC Mike LaFleur was an offensive assistant in Atlanta (2015-16) before moving on to serve as Kyle Shanahan's passing game coordinator & wide receivers coach in Frisco (2017-20). In 89 career games, Coleman has totaled 4,566 yards from scrimmage and 36 TDs while averaging 5.0 yards per touch.
Despite being a seven-year veteran, Coleman, who ran a 4.39 at his personal pro day in 2015, produced both the Jets' fifth- and fastest-runs of the season, reaching 20.56 MPH on a kickoff return vs. the Bills in Week 10, and topping that with a blazing speed of 21.09 MPH on a Week 5 kickoff return against the Falcons across the pond at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London.
