Watch: New York Jets Practice Squad Promotion Score on Kickoff Return

The New York Jets continued a landslide of big plays as a recent addition scored the fourth kickoff return of his career.

Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu (26) returns a kickoff against the Detroit Lions during the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Before Sunday’s game, the New York Jets promoted running back Kene Nwangwu from the practice squad.

To some degree, the promotion made sense. Running back Breece Hall has been dealing with a knee injury for two weeks and while he was able to play against Seattle, the Jets wanted to make sure they had some coverage at the position.

Plus, Nwangwu had experience as a kickoff returner and that’s an area where New York has struggled to make big plays this season.

He took care of that in the second quarter on Sunday.

The Jets were already 14-0 when Seattle scored a touchdown to cut three lead to 14-7 early in the second quarter.

Seattle kicked off to Nwangwu and he caught the football at the 1-yard line.

Nwangwu started moving to his left as he reached the 25-yard line and found a seam toward the left hashmark. By the 30, he was clear of most of the Seahawks’ coverage team. He evaded the kicker and overtook him by the Seattle 40-yard line and outran one last defender to make it to the end zone.

YOU GOTTA WATCH THIS!!!!

📺 #SEAvsNYJ on FOX pic.twitter.com/pclb8ThICP

— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 1, 2024

For Nwangwu, it was the fourth kickoff return for a touchdown of his four-year career.

He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Iowa State and spent three seasons with the Vikings. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns his rookie season, earned NFL Special Teams Player of the Week honors and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team.

He returned another kickoff for a touchdown in 2022.

He missed all of 2023 due to an injury and was waived by the Vikings in August of his year as part of final roster cuts. The New Orleans Saints claimed him off waivers on Aug. 28 but waived him the next day after he failed a physical.

Nwangwu signed with the Jets’ practice squad in September.

Earlier in the game, rookie running back Isaiah Davis scored his first NFL touchdown on a shovel pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Before that Rodgers, who turns 41 years old on Monday, threw a block on an end-around for wide receiver Malachi Corley and two plays later he threw a touchdown pass to Davante Adams.

The Jets (3-8) have slim playoff hopes at this point. Team management, led by owner Woody Johnson has basically declared the season over. During the bye week he fired general manager Joe Douglas two months after he fired head coach Robert Saleh.

The Saleh move didn’t pay off as interim coach Jeff Ulbrich was 1-5 going into Sunday’s game.

In the lead-up to the game, the Jets moved offensive tackle Tyron Smith to injured reserve with a neck injury. He will miss the next four games with six remaining. It’s possible he doesn’t return this season. Olu Fashanu started for him once again at left tackle.