In the New York Jets’ 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans, Irvin Charles demonstrated his value on special teams and earned praise from head coach Robert Saleh for his standout performance.
While addressing the media following Sunday’s victory, Saleh said of Charles, “He is a Pro Bowl special teamer—an All-Pro special teamer—and if people don’t know who he is, then they need to figure it out quick.”
This isn’t the first time Saleh has praised Charles. Last summer, he referred to Charles as an “absolute wolf” on special teams.
Charles contributed in multiple ways against Tennessee. Most notably, he had a crucial punt block, setting up the Jets’ offense in Titans territory. It led to the team taking a seven-point lead late in the third quarter. Charles also recorded two crucial tackles in punt coverage during Sunday’s contest, holding the Titans to returns of 0 and -2 yards. According to Pro Football Focus, Charles earned a special teams grade of 91.3.
The Jets signed Charles as an undrafted free agent in 2022, and he spent the majority of his first season in Green and White with the team’s practice squad. Charles was inactive for the first four games of the 2023 season but quickly distinguished himself upon his debut in Week 5. On his first snap in punt coverage, he forced a fumble. Charles continued his stellar play throughout the rest of the season as he finished his 2023 campaign with a team-high special teams grade of 90.3 at PFF.
“I feel like I proved that I could play here, I could bang with these guys, and I could compete with them,” said Charles when he officially earned a spot on the team’s 53-man roster in 2023. “Coming out undrafted, the odds are kind of stacked against you. People always say there’s this, that, and the third, but coming out here and being able to put it on tape, not only for them but for myself, but to prove that I could do it and I could play with these guys more so than anything. That was just the biggest thing for me. I felt like I got to prove itself.”
Charles aims to maintain his dominant play throughout the rest of the Jets’ 2024 season, continuing this Thursday with the team’s home opener against the division-rival New England Patriots.
