According to SNY’s Connor Hughes, the New York Jets will be without running back and special teamer Kene Nwangwu on Monday night against the Miami Dolphins for the third consecutive week, as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
Nwangwu, 27, earned a spot on New York’s 53-man roster after a stellar performance in the preseason.
He delivered New York’s only two meaningful kick returns of the preseason, pushing the ball out to the 35- and 42-yard lines. None of the team’s other seven attempts even crossed the 25.
The success on special teams was nothing new for the former All-Pro kick returner. Across four seasons, Nwangwu has averaged 28.7 yards per return, the second-highest figure among players with at least 30 attempts since 2021.
What truly sets Nwangwu apart is his scoring ability. He has returned four kickoffs for touchdowns during that stretch, the most in the league, while no other player has more than two.
Although he logged just one return before going down in Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nwangwu made the most of it with a 33-yard burst.
Despite Nwangwu’s absence, the Jets’ special teams unit has continued to excel, ranking fourth in DVOA, while possessing Pro Football Focus’ second-highest special teams grade (90.0), behind only the Washington Commanders (90.6).
With Nwangwu sidelined for Monday night’s clash against the Dolphins, New York could once more turn to running back Braelon Allen and rookie wide receiver Arian Smith on kick returns, the same pairing the Jets used against Tampa Bay last Sunday.