Following the New York Jets’ dominant 24-3 victory over the division rival New England Patriots, Jets head coach Robert Saleh praised second-year defensive end Will McDonald.
“Will has done a great job taking advantage,” Saleh said. “For him, it’s kind of a blessing. Without Haason [Reddick] being here, it’s given him a lot more reps than he would’ve taken.”
McDonald has had a remarkable start to his sophomore campaign. Through three weeks, McDonald has recorded 5.0 sacks, the second-most in the league.
Behind McDonald’s 2.0 sacks (two half, one solo), the Jets’ defense had a remarkable game against New England, allowing 139 yards while recording seven sacks. Plenty of New York defenders were able to get to quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye throughout the game.
Many fans raised their eyebrows when the Jets selected McDonald with the 15th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. While McDonald did not receive much playing time as a rookie, he is taking full advantage of a surprising increase in snaps to start his sophomore season.
Despite a great start to the 2024 season, McDonald made it clear he is not satisfied with his production yet. “No, I ain’t impressed yet,” McDonald said following the game. “Have to finish the season for me to be impressed. But it doesn’t matter unless we get to the championship and win that ring.”
McDonald continued to emphasize that the Jets have set their sights on winning the Lombardi Trophy, stating, “Getting to the championship. That’s our only mindset: get to the championship and win that—get that ring on my finger.”
With a Week 4 matchup against rookie quarterback Bo Nix, McDonald will aim to continue capitalizing on his increased snap counts due to Haason Reddick’s absence.
