The New York Jets have officially announced that six players have been voted as team captains for the 2026 season.
Those players, according to the team, are as follows:
- QB Geno Smith
- OL Joe Tippmann
- S Minkah Fitzpatrick
- LB Demario Davis
- DT Harrison Phillips
- WR/PR/KR Isaiah Williams
This is a brand-new batch of captains. Three of these players are new additions to the team in 2026, while three are holdovers who earned the distinction for the first time as members of the Jets.
Last year’s team captains were quarterback Justin Fields, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, linebacker Jamien Sherwood, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, and linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball (special teams).
Fields, Vera-Tucker, and Williams have left the team. Sherwood’s defensive captaincy transferred to new linebacker Demario Davis, while McCrary-Ball’s special teams captaincy was taken over by returner Isaiah Williams, who was voted by his teammates as the Curtis Martin Team MVP in 2025.
It is interesting, though, to see Wilson lose his captain spot, although there is never much of a reason to read too deeply into these things. Wilson has demonstrated maturity and leadership through his comments to the media over the past few months, including high praise for his younger teammates, and he solidified his commitment to the organization by signing a four-year, $130 million contract extension. There is no controversy here.
Fitzpatrick and Davis’ selections are not surprising. Both newly added by the Jets in 2026, they are multi-time All-Pros with a combined 22 years of NFL experience. It makes complete sense that the Jets’ young roster voted for them.
The same goes for Phillips. While the 30-year-old does not have the same level of on-field pedigree as Fitzpatrick and Davis, he clearly established himself as a locker-room leader for the team in 2025.
Tippmann is a team captain for the first time in his four-year career. At 25 years old, he is the youngest captain between the offense and defense (Williams is also 25). The Wisconsin product re-upped with the team on a four-year, $66.4 million contract extension this offseason.
