Nick Folk's focus as a pro placekicker has been apparent on NFL fields for nearly two decades. And it also came through inside the building, such as when he had been told on Feb. 23, 2017, that the Jets would no longer need his services.
Another man might've been angry, another man might've been hurt. But Folk was understanding, and he was focused on the next chapter in his career.
"I try not to read into too many things, but with the cap number I had and where the Jets are with the cap, you kind of see where they're headed," said Folk as he packed up his locker at 1 Jets Drive. "I get it. At the end of the day this is a business and sometimes you're on the wrong end of the business part of it."
As for his next stop, Folk was philosophical: "I'm going to see where the wind takes me."
The man nicknamed "Folk Hero" by then-first-year head coach Rex Ryan for his clutch kicking in 2010 was buffeted by the NFL winds to Tampa Bay, then to New England and Tennessee. And the gusts have brought him back to the Jets, where he has signed to kick for another first-year HC in Aaron Glenn.
Folk still has competition on the roster in K Harrison Mevis. But in advance of the decision that Glenn and special teams coordinator Chris Banjo will have to make at that position, here are some reasons Folk at 40 is still well-regarded by Jets fans.
5
The number of walkoff field goals — game-winning kicks on the last play of regulation or in overtime — struck by Folk as a Jet. His first four were all of the crowd-silencing road game variety: at Detroit and at Indy in the playoffs in 2010 (more below), at Miami in OT in '12, and in '13 at Atlanta and home against New England. Those fiive walkoff kicks are tied for the most in Jets history with Pat Leahy's five
6
The number of Jets games in which Folk kicked at least four field goals. That's not a franchise record (Leahy had seven), but Folk had two games of 5-for-5, vs. Minnesota in 2010 and at the Vikings in '14, that was the Jets mark for most makes without a miss until Jason Myers in '18 and Greg Zuerlein in '22-23 equaled that total.
11
Field goals converted in the last two minutes of a game or in OT by Folk as a Jet. He broke his tie with Leahy in this category with a 50-yarder at San Francisco n 2016 that set up Bilal Powell's game-winning overtime TD dash vs. the 49ers. Folk Hero was 11-of-13 in these last-minute kicks as a Jet.
18
The number of 50-yard FGs struck by Folk as a Jet, another franchise record. Among the makes were his 56-yarder at Denver in 2010, the longest FG in franchise history at the time, and his 55-yarder at MetLife vs. Buffalo in 2014, tied for the longest home FG at the time.
Check out the top photos from a hot and competitive first week of Jets training camp at the Atlantic Health Training Center.
32
The distance in yards of Folk's most famous kick in green and white, the one he tucked inside the right upright at Lucas Oil Stadium with 0:00 on the clock to complete the Jets' 17-16 walkoff win over the Colts in the 2010 AFC Wild Card Game. The roar of the home fans faded as the ball approached the goalpost so that Folk's exclamation of "YESSS!! as he punched the air in triumph was clearly audible, and remains so today on a number of YouTube videos.
82.2%
Folk's FG accuracy in his seven seasons as a Jet (2010-16). Some kickers have kicked more accurately in shorter stays but Folk's career accuracy on 175-of-213 kicks is the franchise mark among qualifying kickers.
92.3%
It may be a surprise for all except those who kept tabs on Folk after he left the Jets, but he seems to have gotten better with age. From 2020, his second of four Patriots seasons, through last season, his second with the Titans, Folk was the most ice-cold kicker in the game. His 92.3% accuracy (144 of 156) is No. 1 in the league among the 23 kickers with at least 100 attempts. In that five-year span, he didn't miss a kick under 40 yards (76 of 76), and on 40+ FGs, he was again best in the NFL among those 100-attempt kickers with an 85.0% accuracy (68 of 80).
