Probably the first video evidence of edge Will McDonald IV's superior, otherworldly athletic ability most people saw after the Jets made him their first-round (No. 15) overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft was a clip of the Iowa State product jumping over a car.

Now McDonald can add a stunning highlight to his video library from Sunday's game at Tampa Bay when he launched himself between the Bucs' long snapper and right guard, got his paws on a field-goal attempt by Chase McLaughlin and propelled it bouncing in the other direction.

He stayed on his feet, grabbed the pigskin at midfield and made a beeline, shielded by Qwan'tez Stiggers, for the end zone with 1:49 on the clock to get the Jets even at 26-26 before Nick Folk added the PAT.

"I feel like it was kind of a legendary play for me, probably the best play I've ever made in my NFL career," McDonald (6-4, 236) said after the game. "You know, at the end of the day I still helped out and I was still able to get my team in a good position to win. I feel like I could have done a little bit more in the game to get our team in a better position, but obviously we see the outcome."

It was the first time a Jets player blocked a field goal and took it back for a TD since Ray Mickens (coincidentally a teammate of HC Aaron Glenn at Texas A&M) did in 1997 on a 72-yard ramble in Week 4 vs. the Raiders.

"I made sure I went over once we got into the locker room to just tell him [McDonald] how much it means to the team, to me," WR Garrett Wilson said. "That is a pure will play. When I say will, I mean, actual willpower, like I am going to make this play." He added: "You feel like you climb a mountain, getting back to take a lead."

It was 1 of 9 special team plays for McDonald in the game. Earlier in the game, he also came close to blocking a field-goal attempt, that time using his speed from the edge.

Afterward, Glenn also credited STC Chris Banjo for going with his gut and encouraging McDonald to do his thing.

"Our special team coordinator [Chris] Banjo does a good job of identifying guys that can go make a play for us," Glenn said. "And it just so happened, doing scout team, Will wanted to rush the kick. And he was rushing from the edge. And then Banjo said, listen, we might give this guy a chance. And then we did, we had some edge rushes. And then the one critical one where he [McDonald] was able to leap and be to make a play was one that that Banjo did a really good job of calling at that time of need. And listen, playmakers make plays. And that's what this game is all about."

'We Got to Close the Game'

After the play by Will McDonald IV helped the Jets take a 27-26 lead, Tampa Bay drove 48 yards in 7 plays to the winning field goal. It was the second time this season (Week 1 vs. Pittsburgh) that the opposition scored decisive points on a late 3-pointer.

"We definitely got to get a stop," DT Quinnen Williams said Sunday. "Whenever you have the opportunity to close the game, put the team on your back as a defense, we got to get a stop. We got to close the game." 


CB Sauce Gardner, who left the game, went to the locker room to have his head injury evaluated and then returned late in the fourth quarter echoed Williams.

"We have to stop coming up short," Gardner said.

LB Jamien Sherwood added: "We just have to be better. Simple. Can't get beat. Got to own our leverage. Got to make plays on the ball. Got to get the ball out and do our job at the end of the day."

Jets Young Players

The Jets have one of the youngest groups of starters, with an average age of 25.1, in the NFL. But that's only part of the story when you consider the entire roster being built by GM Darren Mougey and HC Aaron Glenn, particularly among the guys drafted this year. Against Tampa Bay, there were major and important contributions from starters and reserves.

For the third straight game, RT Armand Membou played 100% (69 plays) of the snaps on offense, third-round pick WR Arian Smith played 78% (54), second-round pick TE Mason Taylor 71% (51), fourth-round pick S Malachi Moore 100% (72), fifth-rounders DL Tyler Baron 35% (25) and LB Kiko Mauigoa 19% (14), and third-rounder CB Azareye'h Thomas 14% (10), who spelled Sauce Gardner for part of the second half.

"That young group, they've done a great job," veteran S Andre Cisco said. "I feel like they've seamlessly been able to step into big roles. So, you won't see it now, but down the line it'll pay great dividends. And I think the energy understanding of today, NFL games are four quarters in, as long as you keep that in mind, and they did a great job."

Cisco took particular note of how Thomas stood tall while Gardner was being evaluated for a head injury.

"I think it's very encouraging, young guys being able to pick up and learn," Cisco said. "Like AZ [Thomas], standing around for most of the day, able to step in and get two big catch deflections or just great coverage reps."

Sometimes, the Stats DO Lie

For the record, the Jets had a single sack of Baker Mayfield on Sunday, shared by Harrison Phillips and Quincy Williams early in the game. What the stat sheet doesn't reflect is that Tampa Bay committed 6 holding penalties on their first drive alone, and had 7 overall among the team's total of 14 penalties overall for 124 yards.

Asked afterward about the single sack, HC Aaron Glenn shot back: "How many holding calls they have? Seven. I'm not disappointed at that. So when you look at the totality of what happened, I thought those guys did a really good job. The thing that we do have to do a better job of, we had him [Mayfield] in our grasp a couple of times, and we just got to finish those plays. So I know for a fact that we can make all these deals of what could have happened, but the thing that they forced seven holding calls. We had him and we didn't finish."