Malachi Moore is the only player in the NFL this season to register a tackle on special teams in every game. It's tied for the longest streak by a player to start a season since 2017, and because of how focused the second-year safety is on doing his job, he had no idea.
"I really wasn't worried about the stats or the streak or anything like that," Moore said, who has played over 200 snaps on special teams this season. "I was just out there trying to do my job and here we are."
Moore has the willingness to do whatever the team needs, and in Week 9, he played 17 snaps on defense, his highest so far this season.
"As he continues week-by-week to progress, we just felt like he was ready to go," HC Aaron Glenn said.
With the Jets trading Andre Cisco, who played an instrumental role in Moore's early development, to the Detroit Lions at the deadline Tuesday, Moore's workload on defense could increase.
"I'm just making sure I'm preparing the right way each and every week," Moore said. "Preparing like a starter, so when that time comes, I'm ready for it."
Glenn said he was "a young player who was forced to play very early," as Moore had a starting role because of defensive injuries early last season. He played over 900 defensive snaps and made 101 total tackles.
"Whenever I'm on the field, it's making sure I'm performing at the best of my ability and making sure I'm prepared, knowing what the offense is going to do and our checks and everything," Moore said. "You never know when your number is going to be called and you have to be ready."
Over the offseason, the Jets added veterans Minkah Fitzpatrick and Dane Belton who Moore has learned from through the first half of his second NFL season.
"They've been teaching me a lot just by watching them and by talking to them about the game and little aspects on and off the field – how they recover, how they sleep, how they watch film – both of those guys have been very helpful," Moore said.
Moore has grown the most with trusting his instincts and "when you see something go get it," because of how he's watched Belton and Fitzpatrick, and special teams coordinator Chris Banjo has noticed his improved awareness.
"Any time you see a rookie player go into their second year, that's kind of the biggest thing you're looking for," Banjo said. "You see physically he's being able to play faster so he's able to put all those tools together and now you just feel that dawg presence that kind of comes from him when it comes to that."
The Jets face the Bills in Week 10, and QB Josh Allen will push the defense to limit explosive plays.
"His second-play ability is big for them," Moore said. "So, once we take away that initial read, we have to be ready to plaster guys in the back end and limit his playmaking ability."
Moore will also have a chance to increase his special teams tackle streak to 10 games.
"Whenever I'm out there on the field, I'm giving my 100 percent in and doing my job to the best of my ability," Moore said.
