It’s understandable if Isiah Williams feels a bit frustrated with the Dolphins.
His performance during the Jets’ matchup against their rivals in Week 4 wasn’t ideal. He fumbled a kickoff in the second half and awkwardly signaled for a fair catch near his own 3-yard line.
Shortly after that rough outing in Miami, the Jets let him go.
The 24-year-old later joined the practice squad but made his way back to the active roster on October 18th.
Since then, he seems to be rejuvenated with the Jets. Now, he’s gearing up to face the very team that started this season’s wild ride for him.
The second-year wide receiver is heading into this upcoming game against their AFC East rival with, perhaps, a hint of uncertainty. But he’s not too focused on what went wrong earlier; in fact, he doesn’t think he needs to prove himself again this week.
“That was really what mattered more to me,” Williams expressed recently. “Miami is a solid team, and losing to them isn’t easy. But I felt that my performance was more about what I did wrong than anything they did.”
Williams had a significant turnaround in Week 8 when the Jets played the Bengals, where he notched up his first victory of the season in a tight 39-38 game.
In that game, he recorded five kickoff returns for 132 yards and three punt returns for 38 yards, plus three receptions that added another 31 yards. Quite an impressive showing, really.
His performance continued to shine in Week 12 against the Ravens, averaging 30.5 yards per return, even bringing back an 83-yard kickoff to ignite the fourth quarter in a 27-24 win over the Falcons.
“We’re continually trying to learn from our Miami mistakes every week,” he noted. “It’s just about growth for me.”
Special teams coach Chris Banjo recognized Williams’ potential and made the call to bring him back into the fold.
“While the previous game might not have been his best, it’s about resilience,” Banjo said. “He owned up to it and worked through it in our discussions.”
In other news, linebacker Quincy Williams was recognized as the Jets’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, which came as quite a surprise to him.
“Honestly, I don’t do it for recognition, but to give back,” he reflected. “So when I heard about it, it struck me. I mean, my true reward is seeing people smile and sharing their stories with me.”
On a more practical note, some players like Tony Adams (groin), Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (hip), and Marcelino McCrary Ball (hamstring) didn’t practice. Quarterback Justin Fields (knee), Jermaine Johnson (ankle), and Quantez Stigers (concussion) were limited in their participation.
After missing practice Wednesday for a personal appointment, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips played the entire game, alongside defensive lineman Will McDonald IV, who was also limited the day before.
