New Jets signing reveals childhood favorite player in return to hometown team

Andre Cisco has spent the last few years trying to find his football as a starting-caliber NFL safety, but his latest career move has brought him back to where it all started.

The Valley Stream native signed with the New York Jets this offseason, providing him with a rare opportunity to play for the very team he grew up watching as a kid on Long Island. It’s the kind of homecoming that feels more personal than most.

Cisco played his college ball just upstate at Syracuse, and even though he never made it to a Jets training camp at Hofstra, he recalls walking past the camp every summer.

Now officially donning the green and white, Cisco opened up about his childhood fandom during Wednesday’s OTA session, revealing that he always leaned more toward the Jets than the Giants.

And when it came to picking a favorite player?

"I always lead with Mark Sanchez. He was at the helm, he was super popular, especially in my hometown, around the Latino community, people that I knew."

Andre Cisco

Andre Cisco hopes to bounce back with his hometown NY Jets in 2025

Cisco’s arrival in Florham Park comes at a pivotal time for both him and the Jets. The former third-round pick spent the first four years of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, starting 44 games over the past three seasons.

While his early years in Jacksonville were promising, Cisco’s 2024 campaign was his most difficult yet. He struggled with inconsistencies, ultimately finishing with a career-low 58.8 Pro Football Focus grade and was even benched late in the year. Cisco was a healthy scratch for his final game in Jacksonville.

Still, the Jets saw something they liked. Cisco inked a one-year, $8.5 million deal this offseason, making him one of the team’s most significant free-agent additions.

At just 24 years old, the Jets are banking on a bounce-back year under new head coach Aaron Glenn and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, two individuals with plenty of experience coaching defensive backs who could be just what Cisco needs to unlock his potential again.

Cisco now has the chance to make an impact for the team he once grew up watching, and perhaps channel the same energy that made Sanchez a fan favorite during those back-to-back AFC Championship Game runs.

For a Jets secondary looking for playmakers and tone-setters, Cisco offers both, and this reunion with his hometown team could be just the spark he needs to revitalize his career. The Jets are hoping their hometown signing becomes more than just a feel-good story.

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