34 former NY Jets who are part of the XFL in 2023

Former NY Jets on the Vegas Vipers

Joey Clinkscales, director of player personnel

Once upon a time, Joey Clinkscales was one of the rising stars in the NFL scouting ranks, and he was also the Jets' top talent evaluator for many years, 18 to be exact. Clinkscales was around for the Bill Parcells era with Mike Tannenbaum all the way until Rex Ryan's glorious runs to a championship.

Clinkscales started out as a full-time scout in 1994 before eventually moving up the ranks to national scout and then director of college scouting in 2006. He would eventually part ways with New York to join the Raiders in 2012.

There were some ups and downs during Clinkscales's time in New York, but the team landed some of its best players ever during his tenure, including Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, and D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

Ray Sherman, WRs coach

Rod Woodson has some grizzled vets on his coaching staff, and two of them were Jets assistants in the '90s. Ray Sherman, back in 1994, was supposed to be the Jets' solution at offensive coordinator for then-rookie head coach Pete Carroll. Things don't go as planned for Carroll or Sherman in New York.

Bob Wylie, OL coach

The Jets tight ends coach under Bruce Coslet in 1990 and 1991 is a well-traveled assistant who has coached for over four decades.

Isaiah Williams, OL

Interestingly enough, Isaiah Williams is back in the XFL after playing in the league three years ago. Since that time, he has had three different NFL stints. The former Tampa Viper, now Vegas Viper, spent 2021 with the Jets on their practice squad.

He was elevated to the active roster on three separate occasions. The Jets let him go at final cuts before the 2022 season.

Brandon Dillon, TE

Small-school tight end Brandon Dillon is another player who was with the Jets on their practice squad in 2021 before being let go in 2022. The first-team NAIA All-American at Marian College spent three seasons on and off the Minnesota Vikings roster before making his way to Gang Green.

Antonio Garcia, OL

The former third-round pick of the New England Patriots out of Troy in 2017 was claimed by the Jets off waivers in 2018, but a blood clot issue in his lungs, which caused Antonio Garcia to lose 40 pounds, affected his playing ability.

Truthfully, he hasn't been able to get back on track since college, but the Jets and Pats saw something in him.

Destiny Vaeao, DT

The undrafted Samoan nose tackle from Washington State showed a lot of promise in his first three seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, but injuries have been his Achilles heel — they ended his time in Philly.

The Jets took a shot on Destiny Vaeao in 2018. He did land on their practice squad and was activated to the main roster, but knee issues slowed him down with New York, and then eventually with the Carolina Panthers as well.