Summer of Isaiah Williams continues as Jets WR earns powerful endorsement

While the New York Jets have made some big additions in the second season of the Aaron Glenn regime, one of their biggest noisemakers from training camp is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound wide receiver and special-teamer who wasn't even on the team to start 2025. Isaiah Williams is constantly growing and evolving.

Jets wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson is a big fan of Williams, calling him a "dog" and saying that if he were trapped in a burning building, he would call Williams to help him escape. Jefferson called Williams the "heartbeat of the offense," which is not praise that gets thrown around every day.

Williams proved he belongs in the NFL last year, and the goal for 2026 is showing both his coaches and the league as a whole that he can make it as a wide receiver, not just a kick returner.

New York Jets WR Isaiah Williams called "heartbeat" of the offense

Williams' redemption arc with the Jets has been something special to watch. Originally a mid-season addition after constant turnover in the returner room, Williams' decision to fair catch a punt at the two-yard line in a primetime loss to the Miami Dolphins had fans expecting him to get his pink slip the next Tuesday.

Glenn and special teams coordinator Chris Banjo stuck with him, and Williams responded with a season that should have earned him some All-Pro nominations. Not only did he tally almost 900 kick return yards before Kene Nwangwu made that job his own, but he also ran back two punts for touchdowns.

Williams caught 26 passes for 193 yards last season. Those numbers may look fairly ordinary, but what else can be expected of someone catching passes from Brady Cook? Williams is currently fighting for a role that could be as high as WR3 and as low as WR6 on the depth chart.

Williams, who is fresh off winning the Jets' team MVP for his excellence on special teams, being able to beat out veteran Tim Patrick for some extra snaps on offense seems like a reasonable goal to shoot for. Patrick's ability to use his size and block on the outside will be weighed against Williams' quickness and youth.

With how he has spent most of the offseason proving those who doubt his receiving upside wrong, Williams may prove to be more than just a great kick returner for Glenn and the Jets.

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