Running back Braelon Allen has made an emphatic return to the New York Jets, scoring a 31-yard touchdown Friday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, just 11 months after a knee injury ended his previous season. The touchdown was a significant highlight for the Jets, signaling Allen's recovery and readiness to contribute. Allen's return from the injury, which sidelined him after only four games last year, was met with excitement from teammates and coaches.
"I was super happy for him, but not a surprise for us," said tight end Jeremy Ruckert, who provided a key block on the touchdown play. "We get to see everything he does behind closed doors, how much work he puts in, how much he takes care of his body. I think it was good for the world to see his hard work pay off and he’s still building in the right direction. He’s going to be huge for us this year."
Allen's resurgence could create a potent one-two punch in the backfield alongside Breece Hall. Jets coach Aaron Glenn expressed hope for a dynamic three-headed running back committee, including Hall, Allen, and Isaiah Davis. "We all saw his ability to actually press the hole, right?" Glenn commented. "Put his foot in the ground and get vertical and then run away from people. The speed that he’s always had, that’s really showed up. It’s really good to see it. I’m happy for him. I’m proud of him. Listen, we’re all rooting for that player."
Center Josh Myers described the sideline reaction to Allen's touchdown as explosive. "In here, we all know the type of player that he is and what he’s capable of," Myers stated. "Obviously, it’s been a really hard year for him. There’s nothing worse than getting injured and being out, especially for that period of time. I think the whole team … and I think you could probably feel it a little bit, the whole team was just so pumped for him. He deserves it. He’s a great dude."
In other team news, defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat passed his physical on Saturday and is expected to be removed from the non-football injury list. Sweat, acquired in a trade with the Titans in March, had been dealing with a hamstring injury that prevented him from practicing in training camp. The expectation is that he will ramp up his activity this week and could participate in practices next week. Sweat is anticipated to be a key contributor to the Jets' defense.