Punter Austin McNamara, who signed with the Jets in free agency last March after not being selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November after producing a 43.5-yard average (third best among qualifiers) in the Green & White’s four games.
“Mac, he is a weapon, and I call him a weapon,” HC Aaron Glenn said after last Sunday’s win over Atlanta. “We call him our sniper because he has the ability to flip the field for us at any given time. But it’s the collective unit that I look at. We have a damn good punter.”
In the win over the Falcons, McNamara, 24, lofted a second-quarter punt 37 yards to the Atlanta 7-yard line where it was muffed and recovered on the 2-yard line by gunner CB Qwan’tez Stiggers. Two plays later Breece Hall scored the game’s first TD. Then, with less than 2 minutes to play and the game tied, 24-24, the former Texas Tech punter landed a 56-yard boot at the Atlanta 9-yard line. After several changes of possession, the Jets came away with the win on Nick Folk’s 56-yard FG.
“It’s obviously very exciting, very humbling for me,” McNamara, an Arizona native who punted, kicked off and was the placekicker since his freshman season in college for the Red Raiders. “AG, [special teams] Coach [Chris] Banjo, they’ve been with me since Day 1. They’re the reason why I’m here, and so I’m very grateful to be here and be one of their guys. I’m just trying to do my part, and help the team out, put us in the best position possible to win. So it makes me, keeps me motivated, for sure. Obviously, I want to play for those guys, play for my teammates, and play for these fans in this organization. So, I’m excited to be here.”