As bad as the New York Jets have been in 2025, there is one outlier to the 3-10 roster.

Their special teams unit is the best in football… in quite some time, as well.

Despite falling 34-10 to the Miami Dolphins, the Jets recorded another special teams touchdown, a 78-yard punt return by Isaiah Williams, increasing the unit’s DVOA to 12.4 percent. That would be an NFL record if the season ended today.

From the returners, Williams and Kene Nwangwu, to ageless kicker Nick Folk and an all-world punter in Austin McNamara, the Jets have gotten incredible performances all year from their special teams units.

It continues to excite their head coach, Aaron Glenn, who made a bold decision months back when he stuck with Williams despite a rough start in New York.

Williams proves Jets right for believing in him

Returning one punt for a touchdown in a year is great. Returning two is elite.

Doing so just months after making multiple major mistakes in a game and being released for it? That’s just special.

That is precisely the road Williams has been on in 2025. After a nightmare performance in Miami during New York’s early-season stretch, the second-year returner has fought his way back, consistently making plays to keep the Jets in games.

Williams’ resilience is why Glenn continued believing him.

“I know earlier in the year he had some miscues, but I do trust that player,” Glenn said. “You have to believe that the returner is going to score, and our guys sustain their blocks, they work their (expletive) off to make sure that they give him a lane to be able to run, and Isaiah does a really good job with his vision to be able to see it and make the necessary cuts to go score.”

Jets return game continues special season

Aaron Glenn has had little to celebrate in his first season as head coach. He’s had to play three different quarterbacks, his defense is among the worst in football, and they’ve lost plenty of close games.

Through it all, though, he has been able to rely on his special teams to make plays when needed. On Sunday, a 78-yard punt return by Isaiah Williams gave New York their first (and only) score of the game.

While the outcome was ultimately a blowout, it was the kind of play the head coach has become accustomed to seeing.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Glenn said. “You see those guys go out there. They’re excited to go out there because again, they have a belief that Kene (Nwangwu) and Isaiah (Williams) will score as long as they just do their job and sustain their blocks.”

The entire unit has been exceptional all season. But it’s Williams’ turnaround that has altered the group completely over the last few weeks.

There is a lot wrong with the New York Jets. They have the resources to be able to fix most of those issues this offseason.

One thing they don’t have to worry about, though, is their special teams. As long as Williams, Nwangwu, and the other cast of characters are performing like this, history appears closer to being made.