Jets rookie RB Braelon Allen has hit the ground running
Braelon Allen of the Jets runs the ball during the first quarter against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium on Thursday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Aaron Rodgers was with Green Bay when he heard about a 17-year-old kid playing football for the University of Wisconsin. That kid is now 20 and sitting in front of Rodgers in meetings and shared a huddle and field with him Thursday night.
Braelon Allen is the youngest player in the NFL this season. The Jets rookie running back became the youngest player in 94 years to score a touchdown when he took a Rodgers’ screen pass and ran it in for the score in Sunday's win at Tennessee. The 40-year-old Rodgers is the NFL’s oldest player.
“He’s turning 21 in January of his rookie year. That’s crazy,” Rodgers said. “It just gets a little weird when you’re playing against head coaches you played against [as players]. You’re playing with guys who could be your kid, age wise. It’s a good reminder of how special it is to still be playing at 40.”
The Jets expected a special night and atmosphere for their home opener Thursday against the Patriots at MetLife Stadium.
It was Rodgers' first home game since tearing his left Achilles tendon in Week 1 last year. It also was Allen’s first regular-season home game as a pro. But he introduced himself to the NFL last week in Nashville when he became the youngest player to score two touchdowns in the same game.
Allen, a physical, bruising back, should continue to play a role in the Jets’ offense.
Breece Hall is the Jets’ lead back and bellcow. Allen proved he can spell Hall or play with him. The Jets look like they have the 1-2 punch they hoped for last year with Hall and Dalvin Cook. That never materialized as Cook had no impact
“Braelon’s an RB1 in his own right,” Hall said. “He’s 6-1, 250 so like if I’m a safety I don’t want to come tackle him. Just for me, wear down the defense and him come in and just be the hammer. I wear down the defense, he comes in and they’re already tired. They don’t want to tackle him.
“It’s going to be cool to see how our duo could be. It’s going to fun.”
Tight end Tyler Conklin said Allen has some “Derrick Henry-like similarities” because of his size and the way he can run over people. This was something that drew the Jets to draft Allen in the fourth round.
They were looking for a short-yardage back, someone who can catch the ball out of the backfield and protect in the pass game. Allen was their young man.
“He checked all those boxes,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “When we drafted him, we just knew he was going to be a really good player.”
Allen was a 16-year-old junior when he decided to skip his senior year. He reclassified to the class of 2021and headed to Wisconsin a year earlier. Aside from his size, his maturity stands out.
The Jets showed a lot of faith in Allen by how they used him Sunday after he played in mop-up time in their Week 1 loss in San Francisco. Allen played 20 snaps against Tennessee. He either touched the ball or was targeted 11 times. His last touch was a 20-yard, go-ahead touchdown run.
“It just showed I’ve kind of earned the trust of my coaches and my teammates,” Allen said. “Just trying to do my best with whatever opportunities that I get regardless of what moment it is in the game, just focusing on doing my job.”
It was an important moment and it also said something about Allen.
“He’s doing well to show that the game’s not too big for him,” Saleh said. “He’s only going to get better as the season goes.”
The Jets’ offense is expected to become more well-rounded with receivers Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams getting more involved as well as the tight ends. Allen has earned a spot in the game plan each week.
Allen heard from so many family members, friends and people from Wisconsin after his big game. He didn’t know it at the time, but he found out about the historical significance of his game last week. Allen was honored.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “Not a lot of people have that opportunity to be this young and in this position in this stage of their life. I’m extremely blessed and proud and just trying to keep stacking.”
Allen said becoming the youngest player to do anything was never really on his radar.
“I think my family was more in tune with that type of stuff,” he said. “My biggest thing was to get here, make the team, earn a spot, get on the field. I can’t say I would have expected to score within the first few weeks of the season. I’m just happy that I was given the opportunity to do so.”
Two-minute drill
Linebacker C.J. Mosley (toe) was inactive. Jamien Sherwood started in his place . . . The Jets placed defensive end Jermaine Johnson (torn Achilles) on injured reserve and signed defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes to the active roster. They also elevated linebacker Marcelino McCray-Ball from the practice squad with Mosley down.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
