When Tack McKinley rushed the rim, beat Giants tackle Evan Neal and tackled quarterback Tommy DeVito in the closing minutes of the first quarter Saturday night, he could barely contain his joy.
McKinley jumped up and did a little celebration, feeling like he was back in full swing. For McKinley, this was the first time he had been sacked since 2021, when he was with the Browns.
That was before he tore his Achilles. That was before he bounced around the Titans, Rams and Cowboys’ practice squads and active rosters but didn’t take a snap. And that was before the Cowboys cut him in June 2023 and he went a year without a team.
“It felt really good,” McKinley said after Saturday’s 10-6 win over the Giants. “It was the first time I’ve been out of the game since 2021. I’m just grateful to be out there and continue to pursue my dream. I’m thankful the Jets gave me the opportunity. I had a lot of fun out there.”
The question now is whether McKinley did enough to keep the team during the regular season.
If cuts are made over the next few days, he will almost certainly be on the 53-man roster. Teams must get down to 53 by 4 p.m. Tuesday.
McKinley joined the Jets in June after a trial at the team’s minicamp. He had a strong training camp and positioned himself to be the team’s leading edge rusher with Haason Reddick still hanging on.
If so, it would mark the end of a long comeback for the Falcons’ first-round pick in 2017.
“It was tough,” McKinley said of his journey. “I had a lot to grow up with and I had to grow on my own. To be honest, not playing football for a year and a half was tough. There was so much money to be made and you’re out of the league. It’s easy to get in trouble. I just stayed hungry and motivated. I prayed every day. I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”
McKinley recorded 2 ½ sacks and two tackles for loss against the Giants. At one point, He celebrated by breakdancing at the stadium.
The Jets have a crowded defensive line room even without Redick, and Jets general manager Joe Douglas faces some tough choices for the roster position.
But McKinley showed a little more than the others, and he may have already secured his spot.
“Obviously, he’s got the pedigree. He’s a first-round talent,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “Elite strain, height, speed, physicality, mentality. I’ve always said that. For whatever reason, guys just need time. A lot of times, they have to find themselves, and I think he’s in a really good place right now, physically and mentally. I thought he did a great job in training camp.”
McKinley, 28, said confidence was key to his performance this summer.
“There’s a reason I went first round,” he said. “The NFL is the best of the best. You just have to have that confidence in yourself. The Jets organization, the D-line room, Quinnen Williams, Jermaine Johnson, Michael Clemons, Will McDonald, the D-line coaches, they all believe in me. That gave me the confidence to believe in myself and just go for it. The system that we run, I just let it go. For me, it’s just about going and destroying things. The system that we’re in, it’s a blessing to be a part of it.”
Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich played a big role in bringing McKinley to the Jets. Ulbrich recruited McKinley to UCLA and was on the Falcons staff when they drafted him.
“That’s my guy,” said McKinley.
McKinley said he continued to pursue his NFL dream in honor of his grandmother and aunt who raised him.
“They could have given up on me easily, but they didn’t give up on me,” McKinley said. “So, I couldn’t give up on myself. I’m speechless now. … McKinley is not a quitter. I have two kids, and they look up to me. If I give up on myself, I’ll give up on them.”
