The New York Jets saw their second-year defensive end Will McDonald IV come alive in their 24-17 Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 15.
McDonald IV registered three sacks on the affair. As Jack Bell of New York Jets.com pointed out, the three sacks matched the Iowa State product’s entire total from his 2023 rookie season. Further, McDonald IV put his name in Jets franchise history with the dominant outing.
Jets’ Will McDonald moves to third in franchise history for sacks in a single game
The 25-year-old’s three sacks are now the third-most that a Jets player has ever recorded in a single game. Only John Abraham’s (2001) and Mark Gastineau’s (1983, ’84) four sacks, and Abraham’s 3.5 sacks from 2003 outpace McDonald IV.
Bell contextualized the Wisconsin native’s feat by saying this in part, while also sharing a quote from Jets head coach Robert Saleh on the defining outing:
“McDonald had first 3-sack game for Jets DL since Henry Anderson vs. Houston in 2018, the first 3-sack game on road by Jets DE (edge) since Shaun Ellis and John Abraham each had 3s-ack games in 2004,” Bell wrote.
Saleh meanwhile raved about McDonald IV after the win:
“With Will, you know, I’m going to have to look at this tape, but it felt, it felt like he was really bringing power to his game today,” Saleh said. “I thought a couple of his sacks, or at least one of them, he ran right through that right tackle [Nicholas Petit-Frere] and, you know, so he, if he can continue, if he continues to develop that, he will, he will be able to do that to that guy in his sleep.”
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McDonald IV will now be counted on to fill the injured Jermaine Johnson’s shoes
McDonald IV stepped in for the injured left defensive end Jermaine Johnson in the starting lineup, after the latter tore his Achilles in Week 1. With Johnson slated to miss the remainder of the 2024 NFL campaign, and Jets star pass-rusher Haason Reddick continuing to hold out from the team in pursuit of a sizable contract, New York will need McDonald IV to bring his A-game on a weekly basis.
It sounds like coach Saleh is more than pleased with his young and talented pass rusher, so there may be more where that came from in the weeks to come.
