Adonai Mitchell Steps Into the Spotlight as Jets’ Offense Looks to the Future
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - When the Jets pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade that sent All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis, it sent shockwaves through the league. Two first-round picks were the headliners, but buried in the deal was a name that’s quickly becoming more than just a throw-in: Adonai Mitchell.
The second-year wide receiver, still early in his NFL journey, is starting to show flashes of the player the Jets hoped they were getting. Sunday’s win over Atlanta was his breakout - 8 catches, 102 yards, and a touchdown - a performance that felt like the first real step in Mitchell’s emergence as a legitimate weapon in New York’s offense.
“It definitely feels good to me,” Mitchell said after Wednesday’s practice. “As long as I believe I can do it, then I know I can do it… Belief always starts from the inside.”
That internal fire is something the Jets have seen since day one. Mitchell arrived with something to prove - to himself, to the league, and maybe to the team that gave up on him too soon.
He was a second-round pick in Indianapolis, but in 25 games with the Colts, he managed just 32 receptions. His most memorable play in Indy might’ve been the one that didn’t count: a near-touchdown against the Rams in September that turned into a touchback after he lost the ball just before crossing the goal line.
From there, things stalled. Over the next four games, Mitchell was targeted just four times.
And then, just hours before the trade deadline, he was out. Shipped to New York.
A fresh start.
“I definitely was traded here for a reason,” Mitchell said. “It’s a good feeling being wanted. It’s not a good feeling not being wanted.”
The Jets made it clear that Mitchell wasn’t just a throw-in to balance out the Gardner deal. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn emphasized that the team sees Mitchell as a key piece moving forward.
“He was never a throw-in,” Glenn said. “We expect him to be a huge part of what we’re doing.”
Mitchell heard that loud and clear. “Sounds like they got plans that I don’t need to mess up,” he said.
His first chance to make an impression came just 10 days after the trade, in a Thursday night game against New England. It didn’t go well. Mitchell dropped three passes in the loss, a rough introduction that could’ve shaken a young receiver’s confidence.
But Mitchell didn’t point fingers. He pointed inward.
“When I look back at it, nobody stopped me from making a play,” he said. “It was me versus me.”
That’s been a recurring theme with Mitchell - accountability, self-belief, and the understanding that his ceiling is defined by his own effort. And lately, that effort is starting to translate.
Over the last three games, Mitchell has been the Jets’ most targeted receiver. He’s been thrown to 25 times, with 11 catches for 154 yards. He’s finding his rhythm, and more importantly, he’s earning trust.
“AD is a very special talent,” quarterback Tyrod Taylor said. “If you put the ball around him, he’s going to catch it.”
Veteran wideout Isaiah Williams echoed that sentiment, calling Mitchell “a special football player” and praising his relentless work ethic. “He’s in the facility all hours, catching passes off the jugs machine,” Williams said. “He’s a different type of special… Maybe one day, I could tell my kids I got to play with that guy.”
Mitchell’s next chapter could get even more interesting once Garrett Wilson returns from injured reserve. The idea of Mitchell and Wilson lining up together has the potential to give the Jets a dynamic 1-2 punch at receiver - something the team has been chasing for years.
“I think it'll be good,” Mitchell said of the potential pairing. “We kind of have a similar game, I feel like. We can just play off of each other, just help each other out.”
That’s the vision. Two young, talented receivers feeding off one another, growing together, and giving the Jets a foundation on offense they can build around.
Injury Notes:
- Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson (ankle) and safety Tony Adams (groin) did not practice Wednesday.
- Cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers remains in the concussion protocol, though the team is hopeful he’ll be cleared this week.
- Corner Jarvis Brownlee (hip) and linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball (hamstring) have been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup against Miami.
The Jets are still finding their identity, but if Adonai Mitchell continues on this trajectory, they might have found a key piece of their future.