New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) leaped into the arms of offensive tackle Mekhi Becton (77) after Rodgers threw his first touchdown pass as a Jet during the first quarter against the New York Giants on Saturday, August 26, 2023, in East Rutherford.
When Giants linebacker Tomon Fox went back to the huddle, he had to catch his breath and shake off a tough moment. Jets offensive tackle Mekhi Becton effortlessly drove the 6-foot-3 pass rusher into the ground during the second quarter Saturday night.
Jets coach Robert Saleh declared Becton the starting right tackle after the 32-24 win against the New York Giants.
His in-game performances against the Giants, Buccaneers, and Panthers changed the direction of his preseason and potential NFL career.
Becton’s future remained unclear at the start of training camp. He has missed 33 games since his promising rookie season and battled weight issues over the last few years— making his roster status unpredictable this summer.
With Duane Brown at left tackle, the first-rounder had no clear path to a starting role. Becton struggled during training camp, missing a few practices and only playing seven snaps in the Hall of Fame against the Cleveland Browns on Aug.3.
"I am so proud of him, man, because when something like that happens to a person [it] can go one of two ways. You can let it hold you back the rest of your life, or you can take what happens to you and make the most of it and show that just because something happened to you, [it] doesn’t have to determine the rest of your career and life."
Becton embraced Rodgers, who took his first snaps with the Jets, with a hug after the touchdown.
"I just told him I loved him," Rodgers said. "He’s come a long way. I’m really proud of him, as much as anybody on the team. The way that Mekhi has grown this month has been really spectacular.
"He’s a mountain of a man. He leads us on the field. It’s like old-school battles where you send your biggest guy out first and there’s Mekhi leading us on the field, it’s pretty cool. But it is amazing to see when you empower people and when you encourage people and you wrap your arms around people, you see their personality start to come out, you see the confidence start to grow. And I think that’s what we’ve tried to do with Mekhi and make him feel like he’s a part of this and make him feel important. And he’s returned that love and trust and support with a lot of really good play."
Overall, the 6-foot-7 offensive tackle played 63 snaps and gave up one sack this preseason, according to Pro Football Focus. His success over the last few weeks is a positive sign, but it’s important to remember who he was facing: backups and fringe roster guys.
Becton’s first start since 2021 will come against the Buffalo Bills on Sept.11 at MetLife Stadium. He will face the likes of Gregory Rousseau and possibly Von Miller, who is recovering from a torn ACL.
If Becton can hold up against them, it bodes well for the team"s chances of competing in the AFC.
