McGuire wants 2nd-year success with Jets

10 years of fun!
February 7, 2018
Harold Thornton
February 7, 2018
10 years of fun!
February 7, 2018
Harold Thornton
February 7, 2018

As a rookie in the NFL, Vandebilt Catholic graduate and New York Jets halfback Elijah McGuire proved that he can play at the highest level.

Now, he wants to polish his skills and take the steps to become an every down player for a team that seems committed to his future.


McGuire was solid as a rookie, logging 88 carries for 315 yards and a score in a loaded Jets backfield that featured veteran players like Matt Forte.

McGuire was also gifted as a receiver, snagging 17 receptions for 177 yards with a score.

Jets coach Todd Bowles said at the beginning of the offseason that McGuire has a chance this offseason to ascend to the lead position on the depth chart with Forte and Bilal Powell having uncertain futures.


McGuire said if the baton is handed to him, he plans to take it and run, adding that his rookie season was what he’d call a success.

“This year for me was a pretty good year,” McGuire said. “I was a first-year player. I give credit to (my coaches) for putting me in positions to be successful on the field. As a first-year player, that’s really what you want.”

He definitely showed flashes in his first NFL go-round.


McGuire didn’t play much early in the season with Powell and Forte getting the lion’s share of the touches in a crowded backfield.

But McGuire got chances a little later when injuries added up and he made the most of his opportunities.

In Week 3, McGuire carried 7 times for 34 yards as the Jets got their first victory of the season.


Seven days later in Week 4, he had perhaps his best pro game to date – a 10-carry, 93-yard performance in an overtime win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The highlight of that game was a 69-yard touchdown run in the third quarter where McGuire broke the line of scrimmage and was off to the races, out running the defense into the end zone – his first-ever pro score.

In the game, McGuire also had two catches for 38 yards.

“My touchdown against Jacksonville,” McGuire said with a smile when asked his highlight moment of 2017. “When I broke the line – when I got to the sideline, it was surreal. It was crazy to get that long touchdown. It was my first touchdown and it was just special. It was great.”


Now, the plan is to get many more in the future.

McGuire said he’s going to work tirelessly in the offseason in an effort to improve on some areas that he’s identified as progression points for his future.

The Vandebilt Catholic graduate said he’s watched film of all 16 games and even some of his work in the preseason and he thinks he has a clear way to improve his game and become a more polished, complete halfback at this level.


“The next step for me next year is to come in here and stop being hesitant – just hit the hole,” McGuire said. “I found myself on film being hesitant a lot. That’s something I need to work on. That’s something I’m going to work hard at.”

He has the support of his team, too, which helps.

McGuire said he’s developed a close bond with New York Jets halfbacks coach Stump Mitchell – a veteran coach who has been in coaching in the league for close to two decades.


The Houma native said Mitchell has taken him under his wing and has worked hard to develop his skillsets – time and effort that is greatly appreciated.

“He’s just a guy that will never tell you anything wrong,” McGuire said of his position coach. “He played in the league. Coach Stump played in the league for quite a while. He knows the game. He understands the game. The things he tells me is never anything wrong. And I respect him for that because that’s what you want. You want the coach to be honest with you – tell you what you’re doing wrong and tell you what you’re doing right.”

And some of it takes patience, as well.


McGuire said he approached his rookie season with a good attitude, which allowed him to stay focused on progression throughout the year – even as the Jets fell out of contention.

In the final weeks of the season, McGuire had some bright moments, including in Week 15 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome when he served as a team captain in pregame, then scored a late-game touchdown against the New Orleans Saints.

McGuire said he told himself before the season that the NFL is a business and he had to keep his mind focused – no matter what adversity came the team’s way.


Though it’s unlikely that both Powell and Forte are back with the Jets next year, McGuire said he’s willing to compete and learn from any of his teammates as long as he’s with the Jets, adding that he takes pride in being a team player.

“The thing for me, when I got drafted, I knew the running backs that were already here, so I wanted to just come in and learn everything that I could and just apply it on the field,” he said. “I think I did that.”

Elijah McGuire


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