The player of the night was New York Jets rookie cornerback Mory Bamba.
Bamba, 25, will turn 26 during the 2026 season. He made his preseason debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday, August 14. Bamba finished with four pass deflections and only allowed three receptions on nine targets.
After the game, head coach Aaron Glenn called him “Bamba Island” when asked about the defensive back. Glenn was giving a head nod to Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis, who was nicknamed “Revis Island” for his abilities as a lockdown corner at the NFL level.
Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens revealed on Saturday, August 15, that he had a conversation with Bamba.
“Before the game, I told him, ‘You’re going to have a hell of a game.’ He went out there and did it,” Stephens told the media.
“I think some of the younger DBs actually showed up and he’s the one that really stands out,” Glenn said via Jets editorial contributor Amanda Vogt. “And it’s not just what he did on defense, I mean he did some good plays on special teams, too. There were a couple mistakes that he had, and I’ve got to make sure that I say that, but for the most part, I thought he showed off tonight.”
Social Media Reactions to Bamba’s Performance
“Mory Bamba having 4 PDs in not even half a game is insane. Some CBs don’t get 4 PDs an entire season. CUE the ‘MO BAMBA’ next time this man arrives,” Frankie V of uSTADIUM posted.
“Elite debut!! MORY 💙🔥😎,” a fan responded.
“Fascinating prospect. Athleticism off the charts. Good size (6-2, 193), length and blazing speed. He’s 6-2 and runs a sub 4.3. He also had 4 tackles and a 1 special teams stop. Have a night,” Jets senior reporter Eric Allen said on X.
“Where were you the day you realized Mory Bamba was the next Darrelle Revis?” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic asked.
“Maybe the Jets found something,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini said.
“Cue the ‘Bamba has a chance to make the final 53’ crowd. It’s a right of passage for every Jets Fan to fall in love with a random player after preseason game 1,” Jets X-Factor analyst Dom C wrote.
A Difficult Path to the 53-Man Roster
Bamba is a really cool story, but does he have a shot at making the 53-man roster?
If you look at the cornerback depth chart for the team, there are five locks to make the roster:
Will the Jets keep six cornerbacks on the 53-man roster? Maybe. If so, the betting favorite to get that final chair is Qwan’tez Stiggers. He didn’t play in Week 1 of the preseason.
During joint practice earlier this week, Stiggers collapsed on the sideline due to concussion symptoms and heat exhaustion. It was a scary scene that resulted in Stiggers being taken to a local hospital. The good news is Stiggers is back home recovering, but his roster spot could be in jeopardy.
Speaking of Stiggers, while at home watching the game, he made several pro Bamba posts on X.
“mory mf bamba5️⃣,” Stiggers posted.
If Bamba keeps up this level of play, he could steal a roster spot. Another path for him could be the practice squad if he’s unable to crack the final roster.
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