Jets receiver Adonai Mitchell finally getting the chance he's always wanted

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The only thing Adonai Mitchell wanted was an opportunity.

The receiver expressed that to Aaron Glenn during his end-of-season exit meeting in January. Mitchell told the same thing to general manager Darren Mougey and position coach Shawn Jefferson.

The Jets granted Mitchell his wish. He will open up his third NFL season Sunday in Tennessee as the Jets’ No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson.

“It really means a lot,” Mitchell told Newsday. “I just asked for opportunity. I know everybody’s replaceable. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I pretty much just asked for opportunity to show what I could do. Them speaking life into me and really showing that they believe in me, it gives me a sense of confidence.

“This camp, it was very different. I haven’t prepared for a season like I was a starter.”

It was evident that Mitchell would be a starter when the Jets didn’t dive into the free-agent receiver market. For the humble Mitchell, it wasn’t “solidified” until recently when he saw he was part of the game plan and heard some things in meetings. Mitchell hadn’t experienced that in his NFL career.

“I never really looked at myself as a starter,” he said.

A second-round pick of the Colts in 2024, Mitchell described his first two seasons as “up and down.”

Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce and Josh Downs were ahead of him on Indianapolis’ depth chart. His opportunities were limited. One came in Week 4 last year against the Rams, but he literally fumbled it away.

Mitchell, who started that game and caught three passes for 96 yards, made a contested catch and broke free for what should have been a 76-yard touchdown. As he extended the ball near the goal line, he fumbled it out of bounds for a touchback.

In the next five games, Mitchell was targeted four times and had two receptions. He was inactive for one of those games.

“The position that I was in, pretty much my rookie and second year, I personally felt like I couldn’t mess up,” Mitchell said. “Everybody tries to be perfect. That’s the standard that you hold yourself to, but it doesn’t always play out like that.”

Everything changed for Mitchell last Nov. 4. He was preparing to play the Falcons when he learned that he had been traded to the Jets, with two first-round picks, for Sauce Gardner.

Mitchell arrived with a clean slate and, in his third game, provided a glimpse of what he could do when given an opportunity. He caught a career-high eight passes for 102 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Falcons in Week 11. It was his first 100-yard game and first touchdown in the NFL.

“This was the place where I felt like they meant what they said when they would speak on just believing in me,” Mitchell said. “I kind of felt that energy throughout the building pretty much since I got here.”

Mitchell caught 24 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns in eight games as a Jet. In 25 games as a Colt, he had 32 catches for 464 yards and no touchdowns.

One of the biggest and most welcome changes for Mitchell is that he no longer feels “if I mess up, it’s the end of the world and I’m just going to be looked at different.” He said the Jets let him learn and grow from mistakes.

New Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who was Indianapolis’ head coach from 2018-22, received calls from many people in the Colts’ organization, including general manager Chris Ballard, “raving” about Mitchell.

According to Reich, the Colts didn’t want to part with the receiver and it took some work for the Jets to get him in the trade. Reich is happy they did.

“He’s super-talented,” he said. “He’s very conscientious in the best of ways. It matters to him. Every rep matters to him and he wants to get it right. He knows he can get it right and he knows he’s a force. So looking forward for him to have those opportunities to show that on Sunday.”

Mitchell has all the tools to be a productive receiver. He’s 6-2, 205 pounds, fast, strong and a good route-runner. The Jets have needed a reliable No. 2 option to play with Wilson. Jefferson believes Wilson and Mitchell can be a dynamic duo.

“He’ll be a really good Robin for our Batman in [Wilson],” Jefferson said.

Some of the work Mitchell put in to prepare for this season was away from the facility with his new quarterback. He spent a week in the South Florida heat training with and getting to know Geno Smith.

Since the Jets acquired Smith, Mitchell has tried “to stay as close as I can” to him. Smith has been impressed with Mitchell’s preparation and all the work he does behind the scenes.

“He’s sending me clips of certain routes — that’s when you know you have a special player,” Smith said. “I look forward to getting out there and competing with him because I think that he’s going to be a special player in this league and he’s going to have a great year.”

Mitchell got what he asked for — an opportunity. What will he do with it?

“Do my job to the best of my abilities,” he said. “You’re just going to have to see from there.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.