Getty Former New York Jets wide receiver Chad Hansen celebrating one of his teammates making a big play.
A very notable former New York Jets wide receiver for all the wrong reasons was back in the news this week.
The Atlanta Falcons announced a flurry of roster moves including the release of wide receiver Chad Hansen.
🚨 Roster moves 🚨
We have signed Geronimo Allison, Tucker Fisk and Tre Webb and released Chad Hansen, Daniel Helm and Luther Kirk.
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The Real Story Behind the Story
Hansen originally entered the league as the No. 141 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft.
The former California product was a member of the nine-player draft class for the Jets. While they hit two dingers in the first two rounds with Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, the rest of the class left much to be desired:
- ArDarius Stewart, wide receiver, Alabama; No. 79 overall pick in the third round
- Jordan Leggett, tight end, Clemson; No. 150 overall pick in the fifth round
- Dylan Donahue, EDGE, West Georgia; No. 181 overall pick in the fifth round
- Elijah McGuire, running back, Lousiana; No. 188 overall pick in the sixth round
- Jeremy Clark, defensive back, Michigan; No. 197 overall pick in the sixth round
- Derrick Jones, defensive back, Mississippi; No. 204 overall pick in the sixth round
The reason why Hansen is so infamous is two-fold.
Hansen only lasted a single season as a fourth-round draft choice and failed to make an impact. He registered just nine catches for 94 yards and failed to score a touchdown.
A failed draft pick is one thing, but when you look at who the Jets passed on to take Hansen it only makes you feel that much worse.
Some guy named George Kittle went five picks later to the San Francisco 49ers.
Although it looks even worse for the Jets in the third round who took Stewart instead of several more notable players like Chris Godwin, Kareem Hunt, Shaquill Griffin, Kenny Golladay, Jonnu Smith, Trey Hendrickson, and James Conner. Yikes.
Kind of Impressive
The Jets have selected busts in the draft before, but they normally miss so hard that those players find alternative career paths outside of football.
Surprisingly though after Hansen was waived by the Jets during the final roster cuts in 2018 he found new life at a few different stops.
Hansen has bounced around with seven different NFL franchises for varying lengths of time. After being a bottom roster player for a few years, he popped back on the radar in 2020 for the Houston Texans.
In five games, two of which he started, Hansen registered 17 catches for 236 yards and scored the first touchdown of his career.
Unfortunately, Hansen hasn’t been able to find that same level of success in his last two stops with the Detroit Lions and the Falcons.
Although even if he doesn’t find another NFL home, major props to him for following his dream and staying in the league over the last six years. That is nothing to sneeze at.
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