The occasion could hardly be better for Leonard Taylor III.
Just over one year after the New York Jets released him, Taylor is prepping to battle his former team as a member of the New England Patriots.
And he walks into the matchup with some momentum.
Taylor recorded a sack in New England’s 45-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 11, taking down quarterback Kirk Cousins during the second half. It was Taylor’s first sack of the 2026 season and gave him 2.5 for his NFL career.
Now comes the revenge-game moment.
The Jets released Taylor on Oct. 14, 2025. New England signed him to its practice squad two days later, beginning a route that took the former Miami standout from a midseason castoff to a contributor for one of New York’s biggest rivals.
Sunday’s Patriots-Jets matchup at Gillette Stadium comes 369 days after New York moved on from him.
Jets Released Taylor After Promising Rookie Season
Taylor had a great deal of upside heading into the NFL.
The former five-star recruit went undrafted in 2024 after three seasons at Miami before signing with the Jets as a rookie free agent on May 3.
He proceeded to beat the odds by making New York’s initial 53-man roster.
There was an interesting Patriots connection from the beginning, too. Taylor’s NFL debut came against New England on Sept. 19, 2024. He registered two tackles and half of a sack in that game, per his official Patriots biography.
Taylor appeared in 14 games during his rookie season, finishing with 24 tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pass defensed.
His second season with the Jets didn’t last nearly as long.
Taylor made New York’s roster again in 2025 but appeared in only two of the team’s first six games. He recorded three tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass defensed before the Jets released him on Oct. 14.
New England moved quickly.
The Patriots announced Taylor’s addition to the practice squad on Oct. 16, only two days after the Jets cut him.
That transaction afforded Taylor another chance in the AFC East.
He earned three regular-season elevations for New England late in 2025 and totaled eight tackles. One of those elevations came for a Dec. 28 road game against his former Jets team, so Sunday won’t technically be his first meeting with New York since the release.
Taylor Coming Off Sack Before Jets Rematch
Taylor continued earning the right to take the field during New England’s postseason run.
The Patriots elevated him throughout the playoffs, and he administered one of his biggest moments in the AFC Championship Game against Denver by blocking a 45-yard field-goal attempt.
He also dressed for Super Bowl LX.
New England then made sure Taylor stayed in the organization. The Patriots signed him to a futures contract on Feb. 10.
Taylor is now on New England’s active roster, and the 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive lineman has appeared in three games this season.
His most productive moment came against Las Vegas.
With the Patriots ahead in the second half, Taylor got to Cousins for a sack. Taylor then paid tribute to former Patriots pass rusher Matthew Judon with his celebration, swiping his arm across his face in the style Judon used during his time in New England.
Taylor told Patriots On SI afterward that he had seen clips of Judon’s celebration and decided to break it out after reaching the quarterback.
The sack could help Taylor hang on the field more often as New England turns its attention to the Jets.
The Patriots are at 3-2 after consecutive victories before this AFC East contest, while New York sits at 2-3. New England will host the Jets at 1 p.m. ET on Oct. 18.
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