Jets' Irvin Charles takes control of his long, winding journey to playing in the NFL

Updated Oct. 13, 2023 5:59 p.m. ET

Associated Press

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Irvin Charles sprinted down the field on the first regular-season play of his NFL career, finally living out the moment he had been dreaming about his entire life.

And in a flash, it got better than even he imagined.

The New York Jets wide receiver smashed into Denver punt returner Marvin Mims Jr., who couldn't hold onto the ball and Samuel Eguavoen recovered deep in Broncos territory last Sunday. The Jets ended up with a field goal on the way to a 31-21 victory — helped by Charles' instant impact.

But the journey to reach this point has been anything but immediate for the 26-year-old Charles.

“A lot of frustrations and ups and down and whatever,” Charles said Friday. "I've just been making sure I stayed the course. It's a good feeling, but now I got a little taste and I want more.

"It just added a little more fire to the fuel, I'd say.”

Charles was elevated from the practice squad the day before the game to replace the injured Brandin Echols on special teams.

“We’ve been trying to find ways to get him up and we had an opportunity and we did it,” said coach Robert Saleh, who referred to Charles during the summer as “an absolute wolf” on special teams.

After right tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon at Denver, the Jets signed Charles to the active roster Wednesday. Charles could see an increased role with top special teamers Echols and Justin Hardee both ruled out for New York's game against Philadelphia on Sunday because of hamstring injuries.

“We didn't miss a beat this week because Irv's just one of those guys that could start on any team,” said wide receiver Malik Taylor, one of Charles' closest friends on the team. “He's just a super, super natural talent and he's finally getting his opportunity and I'm happy for him.”

Charles grew up in Sicklerville, New Jersey — about 100 miles south of MetLife Stadium — and was buddies with the younger brother of former Jets running back Shonn Greene. Charles' father is a diehard Jets fan and the now 6-foot-4, 219-pound Charles wanted to be like Brandon Marshall and even wore his No. 15 when he switched from defensive line to wide receiver at Paul VI High School.

“I was like, who's a receiver built like me?” Charles said. “And his run after catch? Brandon Marshall was it.”

Charles played his way into becoming a four-star recruit and fielded offers from several big-time college programs before deciding on Penn State. His first reception was an 80-yard touchdown against Minnesota during his redshirt freshman season in 2016.

But he was primarily a special teamer with the Nittany Lions, and had just three catches in two full seasons before being kicked off the squad for violating team rules a few days before Penn State's victory over Washington in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl.

“I was just trying to do things on my own,” Charles said without providing details. “I never got in trouble with the law or anything like that, but it was everything I needed it at the time, honestly. It got me out of my own head and got me from thinking that football is everything.

“I had to realize that, all right, without football, you've got to figure your life out.”

After not playing in 2018, Charles transferred to Division II IUP, but was declared academically ineligible because he didn't have enough credits to enroll as a graduate student. He took classes at Penn State to finish his degree before returning to IUP and playing football again in 2021.

“I realized there’s more to life than just football," Charles said. "But also, if you want to do this, you’ve got to simplify your life. So I simplified my life and I’ve been reaping the benefits, but I still have a lot more simplifying to do.”

He had 39 catches for 792 yards and 12 touchdowns, which ranks as the fifth most in IUP history. Charles drew the attention of NFL scouts and the Jets signed him as an undrafted free agent.

Charles had a terrific training camp as a rookie and spent last season on the practice squad. This summer, Aaron Rodgers mentioned him as an impressive young receiver and Charles made the roster out of camp before being cut and again added to the practice squad.

“I’m definitely grateful that everything happened the way it happened because it made me who I am today and I appreciate that,” Charles said. “I'm sure I would’ve been somebody completely different if it hadn't gone that way.”

On the header of his home page on X, formerly known as Twitter, Charles posted a quote he created:

“Whenever you finally get your turn, just make sure you don't get off the sticks."

It's a video game-like reference Charles applies to every situation on and off the football field.

“It’s like, whenever you get the chance to get on the controller, you've got to keep winning so you never get off," Charles explained. "And the second you lose, then it's somebody else’s turn. ... It's just making sure you’re not getting passed up. Are you making sure it’s ending on your terms?

“Things have ended on other people’s terms and not mine a lot. So it’s time to keep that control.”

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