Jets' Jowon Briggs: One-man band, tenor and disruptive defender

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Jowon Briggs’ season with the New York Jets has featured more than sacks and tackles. In a recent special teams meeting, the 6-foot-1, 313-pound defensive tackle was asked by coordinator Chris Banjo to sing, and Briggs delivered in front of teammates and coaches, earning a standing ovation. The performance showcased a side of the 24-year-old that his teammates say is as notable as his on-field work: a polished tenor who can also play a surprising number of instruments.

On the field, Briggs has emerged as a starter after replacing Quinnen Williams, who was traded to Dallas last month. The seventh-round pick out of the University of Cincinnati was a late addition to the Jets, arriving only a few weeks before the regular season. Through the season, he has 28 total tackles, six tackles for loss, a forced fumble, three sacks and nine quarterback hits, helping a defense that has faced a rough season. Jets coach Aaron Glenn praised his combination of run defense and pass-rushing ability, noting Briggs’ reach and power as keys to disrupting offenses.

Briggs’ teammates say the discipline and versatility he brings to the field mirror his life off it. “He’s a big man, he’s strong,” coach Aaron Glenn said. “He’s able to stop the run. He’s been doing a good job of that, but what’s been surprising — and I wouldn’t say surprising — but what he’s had the tick up in is his ability to rush the passer also. So, we want to be able to utilize that.” Briggs has tackled a broader challenge: creating balance between football and a deep, multi-faceted musical talent that he has nurtured since childhood.

Growing up in Cincinnati with four older sisters and a younger brother, Briggs inherited a household where music and sports coexisted as a duo of passions. “With music, I’d probably say it started from the womb,” he said with a laugh. “I always say I kind of got the trickle-down effect. They’ve all been singing, dancing, acting and playing sports since before I was even thought of, so I kind of just fell into a musical household.” The household was competitive in a healthy way; siblings would start an instrument or a vocal line and another would harmonize, turning daily life into a rehearsal room.

Briggs started with the recorder in kindergarten, progressed to piano and the violin in second grade, and expanded to viola, cello and, eventually, a passion for bass guitar. “It’s my favorite all the way,” he said, adding that he has since added an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, saxophone, flute and harmonica to his repertoire. He has dabbled with drums but doesn’t count that as part of his core list. “I’ve never seen anybody who could play as many instruments and be so gifted vocally,” fellow defensive tackle Jay Tufele said. “He’s a beast on the field and off.”

Briggs’ formal education further fused music with academics. He arrived at the University of Virginia as a double-major in physics and music, joined the University Singers and its chamber choir, and performed around Charlottesville. He also sang with The Hullabahoos, the a cappella group that traveled to London in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, to perform at schools, churches, pubs and sometimes on the streets. He performed the national anthem before several Virginia basketball games and repeated the honor after transferring to Cincinnati. Briggs’ football talents also blossomed, turning him into a highly regarded NFL prospect during his three years with the Bearcats.

He’s now a married father of four who uses music to decompress when the helmet comes off. He plays bass on the couch with headphones on, or uses computer programs to lay down recordings. “I probably got a couple albums worth,” Briggs said. “It’s just a matter of when I feel like releasing them. Maybe one day I’ll just be like, ‘Might as well let one go and see what happens.’” His tastes are eclectic, spanning John Coltrane, Alice In Chains, Sarah Vaughan and Prince, with Briggs noting that he also raps. “His singing voice and his rapping voice are two different buckets,” Phillips added, highlighting Briggs’ versatility.

Football remains the focus for Briggs, who hopes to play several more years and lauds his teammates’ support for his dual life. “You can always fall back on your voice,” he said. “It’s one of them things that shouldn’t go out on you like your legs.” Beyond the arena, Briggs contemplates stage work, joking that it may not be “off-Broadway or even off-off-Broadway,” but he’s open to opportunities. “Maybe one day I’ll just be like, ‘Might as well let one go and see what happens,’” he said with a smile. In the meantime, he keeps the car’s trunk stocked with an amp just in case inspiration strikes, a quiet reminder that the Jets’ trench-warfare this season is as much about Briggs’ music as it is about his pressure on the quarterback.