Jets' Ty Johnson on touchdown vs. Raiders: 'I didn't believe I actually scored'

Ty Johnson didn’t know what to do after bursting through a hole opened by Mekhi Becton and charging into the end zone. He wound up flinging the football in the air.

It was the second-year running back’s first NFL touchdown, punctuated his first 100-yard rushing game and gave the Jets a late fourth-quarter lead last Sunday against the Raiders.

"I didn’t believe I actually scored," Johnson said. "It was really wild. I was like, ‘Damn, I just scored.’ . . . It was so surreal. I didn’t know what to do with myself, that’s why I threw the ball. I was like, I don’t even have a celebration or nothing because I wasn’t really expecting it. That’s why I just threw the ball."

That feeling of euphoria quickly faded, though. Five minutes later, since-fired Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams called an all-out blitz that resulted in a game-winning 46-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Henry Ruggs III with five seconds left.

"The yards, the touchdown, it was all great," Johnson said. "But the icing on top of it would have been having a win."

The Jets (0-12) will shoot for their first victory in Seattle on Sunday, and the 23-year-old Johnson hopes his number is called again.

Johnson, claimed off of waivers from Detroit in October, took over the Jets’ lead back duties after Frank Gore suffered a concussion on the first play of the game. Johnson gained 104 yards on 22 carries and finished with 117 scrimmage yards — all career bests.

"It meant a lot to me, meant a lot to my family," he said. "It’s been a long two years. It was just a blessing. You hate to see a player go out to get an opportunity to go. At the end of the day, coaches gave me the opportunity to go out there and play. That’s what I wanted to do."

Johnson, who as a high school player sent numerous emails a day to college coaches in hopes that they would notice him, was selected out of Maryland in the sixth round by Detroit in 2019. Johnson rushed for more than 30 yards only once in the 18 games he played with the Lions. He had no touches in two games this season before being cut.

It’s unclear how the Jets will use Johnson if Gore is cleared to play. He’s questionable after practicing fully Friday.

Until last week, the 37-year-old Gore was the Jets’ most productive runner, and he can block and pick up blitzes better than Johnson can. But Johnson has great speed and has shown the ability to get in and out of cuts. He became the first back to rush for more than 100 yards in Adam Gase’s 28 games as Jets coach.

"We saw flashes of it in practice every day," quarterback Sam Darnold said.

Gase said the plan is to use Gore, Johnson and Josh Adams, who had 74 yards last week, but the game will dictate everything.

Jets offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said the two young backs "maxed out their opportunity." He was especially impressed with Johnson.

Loggains said Johnson has "a very charismatic personality" and that he was joking around when the Jets were down 11 against the Raiders, trying to keep everyone loose. Loggains also said the wide receivers suggested that the Jets keep running the ball because they were doing so well.

Before the 1-yard scoring run by Johnson that put the Jets ahead, wide receiver Breshad Perriman told him in the huddle, '‘Congrats on your first touchdown.’' Johnson said he smiled and said to himself, '‘Here we go."

Johnson took the handoff from Darnold, jump-stopped, hesitated for a second for Becton to clear the path and ran it in. Perriman was the first Jet there to congratulate Johnson after he chucked the ball into the air.

He ended up retrieving the ball and said he plans to give it to his mother.

"I went and picked that up real quick," he said. "They said they were going to put in casing or something like that. I’ll end up giving it to my mom. But I’ll hold on to it for a little bit."