Javon Kinlaw lowered his head, wiped tears from both his eyes and absorbed the gravity of where he started and where he was standing.
Surviving homelessness, hunger and violence on the Washington, D.C. streets of his youth to make it to the NFL as a 2020 first-round draft pick was a well-documented triumph for Kinlaw.
But the last four seasons have provided their own challenges because of a torn ACL and a setback in his recovery from reconstructive surgery that combined to sideline him for 24 of 34 games over 2021 and 2022.
Injuries cast him through the lens of a draft disappointment.
So, Kinlaw isn’t about to take for granted his second chance with the Jets, who signed him to a one-year, $7.25 million free-agent contract to start on the defensive line.
“I’ve had a lot of dark days, and just to be able to touch that grass is a big blessing,” Kinlaw said during a poignant post-practice moment Monday that lasted nearly 40 seconds as his words caught in his throat. “I’ve been through a lot. Like, for real. That’s all I can really say. But I never gave up, you know? A lot of people would’ve given up, but I never gave up.”
Jets head coach Robert Saleh was the 49ers defensive coordinator when Kinlaw was drafted.
He remains a big believer after Kinlaw played a full season for the first time and recorded a career-high 3.5 sacks in 2023.
“He’s a dominant football player, and he’s got an opportunity to prove it,” Saleh said. “The man is built the right way. He wants to be great.”
To make the most of his fresh start, Kinlaw stuck with his offseason Pilates workouts and revamped his diet to the extreme.
Kinlaw, 26, said he eats nine eggs, a whole avocado and a handful of spinach for breakfast, six chicken breasts and a side salad for lunch and a pound of ground beef with a little pasta mixed in for dinner.
He grew from about 305 pounds last season to above his current training-camp weight of 330 over the course of four months.
“I did it every day,” Kinlaw said. “It paid off. I’m still eating that same way right now — a little less, though. I don’t want to be too bulky.”
And yet, in a way, Kinlaw is still hungry.
“I always looked at a lot of the best [defensive tackles] and dreamed of being a top guy,” Kinlaw said. “I still do. Every day. I’m super hungry for it.”
With Kinlaw lined up between Pro Bowler Quinnen Williams and ascending pass-rusher Jermaine Johnson, the defensive line dominated Monday’s first practice in pads.
“It’s been paying off pretty well so far — staying on those double-teams,” Kinlaw said. “I felt like last year I was getting moved a little bit — probably just because I didn’t have enough muscle. When I take on these blocks out here, I just feel way more sturdy.”
The Jets have a history under Saleh of signing defensive tackles who haven’t reached full potential and turning them into contributors on an upward trajectory: Sheldon Rankins, Quentin Jefferson, Solomon Thomas and John-Franklin Myers. Only Thomas remains on a reconfigured line that should operate at least eight deep.
Kinlaw wanted to reunite with Saleh and defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton (a former 49ers assistant).
He credits his religion and his mother for giving him the strength to fight forward.
“I think I fit in very well … and I can’t wait to get to battle with these guys,” Kinlaw said. “They just said I had an opportunity and I’m all about opportunity. Even though I’ve been through a lot, I work super hard. The chips fell where they may, but I never gave up.”
Kinlaw’s final game with the 49ers was a Super Bowl loss. His first game with the Super Bowl-minded Jets will be against the 49ers.
“It [takes] hard work every day,” Kinlaw said. “You get to the playoffs and you play against teams and you can feel them wanting to get out of there. That’s when you step on the gas even more.
“I’m just glad I can bring that to this team — to let them know that’s when you put your foot on their neck. You can hit a guy and feel the energy is not there. It was a great run, but this team is very special and I’m just blessed to be here.”