New York Jets rookie cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers’s path to the NFL was different than most, but that’s not the only reason he could stand out from the crowd this season.
Stiggers, selected by the Jets in the fifth round in April, is only the third player in the common draft era to be drafted without going to college. As he prepares for his first year in the NFL, he told reporters about an unconventional promise he made to himself that has to do with his grooming habits.
“We gonna get a Super Bowl this year,” Stiggers told Yahoo Sports. “I made a promise to myself: I’m not getting a haircut till I win the Super Bowl. If I got to be a caveman, I’ll be a caveman.”
The Jets won their sole Super Bowl against the Baltimore Colts in 1969 before the 1970 NFL-AFL merger and haven't reached the playoffs since 2010, finishing last in the AFC East in six of their last eight seasons. Given Gang Green’s record, Stiggers could be waiting quite a while before treating himself to a shave.
The 22-year-old cornerback previously played for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League and was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie in 2023. In his lone season in the CFL, Stiggers recorded 53 tackles and five interceptions in 16 regular season games.
Heading into the NFL, Stiggers will have more to look forward to than a haircut and a potential Lombardi Trophy. After making a $54,000 salary on the Argonauts, Stiggers is set to earn roughly $1.1 million per year on his current four-year contract with the Jets.
KRISTEN WONG
