Undrafted cornerback Mory Bamba delivered a standout performance in his professional debut during the New York Jets' preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on August 14. The BYU alumnus recorded four pass defenses in the first half of the game.
Head coach Aaron Glenn stated that Bamba stood out among the younger defensive backs. While Glenn noted that the rookie made a couple of mistakes, he said Bamba showed out during the contest. Bamba attributed his performance to maintaining a next-play mentality and playing loose.
Bamba's four pass defenses occurred within approximately eight minutes of the second quarter. This performance marks the first time a Jet has been credited with four or more pass defenses in a preseason game since 2005. Additionally, Bamba is the only NFL player in the last three preseason seasons to record at least four pass defenses in a single game.
Bamba's performance comes during a preseason where the Buccaneers utilized first-year quarterback Connor Bazelak for the first half. The Jets are scheduled to play Pittsburgh in Preseason Week 2.
