Kenyon Sadiq’s Jets Start Comes With Oregon Rivalry Twist at Rookie Camp

New York Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq did not have to wait long for a reminder of how quickly football can change.

A few months ago, the former Oregon Ducks tight end was preparing for the Indiana Hoosiers, receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and defensive back D’Angelo Ponds as opponents. Now, after being selected No. 16 overall by the New York Jets, Sadiq is sharing a rookie minicamp locker room with both of them.

His start in the NFL is a good reminder that college rivalries live on forever.

Kenyon Sadiq's Oregon - Indiana Twist At NFL Rookie Mini Camp

Indiana beat Oregon twice last season, including a lopsided 56-22 win in the Peach Bowl that ended the Ducks' run in the College Football Playoff... and Ponds made sure to remind Sadiq of his first-quarter pick-six in the College Football Playoff matchup.

But Sadiq’s reaction is what stands out.

Rather than downplay the losses or turn the exchanges into real tension, Sadiq leaned into the humor and credited his new Jets teammates. His comments about Cooper were especially revealing. Both Sadiq and Cooper were selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

"Great human," Sadiq said of Cooper. "I played against him twice, didn't beat him, that's right. He's easy to be around. We're pretty similar personality types, so it's very level. He goes out there and does his thing, catches about every ball in the air, runs a great route. So I'm learning from him, trying to piggyback off what he does."

Sadiq's maturity is on full display, as a former opponent turns into someone he's excited to learn from. The Idaho-native's rookie minicamp experience is already blending humility, competitiveness and perspective.

“It’s just kind of crazy, you’re playing against them, you’re prepping against them, scouting them, like, three, four months ago, and now you’re on the same team as them,” Sadiq said.“I played against him twice, didn’t beat him. But that’s alright.”

The same Indiana players who handed Oregon its only losses of last season (on their way to becoming National Champions) are now part of Sadiq’s next football chapter.

Oregon Pride Beaming In The NFL

College rivalries have a funny way of following players into the league. NFL teammates often carry their school pride with them, especially when their alma maters play each other. It is common to see friendly wagers between former college rivals, with the losing player forced to wear the winning team’s jersey, colors or gear in the locker room.

Oregon doesn't play Indiana in the Big Ten regular season in 2026 so a "bet" between Sadiq and Cooper or Ponds wouldn't happen unless it was postseason play.

It wouldn't be the first time a former Duck would win a college rivalry bet against a current NFL teammate. For example, former Oregon Linebacker Jeffrey Bassa recently showed the other side of that tradition when he won a bet over Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

After Oregon’s 23-0 Orange Bowl win over Texas Tech, Mahomes, who is a Texas Tech alum, had to wear Bassa’s white No. 2 Oregon jersey in the Chiefs’ training room, giving Ducks fans a perfect example of how school pride carries into NFL locker rooms.

Oregon fans can't wait to watch Sadiq on Sundays ... the Jets didn't just select the fastest tight end in NFL Combine history to pair with newly acquired veteran quarterback Geno Smith, they added a player who looks as NFL ready as they come in Sadiq.

Dan Lanning, Kenyon Sadiq, Drew Mehringer's Unique Relationship

Sadiq's Oregon legacy runs deep. He became the second tight end in program history to be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft when he was selected by the Jets. His selection also extended an impressive program-record streak: Oregon now has nine first-round selections in the last seven years.

Lanning and offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer traveled to be with Sadiq in Idaho with his friends and family on the first night of the draft. Sadiq told Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus he planned to invite them and wanted it to be a calm evening, maybe even with some games. Sadiq celebrated with his friends, family and coaches with big hugs as he got the call from the Jets.

Sadiq is one of 31 Oregon players drafted under Lanning in four years, including eight Ducks selected in the top 50.

Sadiq gave insight into why that is...

“I think it goes back to the core of the program and what they instill in the players and the development they really show. I think you can see that in just about every player that's coming out this year - from day one they got on campus to now. I think I'm a great example of that coming in at 215 pounds, not really playing much my freshman year and now getting to a point where I'm able to leave early," Sadiq told Amaranthus.

It's clear that Sadiq is proud to be a Duck, and he carries that into the NFL locker room, even one filled with ghosts of Big Ten past.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow