During a routine special-teams meeting in the New York Jets’ locker room, the team’s defensive tackle Jowon Briggs surprised everyone by stepping up to a microphone and singing a classic R&B hit.
Chris Banjo, the Jets’ special-teams coordinator, turned to Briggs and said, “I didn’t know you could sing,” before inviting him to perform. “Man, go ahead and sing something,” Banjo added.
Briggs answered with a smooth rendition of Tevin Campbell’s 1990s R&B hit, “Can We Talk.”
Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips noted, “I knew he could sing because he said he could, but then he sang in person – man, he has a beautiful voice,” while safety Isaiah Oliver recalled, “It was crazy, actually,” and that the moment was shocking yet impressive.
Briggs received a standing ovation and later said, “I think a lot of guys were more surprised with, one, the song I sang, and then how it actually sounded,” adding that they were stunned, “Oh, that can’t be coming from Juwon!”
Beyond his vocal talent, Briggs is a one-man band who has learned to play twelve instruments to varying degrees of competency, including recorder, piano, violin, viola, cello, stand-up bass, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, saxophone, flute, and harmonica, while also experimenting with drums.
Defensive tackle Jay Tufele praised him, saying, “I’ve never seen anybody who could play as many instruments and be so gifted vocally,” and added that Briggs is a beast on and off the field.
Briggs has said, “It’s just one of those things,” adding that everyone has something, and that he is a musical guy.
On the gridiron, Briggs has emerged as a bright spot for the Jets in a largely disappointing season, stepping into a starting role after replacing Quinnen Williams, who was traded to Dallas last month.
At 24 years old, the former seventh-round pick from Cleveland and University of Cincinnati has recorded 28 total tackles, six tackles for loss, a forced fumble, three sacks, and nine quarterback hits.
Head coach Aaron Glenn said, “He’s a big man, he’s strong,” and praised Briggs’ run-stopping ability, noting that his pass-rushing has also improved and that the team wants to use that skill set. “I’m not saying that he’s Mean Joe Greene or anything like that, but listen, he’s been doing a really good job of being disruptive in the pass game,” Glenn added.
Briggs grew up in Cincinnati with four older sisters, a younger brother, and parents who nurtured both music and sports, creating a household that blended the two passions from the start.
Briggs has said, “With music, I’d probably say it started from the womb,” adding that his siblings sang, danced, acted, and played sports before he was even born, making the environment a competitive yet fun one.
Briggs said, “We had a very loud house,” and that his sisters all sing better than he can, but growing up in a competitive household helped him discover his own talent quickly.
He began with the recorder in kindergarten, then moved to piano and violin in second grade, followed by viola, cello, and later singing and acting while attending a creative and performing arts school in Cincinnati.
Briggs said, “That’s where my love for string instruments started,” and that the viola came next, followed by the cello.
He discovered a passion for the bass guitar, his favorite all the way, and he said, “And I just picked up a new one,” adding that it remains his favorite instrument.
Briggs later learned the acoustic guitar, electric guitar, saxophone, flute, and harmonica.
Briggs enrolled at the University of Virginia as a physics and music double-major, joined the University Singers and chamber choir, and performed with the a cappella group The Hullabahoos, which toured London in 2020 before the pandemic.
He sang the national anthem at several Virginia basketball games and repeated the performance after transferring to Cincinnati after two years.
Briggs has managed to balance schoolwork, sports, and music, noting that playing on a football field feels like a walk in a loud park compared to a solo performance on stage.
Now a married father of four, Briggs uses music to decompress, often playing his bass on the couch with headphones while the kids sleep or recording with computer programs, saying he might one day release a couple of albums. “I probably got a couple albums worth,” Briggs said. “I mean, until they see me put out a record 30 years from now,” he added.
His playlist ranges from John Coltrane to Alice In Chains, Sarah Vaughan, and Prince, and teammate Harrison Phillips added that Briggs also raps, with his singing and rapping voices being distinct. “He also raps,” Phillips revealed. “His singing voice and his rapping voice are two different buckets. I’m not artistic in any way, so major props to him on that,” he added.
Briggs says football remains his focus for the next several years but believes his voice offers a fallback, and he jokes about doing some stage work someday, even if it’s not off-Broadway. He also plans to master a five-string bass and sometimes shows a guitar amp tucked in his car trunk, saying, “Then we go down the rabbit hole,” and that others may never see him release a record 30 years from now.
Key Takeaways
- Jowon Briggs stunned Jets teammates with a singing performance and has played twelve instruments.
- The 24-year-old defensive tackle has accumulated 28 tackles, six tackles for loss, a forced fumble, three sacks, and nine quarterback hits.
- Briggs balances a rising NFL career with a lifelong passion for music, hoping to release recordings and explore stage work.
Briggs’ story illustrates how a player can excel on the field while cultivating a rich musical life, reminding teammates-and fans-that talent can come in many forms.
