Army West Point Athletics
Photo by: Danny Wild-Imagn Images
Football’s Mayes Wins American Conference Defensive Player of the Week Honors
December 01, 2025 | Football
IRVING, Texas – Army West Point football's Jaydan Mayes was named American Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday.
The junior cornerback returned an interception 73 yards for a touchdown late in the first half of Army's 27-24 win at UTSA on November 29.
Mayes' interception return was Army's first interception returned for a touchdown since Bo Nicolas-Paul at ULM in 2023, and the first takeaway return of any type since Kalib Fortner's strip sack fumble return vs. Navy that same year.
Mayes' return of 73 yards was the longest interception return for a score since Chris Carnegie's 99-yard pick-six vs. UConn at Yankee Stadium on November 8, 2014. It was also the third-longest interception return for a touchdown since at least 1995, behind Carnegie's return as well as Brian Hill's 79-yard interception return at Hawaii on November 22, 2003.
It was Mayes' first interception of the season after having four last season. The Fairfield, Ohio native now has six career interceptions.
The win propelled Army to six wins, guaranteeing clinching bowl eligibility for the second consecutive season. Bowls are announced on December 7, the Sunday before the Army-Navy Game. A bowl berth will mark Army's 12th all-time bowl appearance. The Black Knights are 8-3 all-time in bowl games and 5-1 under Head Coach Jeff Monken.
Army is next in action on December 13 vs. Navy at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. The Black Knights can take the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy back with a win, for the fifth time in nine years.
The junior cornerback returned an interception 73 yards for a touchdown late in the first half of Army's 27-24 win at UTSA on November 29.
Mayes' interception return was Army's first interception returned for a touchdown since Bo Nicolas-Paul at ULM in 2023, and the first takeaway return of any type since Kalib Fortner's strip sack fumble return vs. Navy that same year.
Mayes' return of 73 yards was the longest interception return for a score since Chris Carnegie's 99-yard pick-six vs. UConn at Yankee Stadium on November 8, 2014. It was also the third-longest interception return for a touchdown since at least 1995, behind Carnegie's return as well as Brian Hill's 79-yard interception return at Hawaii on November 22, 2003.
It was Mayes' first interception of the season after having four last season. The Fairfield, Ohio native now has six career interceptions.
The win propelled Army to six wins, guaranteeing clinching bowl eligibility for the second consecutive season. Bowls are announced on December 7, the Sunday before the Army-Navy Game. A bowl berth will mark Army's 12th all-time bowl appearance. The Black Knights are 8-3 all-time in bowl games and 5-1 under Head Coach Jeff Monken.
Army is next in action on December 13 vs. Navy at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. The Black Knights can take the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy back with a win, for the fifth time in nine years.
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