Wetjen Named 2024 Jet Award Winner

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa senior Kaden Wetjen has been named the recipient of the 2024 Jet Award, which honors the most outstanding return specialist in college football. The announcement was made Tuesday by the Jet Award Foundation.

Wetjen’s 1,055 combined kick return yards led the country by a wide margin. He was first in the FBS in kickoff return yards (727) and second in punt return yards (328). The native of Williamsburg, Iowa, native had two returns for scores in 2024, including a 100-yard kickoff return against No. 19 Missouri in the Music City Bowl.

The return is tied for the longest in program history and tied Iowa’s longest bowl game kickoff return (C.J. Jones against USC in the 2003 Orange Bowl) and the Music City Bowl’s longest kickoff return (LSU’s Leonard Fournette in 2014). Wetjen had three returns for 151 yards against the Tigers, averaging 50.33 yards per return, which is an Iowa bowl game record. Wetjen is the fifth Hawkeye all-time to have a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

During the regular season, Wetjen also returned a punt 85 yards for a score against Northwestern, the seventh-longest in school history. He had 100+ kickoff return yards in three straight games (Washington, Michigan State and Northwestern) in 2024, a first by a Hawkeye since at least 1978.

Wetjen becomes the first Hawkeye to win the Jet Award, which is in its 14th year. Iowa has had 15 individual national award winners under head coach Kirk Ferentz. They include Brad Banks (2002 Davey O’Brien, Top Quarterback; 2002 Associated Press National Player of the Year); Dallas Clark (2002 Mackey, Top Tight End); Nate Kaeding (2002 Groza, Top Kicker); Robert Gallery (2003 Outland, Top Lineman); Shonn Greene (2008 Doak Walker, Top Running Back); Brandon Scherff (2014 Outland, Top Lineman), Desmond King (2015 Jim Thorpe), Josey Jewell (2017 Lott IMPACT), T.J. Hockenson (2018, Mackey, Top Tight End), Tyler Linderbaum, (Rimington, Top Center), Jack Campbell (Campbell Trophy, Butkus Award), Tory Taylor (Ray Guy) and Wetjen (Jet).

Wetjen will be presented the award at The Jet Award Gala on April 10 in Omaha.

The award is named in honor of Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers. Wetjen was selected by a panel of voters, including media members from the Football Writers Association of America, former recipients of the Jet Award, and two of the award’s founders, Johnny Rodgers and William Reed.