FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — He got the nickname in college, although it had nothing to do with his play. And then it was forgotten for a while, largely because of his play.
But now, in his third NFL season, Aaron Maybin is “Mayhem” Maybin again, and causing plenty of it.
After two lackluster seasons with Buffalo, Maybin has three sacks and three forced fumbles in his first four games as a Jet. The outside linebacker seems poised to start reaching the potential he displayed at Penn State — the potential that led the Bills to spend the 11th overall pick on him in April 2009.
Maybin had no sacks for the Bills before being waived in August and signed by the Jets two days later. He subsequently was waived by the Jets on Sept. 4, then re-signed 24 days later. He got a strip sack of Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco on Oct. 2 in his first game, and has been a force ever since.
Maybin got his nickname inadvertently from legendary coach Joe Paterno during Maybin’s college days.
“Joe, during practice or a team meeting or something like that,” Maybin recalled, “said Mayhem by mistake. … My teammates never let me forget it and eventually I guess it turned into a little nickname.”
“We need to get him on the field more,” coach Rex Ryan said Monday, a day after Maybin contributed a sack in the Jets’ 27-21 win over San Diego. “There have been 40-some snaps he’s been out there and he’s had three sacks and three caused fumbles (and) made a lot of tackles. The Mayhem thing? I love that deal because it fits him. You guys (reporters) talk to him; you know what I’m talking about.”
Maybin has a naturally loud voice, along with a confidence that belies his struggles of the past two seasons. Playing for Ryan, who clearly believes in him, has increased his presence and confidence.
“It makes you want to go out there and work harder,” Maybin said, “the fact that they have confidence in you to go out there and produce. The fact that (Ryan) wants me in the game in situations where he needs a big play, that means a lot. He has faith that when he needs the big play, I can deliver for him.”
That’s something he would love to do when the Jets visit Buffalo on Nov. 6. They have a bye Sunday.
“It’s a game that I’ve been eyeing for some time,” said Maybin, who didn’t take shots at anyone in the Bills’ organization, past or present. “I’ll just say that it’s a fairly big game for this organization and for me. I definitely want to go out there and play a great game and do everything that I can do to make sure that we come out of the game with a win.”
Maybin’s game is based on his pure speed, so it’s likely he’ll have to develop more moves as opposing teams begin to adjust to him. But he has something besides sacks that former Jets pass-rushing bust Vernon Gholston doesn’t have.
Maybin “only weighs about 225 pounds,” Ryan said, “but he’s an explosive pass rusher. The thing that you love about him is, man, he is relentless.”
“That’s always been my calling card,” Maybin said. “I tell people all the time, (if) you look at me playing high school or Pop Warner football, and you look at me playing today, you’re basically seeing the same thing. My whole thing is, no matter how good somebody is, no matter how fast somebody is, no matter how talented somebody is, it’s always been my mentality that however good the offensive player is, he doesn’t want to get to the end zone as badly as I want to get to him.”
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