Iowa football’s Kaden Wetjen becomes first two-time winner of the Jet Award

IOWA CITY — Kaden Wetjen’s final season was filled with history. He added one more accolade to his record-breaking season — and career.

Wetjen was named the 2025 Jet Award winner Monday morning, given to the best return specialist in college football. He’s the first player in the award’s history to win the award twice.

In the award’s official press release, the foundation described Wetjen as one of the “elite return specialists the game has ever seen.”

“Kaden is special,” Nebraska’s Johnny Rodgers, whom the Jet Award is named after, said in the announcement. “He’s a threat every time he touches the ball, and winning the Jet Award twice is truly historic. He’s more than deserving, and I’m proud to congratulate him as a two-time winner.”

Wetjen finished the 2025 season with Iowa football’s record for most return touchdowns in program history, surprising Tim Dwight with Wetjen’s six he recorded against Michigan State.

He also became the Big Ten’s first player to win its Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year in back-to-back seasons, and became a consensus All-American this season.

He recorded 476 kick return yards and 563 punt return yards this season, including four return touchdowns (three punt returns and a kickoff). He’s the only player in program history to record a rushing, receiving, punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown in a single season.

Wetjen was tied for most punt returns for a touchdown in college football (three) and ranked first nationally in punt return average (26.8 yards per return) and second nationally in kickoff return average (29.8 yards per return).

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