Laube Returns Kickoff 95 Yards for Score in Raiders Win Over Jets

Vegas Raiders special teams player Dylan Laube returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter on Sunday. The play gave the visitors a one-point lead against the New York Jets. The Raiders held onto that advantage to win 38-33 at MetLife Stadium. The score marked the first kickoff return touchdown in the NFL this season. It was also the first such play by the Raiders since 2011.

Laube, a former Westhampton High School standout, is in his third year in the league. He has built a reputation for making impactful plays on special teams. He has also become known for energizing his teammates after big stops. Following the touchdown, Laube ran across the end zone with his arms outstretched. He chest-bumped every teammate he could find wearing silver and black.

"I think I get more tired celebrating because I’m screaming and running around," Laube told Newsday. "Any big play on special teams fires up the crowd, the offense, the defense. It’s a special kind of a play. And I just get so jacked up."

Laube continued his active performance in the fourth quarter. He made a big tackle on a kickoff return that helped the Raiders maintain a 35-30 lead. The stop pinned the Jets at their own 24-yard line. The Jets punted after a three-and-out sequence. Laube also nearly blocked a 39-yard field goal attempt by Jets kicker Jason Sanders at the end of the first half. Laube said he missed the block by a millisecond.

The game served as a homecoming for Laube, who grew up in Long Island. Approximately 100 friends and family members attended the game. His parents and three siblings sat behind the Raiders bench. On the final play of the game, Laube took a snap in the victory formation. He hugged quarterback Kirk Cousins and then threw the ball to his father, Kyle. Kyle had brought young Dylan to the stadium to watch the Giants play.

Laube and Jets tight end Jeremy Ruckert share a unique history. Both won the 2017 Hansen Award as top players in Suffolk County. Laube represented Westhampton, while Ruckert represented Lindenhurst. They had not interacted since the awards dinner nearly a decade ago. Ruckert sought Laube out after the game, and the two shared a moment amid the postgame crowd. Ruckert said he had followed Laube’s career from afar, noting the rarity of Long Island natives in the NFL.

Another Long Island native, Andre Cisco, played for the Jets on Sunday. Cisco blocked for the Jets on kickoff returns. Laube mentioned that the special teams coaches trust him with an expanding role each week. He stated his goal is to be the best in the league in whatever position he plays. Laube wore a black ski cap with the phrase "Bring The Juice" embroidered in gold as he left the stadium.

Laube’s performance adds to a growing body of work for the 5-foot-10 player. He scored his first career touchdown last month against the Patriots. He played college football at the University of New Hampshire. The Raiders will look to maintain their momentum in upcoming games, while Laube continues to serve as a key voice for the special teams unit.