Why Breece Hall Believes 2026 Could Be His Best Season Yet

Breece Hall became the latest running back to get paid. How will he produce?

Breece Hall was signed to a three-year deal on Friday. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After a “rollercoaster” first four years with the Jets, running back Breece Hall is staying in New York for the long haul.

Over the weekend, the Jets signed Hall to a three-year, $45.75 million contract extension that made him the third highest-paid running back in the league. As the Jets try to turn their fortunes around following a disastrous 3-14 campaign in 2025, Hall will be a central piece in those efforts.

The Jets have worked this offseason to build their offense around Hall and receiver Garrett Wilson, trading for quarterback Geno Smith and drafting tight end Kenyon Sadiq and wideout Omar Cooper Jr. Hall is pleased with these moves, which help make him excited to spend the next three years with the franchise.

"They brought a proven veteran in like Geno [Smith]. We drafted some really good guys,” Hall told reporters Tuesday. “... seeing that let me know we're really trying to build something here. [Aaron Glenn] is always telling me that I'm his guy. Him always telling me he has that confidence in me and I have that confidence in myself, it definitely meant a lot.”

Not only do these moves make Hall feel good about what the team is building, but for him to unlock his potential. Hall is coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing season, and still feels he has more to show on the football field.

"I'm the only running back that's consistently a top-10 back in the league that hasn't in the past been in the most ideal situation. Now, AG and [Darren Mougey], they really put me in position with all the guys we brought in and the team we’re building around us to really flourish and for me to be myself. God willing, we stay healthy and everything goes as planned, I feel like this could be my best season, for sure."

Since Hall came into the league in 2022, the Jets have gone 22-46. Over his four years in the league, he has already played alongside nine different starting quarterbacks, and seen the Jets offense finish bottom-five in EPA per play and success rate three times. The team might have hit rock bottom in 2025—if such a thing is possible for the franchise—finishing last in passing yards per game and 29th in offensive success rate and EPA per play. Hall’s running was a primary factor in the team avoiding finishing last in the league in all offensive metrics.

In 2025, Hall finished 15th among running backs with at least 100 carries in rushing yards, 38th in EPA per play and 27th in success rate. He had the sixth-highest tackle for loss percentage, but did rank 15th in rushing yards over expected, per Next Gen Stats. With an improved offensive supporting cast, it’s hard not to imagine that Hall will have a better and more efficient season in 2026. After all, he was practically the team’s only weapon after Garrett Wilson went down with an injury and still managed 1,065 yards. With his explosive ability and more playmakers to take attention from the defense, he could certainly top what he produced last season.

How have RBs fared after signing an extension?

While in recent years there was hesitancy about extending running backs, the top rushers have proved worth the price tag as of late, which should add to the confidence Hall has in believing his best football is ahead of him.

The two highest-paid running backs are Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey. After first signing with the Eagles in 2024, Barkley became the ninth running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. The Eagles extended him again in 2025, though Barkley was not as productive as the whole offense slumped. McCaffrey has dealt with injuries in both seasons after he received extensions (with the Panthers in 2020 and with the 49ers in 2024). However, he rebounded in 2025 with an incredibly productive season for San Francisco, racking up 2,126 yards from scrimmage.

Beyond Barkley and McCaffrey, who each make over $4 million more annually than any other back, extensions have proved even more successful for the top backs in the league.

Derrick Henry has rushed for over 1,500 yards in every season after every multi-year deal, including a 2,000-yard rushing season in 2020 after his first extension. James Cook just received a new contract from the Bills last summer, and went on to lead the league in rushing. After a contract stalemate caused Jonathan Taylor to miss time during the 2023 season, he has produced consecutive 1,400-yard rushing seasons in 2024 and ‘25. Josh Jacobs rushed for 1,300 yards after signing with the Packers and Tony Pollard has back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons since signing with Tennessee, despite playing in less-than-ideal circumstances. And Kyren Williams recorded 1,200 yards while ranking No. 2 in success rate after re-signing with the Rams.

There have been poor contracts handed out to running backs over the past decade, such as Le’Veon Bell’s deal with the Jets in 2019 or Ezekiel Elliott’s contract with the Cowboys in 2019, but between the shorter deals and low number of guarantees in more recent deals, the latest running back contracts have been far less risky.

As such, it makes sense for Hall to believe he will become the latest back to have a great year after his well-earned extension.

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