Inside Kris Boyds winding NFL career before shooting: A viral playoff moment and a tough Jets break

Kris Boyd had been relatively obscure for an NFL player until he went viral during the playoffs with the Texans last season.The 29-year-old Jets cornerback — currently in critical but stable condition at Bellevue Hospital after being shot in the abdomen early Sunday morning outside the Sei Less restaurant in Midtown — forced a fumble on the opening kickoff that the Chiefs recovered, threw his helmet off in a celebratory manner and was assessed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.He then ran toward the sideline and shoved special teams coach Frank Ross in a moment replayed in slow motion on the ESPN broadcast.“I was just too excited, did something that I shouldn’t have done.

Learning from it,” Boyd said after that game.“Keep my helmet on.”Primarily a special teams player, Boyd remained in the game as the Texans lost in the divisional round.Boyd signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Jets during the offseason but has not played a snap for them as he went on injured reserve in August with a shoulder injury.When he signed in March, Boyd wrote on Instagram, “When we follow God’s plan and timing for our own lives, we assist the process of spiritual growth!”He began his career with the Vikings, who took him in the seventh round out of Texas in the 2019 NFL Draft.Over his four seasons in Minnesota, Boyd had 95 combined tackles, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three passes defended in 58 games.Boyd signed with the Cardinals in 2023 but was cut that October.

He joined the Texans later that month.Ernest Quander, a close friend of Boyd’s from his college days, told The Post that Boyd was “in good condition.”...