PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football PK Jai Patel is a nominee for the 2025 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team, the organization announced Tuesday. The nominees honor college football players making a difference in their communities.
Entering his fourth year with the Scarlet Knights, Patel has been active within Chop4Change, the program's initiative to spread a message of unity and equality, while giving back to the community through various forms. That includes serving as a team representative and leader for Team IMPACT, a program that that matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams, creating a long-term, life-changing experience for everyone involved. Jaylen Jhaveri, a 13-year-old New Jersey resident living with neuro muscular disorder, was matched with Rutgers football this spring and has been on campus creating memories with the team, such as scoring the winning touchdown on the final play of the Scarlet-White Game.
Patel has spent time creating meal kits for Elijah's Promise, which harnesses the power of food to break the cycle of poverty, alleviate hunger and change lives. In addition, the Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, native has been part of Special Olympics New Jersey in running a bocce tournament and teaching football to kids during a clinic.
A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Patel is a business analytics and information technology major.
On the field, Patel has made 15 field goals each of the past two seasons, including setting the school record for accuracy (83.3 percent) in 2023 on the way to earning Third Team All-Big Ten honors. He made his final 13 attempts last season to tie the school record for consecutive successful field goals, finishing with a 4-for-4 performance in snowy conditions in the win at Michigan State and knocking through two kicks in the Rate Bowl. Patel's 30 career field goals enters 2025 ranked seventh-most in the school record book.
Jai Patel
Rutgers opens the season Thursday, Aug. 28 hosting Ohio at SHI Stadium. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a second straight winning season, posting a program-high points per game in the Big Ten era. The 2025 campaign opens with four consecutive games at SHI Stadium for the first time since hosting five in a row to open 2007.
Season and single game tickets are on sale. To purchase, visit ScarletKnights.com/tickets or call 866-445-GORU (4678). Benefits of being a season ticket holder include an exclusive opportunity to purchase season parking on Busch campus within walking distance to SHI Stadium, special pricing, a payment plan option, early access to season tickets and other Rutgers ticket offers throughout the year. Purchasing season tickets directly supports student-athletes. Visit Rutgers Football Ticket Central for more information.
Follow Rutgers football on X (@RFootball & @RUboardwalk), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball & @ruboardwalk) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.