Based in the New York metropolitan area, The New York Jets are a professional American football team. They are members of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). They play their home games in East Rutherford, New Jersey at Giants Stadium, named after another NFL team, the New York Giants. The Jets officially refer to the venue as “The Meadowlands,” a name used on all official NFL and team game notes regarding Jets’ home games.
The club’s headquarters are located at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York on Long Island. They are constructing a new training facility and corporate headquarters in Florham Park, New Jersey.
The jets began in 1960 as a deed member of the American Football League under the name New York Titans. Renamed after Sonny Werblin bought the team in 1963, it later joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL Merger.
The Jets hold the characteristic of being the first AFL team to defeat an NFL club in an AFL-NFL World Championship Game when they crushed the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.
Franchise history
Originally known as the New York Titans, the team played home games at the Polo Grounds. After a 5 to 9 season in 1962, the team’s future was in doubt. A group headed by MCA head Sonny Werblin and Leon Hess, bought the team from Harry Wismer on March 13, 1964, saved it from ruin. Hess eventually bought out his partners, and kept sole ownership until his death. His estate then sold the team to Johnson & Johnson heir Robert Wood Johnson IV in 2000.
After they took over, the team was renamed the New York Jets to transfer from the Polo Grounds to the New York Mets’ Shea Stadium one year later. Shea Stadium lies so close to LaGuardia Airport that the sound of jets roaring overhead was a common sound heard during games played there. The team’s colors were also changed from blue and gold to kelly green and white, which also were the colors of Hess’ gasoline stations.
Exactly one month after the sale of the team, the Jets hired Weeb Ewbank as head coach. He had won back-to-back NFL championships in 1958 and 1959 with the Baltimore Colts, and was one of the most respected coaches in the game.
2005
The 2005 season started out with the Jets reacquiring WR Laveranues Coles from the Washington Redskins and getting CB Ty Law from the New England Patriots. They also acquired free agent quarterback Jay Fiedler of the Miami Dolphins as an expert backup for the starter, Chad Pennington. During the Draft, the Jets traded their first round selection for Raider’s Tight End Doug Jolley. The Jets used their first selection (2nd round, 15th pick) to select Ohio State Kicker Mike Nugent to replace the departed Doug Brien. The Jets allowed several key role players to leave through free agency or traded them for underachieving players. These players included LaMont Jordan, Kareem McKenzie, Sam Cowart, Jason Ferguson, and to a lesser extent Anthony Becht.
The Jets entered the season with high hopes of competing for the Super Bowl, but in week three against the Jaguars when Chad Pennington reinjured his shoulder. Their backup quarterback Jay Fiedler was injured six plays after Pennington. The injuries caused previous third-string quarterback Brooks Bollinger to take the role as the team’s starter and Vinny Testaverde was brought back out of retirement as Bollinger’s backup. After a poor showing by the Jets’ offense in a loss, Testaverde would start the Week 5 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His steady hand led the offense, and Curtis Martin scored two touchdowns, giving the Jets just enough to earn a 14 to 12 victories over the earlier unbeatable Buccaneers.
2006
On January 17, the Jets-Patriots coaching pipeline reared itself yet again, as New England defensive coordinator Eric Mangini was hired by the Jets and became the youngest head coach in all 4 major American sports, turning 35 on January 19. Mangini’s first order of business was to reorganize the coaching staff. Offensive Coordinator Mike Heimerdinger and Defensive Coordinator Donnie Henderson were both released from the Jets staff. Special Teams Coordinator Mike Westhoff was retained. A full staff was announced on February 20. Linebackers coach Bob Sutton was named defensive coordinator and the team signed Jim Herrmann to replace Sutton as the linebackers coach. He was the defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan for twenty years before arriving in New York. Eric Mangini then installed a 3-4 defense.
General Manager Terry Bradway announced that he was stepping down as Jets GM on February 7, 2006. Assistant GM Mike Tannenbaum was named the new GM on the same day. Bradway continue to be employed as an investigation consultant.
The Jets finished the regular season with a record of 10-6, having defeated the Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, and the Oakland Raiders in their last three games. They earned the 5th AFC Wild Card spot in the playoffs.
Current staff
Owner – Robert Wood Johnson IV
General Manager – Mike Tannenbaum
Head Coach – Eric Mangini
Assistant Head Coach – TBD
Radio and television
As of 2006, the Jets’ flagship radio station was WEPN, ESPN Radio 1050, with Bob Wischussen as the play-by-play announcer. Any preseason games not nationally televised are shown on WCBS, channel 2, and rebroadcast on SportsNet New York. Ian Eagle calls the action on those telecasts.
Notable past play-by-play announcers for the Jets include the legendary Marty Glickman and Howard David, who has called the Super Bowl and the NBA Finals for Westwood One and ESPN Radio
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