1973 New York Jets Offensive Line Profiles

JOHN SCHMITT

Center

No. 52

Hofstra

"The Jets center for the past seven years, Schmitt is another member of Joe Namath's protection corps. He sat out part of the game at Baltimore with a concussion but was in for all the other offensive plays.

Schmitt received All-AFL mention following the '68 and '69 seasons. He enjoyed one of the finest games of any center's career against Kansas City in 1971 at Shea when he completely neutralized (according to Jet coaches) the Chiefs' awesome middle linebacker Willie Lanier. A superb pass blocker, John earned the Heede Award as the Jets' most dedicated offensive player in 1968. Signed as a free agent in 1964, he fought his way to regular status after two years on the taxi squad.

Schmitt is the sports director of WGBB radio in Freeport, handling a daily sports report. He's chairman of Professional Athletic Speakers on Narcotics for the Town of Hempstead and Nassau County and is a dedicated worker in many anti-drug projects. He works for the Cerebral Palsy School for the Living on Long Island.

John makes his year-round home in Brookville. His hometown is Central Islip, New York."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

"Elected Jets offensive co-captain with Winston Hill in 1971, John has been the club's starting center for the past seven seasons. He's a superb pass blocker and gives his best effort on every play.

John received All-AFL mention after the 1968 and 1969 campaigns. He won All-East honors as a tackle at Hofstra in 1963."

-1973 Topps No. 24

RICK HARRELL

Center

6th Round

Clemson

"Drafted in the sixth round by the Jets, Harrell makes the long snap and scouts gave him a 'double-A' rating on making the snap. He will be tried at center on both place kicks and punt snaps. Rick played guard as a junior and center as a senior.

Harrell was a four-year wrestler in high school and enjoys golf and hunting. His hometown is Morristown, Tennessee."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

DAVE HERMAN

Guard

No. 64

Michigan State

"A reliable performer along the offensive line, Herman begins his 10th year at right guard. He is a flawless pass blocker as well as an explosive type for the run. His block sprung Emerson Boozer for a touchdown against New England at Shea. Dave is one of the major reasons why Joe Namath was spilled only 11 times last year. He missed one game (Miami at Shea) with a charley horse.

Herman has always done a great job against the better defensive tackles in the game. He became a starter in 1965 and teamed up with different tackles on the right side over the years before Winston Hill moved in alongside him two years ago. Dave has remained as constant as ever while helping out the younger tackles put beside him. In 1968, he made a move to right tackle which helped the club win the AFL and the Super Bowl crowns. He played against Oakland's Ike Lassiter and Baltimore's Bubba Smith.

Dave was drafted as a future by both the Jets and Giants in 1963. He's in great demand on the banquet circuit. He works for John Blair and Co. in radio sports programming and is co-director of a summer football camp with Emerson Boozer. Dave makes his home in Valhalla, New York. His hometown is Edon, Ohio."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

"Considered as a first-rate pass blocker, Dave usually is at his best against the league's better defensive tackles. In recent years he's done especially well against Manny Fernandez, Mike Reid and Charlie Krueger.

Dave was a standout guard at Michigan State and participated in the North-South Shrine Game."

-1973 Topps No. 126

RANDY RASMUSSSEN

Guard

No. 66

Kearney State

"One of the leaders along the offensive line, Rasmussen has been the regular left guard since his rookie year. Named to most All-AFC second teams following a very fine year in 1972, he is a great pass blocker and perhaps the best pulling guard the Jets have ever had. Randy has quick feet for a man his size (6-2, 255).

Drafted 12th in 1967, Rasmussen majored in mathematics. He grew up on a farm and likes to hunt, play golf and play tennis. He works as an institutional broker for Jeffries and Co. during the off-season. Randy wants to own his own farm and work it someday, and makes his off-season home in Elmsford, New York. His hometown is Elba, Nebraska."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

"A strong one-on-one blocker, Randy is one of the best pulling guards the Jets have ever had. He has quick feet for a man his size and is a fine pass protector. 

Drafted 12th by the Jets in 1967, he was the only rookie in the club's offensive lineup that season. Randy was All-NAIA for two years at Kearney State."

-1973 Topps No. 99

ROY KIRKSEY

Guard

No. 63

Maryland State

"Kirksey tore ligaments in his left knee against New Orleans and was lost for the final two games of the year. He had been a two-way performer before that. He was on his way to challenging for a starting guard slot in 1971 when torn ligaments in his right ankle knocked him out. He's a quick and strong lineman but must stay healthy if he is to improve.

Roy played three years for the Bridgeport Jets of the ACFL, two years there as a fullback and one as a guard. He was drafted eighth in 1971. Roy's biggest thrill in athletics was being named to the All-ACFL team at Bridgeport.

His hometown is Greenville, South Carolina."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

GARY PUETZ

Guard

12th Round

Valparaiso

"A twelfth round draft choice, Puetz was twice a college division All-America choice at tackle and an All-Indiana Collegiate Conference three times. With quick feet, he also can play center and makes the long snap for punts.

Puetz was a kicker in college in addition to his line work. He's worked for Proctor & Gamble during the summers and pronounces his name 'Pets.' His hometown is Chicago, Illinois."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

WINSTON HILL

Offensive Tackle

No. 75

Texas Southern

"One of the top offensive tackles in the game, Hill earned himself Pro Bowl honors for the sixth consecutive year in 1972. It was the seventh time overall that Winnie has been chosen for the Pro Bowl game. He has played both sides for the Jets, switching to the right side in 1971 after spending eight years at left tackle. He made the move so impressively that the Pro Bowl beckoned even at a new position.

Hill has been co-captain of the offense (1971) and is the Jets player representative. He has played in 138 straight games, the longest streak by a Jet. He plays a major role in most Jet victories by neutralizing the pass rush from his side. Hill won press acclaim for his work against Ordell Braase and Ben Davidson in the championship games of 1968. He came to the Jets in 1963 as a free agent after Baltimore and Weeb Ewbank had drafted him.

Winston was a Texas state high school tennis champion from Weldon for three years, 1957-59. He makes his off-season home in Englewood, Colorado and he owns a ranch. His hometown is Gladewater, Texas."

-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

"A four-time AFL All-Star, Winston likes to block for the Jets' running game more but is perhaps the most proficient pass blocker in pro football today. An All-Pro selection once again in 1972, he had another outstanding season and was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl squad.

Winston played both offense and defense in college."

-1973 Topps No. 150

BOB SVIHUS

Offensive Tackle

No. 76

USC

"The Jets left tackle for the past two seasons, Svihus is a 'worthy member' of the team says line coach Wimp Hewgley. He pairs with Winston Hill to give the Jets one of the best tackle tandems in pro football.

Svihus was a standout performer for Oakland before coming to the Jets. He started for the Raiders from '65-'70, and has missed only one game in eight years to date. Acquired by the Jets for a No. 2 draft choice during the 1971 training camp, Bob had been a No. 3 draft choice of Oakland in '65.

Svihus engaged in football, wrestling, swimming and water polo at Sequoia High. His hometown is Redwood City, California."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

JOHN MOORING

Offensive Tackle

No. 71

Tampa

"Mooring is a swingman offensive lineman, capable of playing guard, tackle or center. He worked at all three last year, playing center in Baltimore when John Schimdt was hurt. Two years ago, he played two games at right guard for Dave Herman and also was used as the extra lineman on goal-line defenses. Mooring blocked a punt against Dallas in 1971. He should challenge for a starting job this year. He was the second-round draft choice of the Jets in 1971.

John was on the track team in high school in Falfurrias, Texas, and has done summer work as a signalman for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad. He makes his home in San Antonio and his hometown is Falfurris, Texas."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

ROBERT WOODS

Offensive Tackle

2nd Round

Tennessee State

"The No. 2 draft choice of the Jets, Woods rated near the top of the offensive lineman crop for 1972 and is 'a great second round pick' says Weeb Ewbank. A product of the Senior Bowl where he was coached by the Jet staff, Woods made AP Little All-America.

He's the brother of Larry Woods, starting defensive tackle of the Detroit Lions. Robert played on three championship teams at Tennessee State. His hometown is Rogersville, Alabama."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

1973 New York Jets Receiver Profiles

DON MAYNARD

Flanker

No. 13

Texas Western

THE GAME I'LL NEVER FORGET

"There's no question in my mind as to the game I'll never forget. It was the biggest game I've ever been in. It was the New York Jets against the Oakland Raiders in Shea Stadium for the American Football League Championship on a cold, windy day, December 29, 1968, before more than 62,000 win-starved New York fans.

Some of my teammates might pick the next game, our Super Bowl victory over the Baltimore Colts as their most memorable game. We went into that contest 17 to 20-point underdogs and came out the winners. But to me the game against Oakland was bigger. If we hadn't won that one there would have been no Super Bowl for us. To me there just wasn't as much pressure riding on the Baltimore game as there was with the Oakland game. The way I figured it just getting into that game we already had $7,500 won. That took a lot of the pressure off.

Everything was riding on the game with Oakland. They were the defending AFL champions. They had experience under their belts. They had already played in the pressure of championship games and the Super Bowl. That kind of experience is awfully important in championship games. It can keep you on an even keel when you get hit by a bad break or two.

For the Jets, this was our first championship game of any kind. For our first few years in the league we were a pretty weak team. Now, we were rebuilt, but we were still young in a lot of spots.

The Jet-Raider games were always pretty much of a knockdown and dragout affair. We always seemed to go at each other pretty good, and we weren't in the best of health. The last time we played the Raiders, back in the middle of November, I had a real big day, catching 10 for more than 225  yards, but they scored something like twice in the last nine seconds to beat us 43 to 32 after it looked like we had it wrapped up.

Joe Namath got hit late in that game by Ben Davidson, their big defensive end, and got a fractured jaw on the play. After that game one of the writers asked Joe about it and he told him, 'I must have done it eating breakfast this morning.'

So Joe was hurt, and George Sauer, our split end, missed the last three games with an injury and missed out on the reception leadership by a couple of catches. I missed the last three games with a pulled hamstring and lost the receiving yardage title by 15 yards, but when you're winning those things aren't that important.

We figured we could move the ball on them, but we knew we were going to have to play good defense to beat them because with Daryle Lamonica throwing to receivers like Fred Biletnikoff and Warren Wells, and with runners like Hewritt Dixon and Pete Banaszak, they could put a lot of points on the board in a hurry.

The wind is a fierce thing in Shea Stadium and we figured that at time it would be like a twelfth man on the field for us. We knew the wind, knew how tricky it could be, and there was no way the Raiders could know it the way we did.

It was at our back in the first quarter. The Raiders won the toss and elected to receive, giving us the wind. Our defense stopped them and Joe put us right to work.

I had a big day against their cornerback, George Atkinson, the first time against them. They were primarily a man-to-man team then with a lot of bump-and-run so Joe decided to work on him. We started with the quick outs and sideline passes. He threw four times in that opening drive and three of them were to me. On the last one I ran a sideline pattern in the end zone and Joe hit me for about 14 yards and a touchdown.

Our defense stopped them without a score and we moved the ball upfield to the Oakland 26 before we stalled out. From there, Jim Turner kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it 10-10 and it started to look easy. But after you've been in football a while you know that the good teams come clawing back just when they have to.

Oakland did. Now they had the wind and Lamonica drove them in. He hit Biletnikoff for 29 yards and a touchdown. Biletnikoff had a great day. He caught something like 10 passes for 190 yards against us. But we stopped him when we really had to.

It was our turn again. We worked the ball down the Oakland 29 and on fourth down Turner backed up and kicked a field goal into the swirling crosswind from 36 yards out. Blanda hit one for them just before the half from 26 yards away and we went into the locker room ahead 13 to 10.

We took the second-half kickoff but couldn't get a score and then Lamonica drove them deep into our territory. One of the keys to the game, I think, was when our defense stopped them on our two and made them settle for a tying field goal by Blanda from the nine-yard line.

That goal-line stand was a big tonic to the offense and Namath rolled us in for a score to take the lead again, hitting our tight end Pete Lammons for the touchdown from about 20 yards out.

It was comforting going into the fourth quarter when we had the wind at our back again with the touchdown lead, but Oakland narrowed the gap when they drove down inside our 15. But once again our defense held. They were magnificent all day. Lamonica ended up with 401 yards passing, but produced only one touchdown out of all that yardage. They were forced to settle for another field goal by Blanda.

Then things took a big turn. We were nursing the ball upfield, running with Matt Snell and Emerson Boozer, throwing the short, control passes, but I guess we went to the well once too often.

The call was a short out. I ran straight down about nine yards and made a sharp cut to the sideline, but this time Atkinson was ready. He stepped in front of me, picked off the pass on about our 37 and ran it back to the five before Joe knocked him out of bounds. One play later Pete Banaszak banged over for the touchdown.

There was a big letdown on our bench when we came off the field after that interception, but I knew we could come back. While we were waiting for the kickoff I went over to Joe and told him I thought I could beat Atkinson deep. He said, 'OK, as soon as we get back in.' One thing about Joe, he's got confidence. Nothing will ever shake it, either.

Earl Christy gave us a good return out to our 32 and on the first play, Joe hit George Sauer for a first down on the 42. We got back in the huddle and he looked at me as much to say, 'Now?' and I shook my head, 'Now!'

For most of the game, Atkinson was playing right up on the line bumping me at the snap of the ball. Now he was laying off about five yards figuring he'd give us a couple of short ones if he had to, but he didn't want to get beat deep.

At the snap I took off. I gave a fast feint to the sideline, but mostly I just tried to fly right past him. We were shoulder to shoulder, Atkinson and me and Joe let it fly.

When I looked up the ball was coming on target to my inside shoulder, but just as I started to make my move to catch it a sudden gust of wind hit it and blew it to the other side. Somehow I shifted my hands and my head reached for it and felt my hands close around it. I was concentrating so hard on that ball I could feel the pebbly grain under my fingers. I was knocked out of bounds on the Oakland four-yard line, but we were sure in good shape.

On the very next play, Joe ran a play action, looked for Lammons who was covered, looked for Sauer who was covered, looked for Mathis who was covered. I ran about a four-second delayed hook into the middle as the fourth receiver and before I knew it I saw the ball coming right into my belly. That proved to be the winning touchdown.

Our defense made three more great stands to keep the Raiders out of the end zone; Verlon Biggs making a tackle at our 26; Ralph Baker recovering a fumbled lateral at our 30, and stopping them in the closing minutes.

It wasn't the touchdown catch I remember so much. It was that first one for 50 yards to set it up. As far as I'm concerned, it was a million-dollar catch, and I know it was the greatest catch I've ever made. One writer called it 'the most memorable pass play in the history of the Jets.' That was good enough for me. You can't improve on that."

-Don Maynard, as told to Bob Billings, Football Digest, June 1973

MAYNARD SHATTERS A NAMATH MYTH

"It took Don Maynard just one hour to shatter some treasured illusions. You know the story about how, the night before the Super Bowl, Joe Namath with a bottle of booze and a roommate who was definitely assigned by Jet Coach Weeb Ewbank?

It so happens that Don Maynard and his wife occupied the room adjacent to Joe's that night. The Jets wide receiver remembers lying awake worrying about his pulled hamstring and whether it would keep him from playing against the Colts.

'And I could hear the projector running in Joe's room. Finally, at two o'clock in the morning, I knocked on his door and asked him to turn it off so I could get some sleep. He said, 'Come in here. I want to show you something.' He'd found the key to beating the Baltimore defense, a certain alignment that we could take advantage of.'

The next day, early in the first quarter, Namath checked off at the line of scrimmage and threw a bomb to Maynard. 'That was one of the most frustrating moments of my life,' says Maynard. 'I had both of those guys beaten so badly and the pass was just inches out of my reach.'

The next myth Maynard debunked is the one that pictures him as some sort of wild character.

'I don't know why anyone would think anything like that,' he insists. 'I don't smoke and I've never had a drink in my life. I've driven a few guys home, though. I wear cowboy boots but they're not even high heeled. I did jump into a pool in Oakland with my clothes on to win a bet once. Maybe that's where it got started.'

Maybe. But Maynard comes on as a family man type who for five years spent his off-seasons teaching history and mathematics in an El Paso high school. He doesn't even ski anymore.

'Not since that time four years ago at Lake Placid. The time I skied backward 300 yards. No, it definitely wasn't on purpose.'

One of the illusions that Maynard kept intact, however, was that he, like many of the players who starred in the old American Football League, would never get over their animosity toward the old NFL.

'I don't think that will ever completely disappear,' he says. 'Just this year in the Oakland game on national television when I broke Ray Berry's record for total receptions they didn't even stop the game to give me the ball. Weeb got it for me and I have it and that's what's important.'

Maynard is one of two Jets- Larry Grantham's the other- who go all the way back to the team's beginnings as the Titans. That was back in 1960- the year after Don had been cut- the kindest cut of all- by the Giants.

'I played one year with the Giants, 1958,' Maynard recalls, 'and I learned a lot sitting on the bench, watching Kyle Rote and Frank Gifford.' He says it without a trace of irony in his voice. 'Really, Kyle was playing hurt by then and it was interesting to watch him run his patterns at controlled speed. I learned something.'

The next year Allie Sherman came to be offensive coach, 'and I went.' Maynard emphasizes that he has never had any bitterness towards the players in the NFL. 'A lot of Giants were my friends. Sometimes we'd go to banquets or things together. They'd get five times what we'd get. Today I won't go anywhere where's going to be a Giant player. I just don't want to invite the comparisons.'

Last season was Maynard's 13th with the Jets, a number that holds for him great significance. It's the number he's worn on his back ever since his first year of varsity football as a senior in high school. 'I started wearing it because in my first game the guy who was wearing it broke his leg on the opening kickoff. Everybody was afraid to wear it after that so I said, 'Heck, I'm not superstitious, so I'll wear the thing.'

'Once at Texas El Paso a bunch of us exes went back to play a benefit game and there were two No. 13s on the same team. The other was that kid who later died playing with the Lions. Chuck Hughes. He was a great guy.

'The number never really meant anything to me but since I've been wearing it you'd be surprised at how many times the No. 13 turns up.'

But Maynard promised that his 13th season most definitely won't be his last. 'I'm 36 but I don't feel it. The last two years I"ve missed only one half of one workout. I'll go on playing football as long as it's still fun and right now it is. I'm like the ducks who go south for the winter. When summer comes I can hardly wait to go north to the training camp.'

Oops, there goes another illusion shattered."

-Robert Markus, The Chicago Tribune (September 1973 Football Digest)

"Don Maynard has had the last laugh. He has been written off, called eccentric, called a fumbler and criticized for his pass routes during his 14-year AFL-NFL career, but now he owns two of the most important records in pro football- receptions and yardage receiving.

On a chilly night in Oakland last December, Maynard hauled in seven passes to lift his career total to a whopping 632, one better than another Weeb Ewbank prodigy, Raymond Berry. When he caught that 21-yarder from Joe Namath in the fourth quarter against the Raiders, it put an end to a quest that began back in 1958. Don, a 35-year-old lanky Texan, had long since annexed the mark for total yardage (it now stands at 11,816), but the receptions were a bit slower in coming, particularly with Namath hurt for two of the past three seasons.

'I don't really look at it like I'm the greatest receiver,' Maynard says modestly in his Texas drawl. 'After you play awhile anybody can break certain records. Longevity is the key. The record I'm proudest of is being the first guy to ever get 10,000 yards in receptions. Others may do it, but I'm the first and only one guy can be the first. It's like the four-minute mile, the 18-foot pole vault or the first guy on the moon.'

Don is back to play again. Few men in the history of pro football have meant so much to their team or accomplished so much as Country Don has while with the Jets these past 13 years.

His entrance into pro football is legendary now. He was typecast as a misfit by the Giants in 1958 when he arrived fresh off the Texas Western campus. In 1958 his cowboy boots, long sideburns, and his giant belt buckle inscribed 'Shine,' were out of step. In fact, Maynard has always been ahead of his time.

After the Giants decided his talents were not for them, Maynard bided his time in Canada for a season and then came to the fledgling Titans of the AFL in 1960. The name has changed and the league is gone now, but Maynard has remained a constant in New York football.

'The secret? Attitude,' he says. 'You've got to want to pay the price, not just the physical but the mental price as well. I believe the whole thing is 10 percent ability and 90 percent attitude.'

Always a positive thinker, Maynard has carved himself a niche in the Hall of Fame when he retires. He might just be the first of the AFL players to be so honored, but right now he has no plans to retire. He met with head coach Weeb Ewbank after the 1972 season and decided he would come back again for another go. That's thinking positive.

His achievements on the field have never colored his actions away from football. Maynard is still the same unassuming fellow he was 15 years ago when he first found his way up from Texas. His work with youngsters constitutes the most important thing he can do, he says.

'After a game I'll try to sign autographs as long as there are kids around. What's 20 seconds to sign an autograph to make a boy happy? Here's he's paid for a ticket and you can make him happy. Or you can disappoint him for life. It's a part of the job,' Maynard says.

His philosophy of life is best summed up in the message he tries to leave behind on his numerous speaking engagements. 'I try to leave a serious thought with youngsters- never bring shame upon a family name. Dainard Paulson (formerly a Jets defensive back) once said that to me and I've tried to use it since. I always try to talk positive to kids, to make them see that things can always turn out for the best some way. I think that it's important for a guy to walk worthy in his profession and honor his obligations. Leaving a good image is something that's really important.'

Things have turned out all right for Maynard, and few have walked worthier in pro football. Yes, Don Maynard might be called eccentric- but there should be more people like him."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

"In 1972 Don established a new all-time NFL mark for most pass receptions in a career with 632. The former record of 631 had been held by Raymond Berry of the Colts."

-1973 Topps No. 175

ED BELL

Wide Receiver

No. 7

Idaho State

"Bell stepped into the starting spot on the left side following a brilliant preseason and training camp. He finished as the second leading receiver on the squad with 35 catches for 629 yards and two touchdowns.

Ed had a great day in Baltimore, sliding underneath their famed zone defense for seven catches for 197 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown grab. A month later he also haunted the Colts with a spectacular 83-yard touchdown catch with a minute remaining to win that one, 24-20. Ed sat out one game entirely after a freak pre-game collision with Buffalo's Linzy Cole at Shea Stadium.

Bell is the smallest Jet ever and co-holds the Jet record for receptions in a game (12) with Don Maynard and Art Powell. As a rookie he caught 12 against Baltimore. He was drafted ninth in 1970.

Ed majored in speech and audiology and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts during the off-season. His hometown is Waco, Texas."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

"Ed collaborated with Joe Namath on the AFC's longest reception of the 1972 season. It was an 80-yard scoring pass against the Colts on October 22.

Ed has amazing speed."

-1973 Topps No. 209

JEROME BARKUM

Wide Receiver

No. 83

Jackson State

"Barkum broke into the pros last year as a backup man on either side. He caught 16 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns over the season.

Jerome enjoyed his best day at Houston, grabbing six Joe Namath passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. He started one game for the injured Ed Bell against Buffalo at Shea and hauled in four for 67 yards and a touchdown. He caught a 52-yarder against Miami at Shea to help set up a Jet field goal.

Barkum should be ready to challenge for a starting spot this year. He has been tutored at both sides for versatility and has 4.6 speed and great size to ward off defenders. He was the No. 1 draft choice in 1972.

Barkum is the cousin of Lem Barney, Detroit Lions cornerback. His brother, Melvin, is a junior quarterback at Mississippi. His hometown is Gulfport, Mississippi."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

MARGENE ADKINS 

Wide Receiver-Kickoff Returner

No. 26

Henderson County JC

"While in high school, Margene was All-District, All-City and All-Star in 1965. At Henderson County Junior College, he caught 24 passes for 504 yards and nine touchdowns. He played in the Junior Rose Bowl. In 1966 Margene snagged 47 passes for 614 yards and 11 touchdowns, all records.

In his rookie year in the C.F.L., 'Oleo' earned the respect of every defensive back in the country with his quickness and speed. These assets combined with excellent hands make him one of the finest receivers in the C.F.L."

-1968 O-Pee-Chee No. 15

"In 1972 Margene led the NFL in most yards returning kickoffs with 1,020. He ran back 43 boots for a 23.7-yard average, his longest runback going for 61 yards."

-1973 Topps No. 161

"Listed as a wide receiver, but caught only nine passes for 96 yards last year for the Saints. Adkins is employed mainly as kick returner. He ranked 11th in kickoff returns, lugging 43 for 1,020 yards, including a dash of 61 yards, and averaged 23.7 yards a return. He returned seven punts a total of two yards.

Margene played sparingly for two years with Dallas as a kick-return specialist and wide receiver after a three-year sojourn in Canada."

-John Devaney, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1973 Edition)

"Adkins came to the Jets from New Orleans along with Julian Fagan in a trade for Steve O'Neal and Bob Davis. He was an outstanding junior college player who went straight to the Canadian League instead of a major college. From 1967-69 Adkins caught 135 passes, 30 of them for touchdowns, and helped Ottawa win the Grey Cup in 1969.

Margene came into the NFL as the second pick of Dallas in 1970 and was used sparingly by the Cowboys for two years before being traded to the Saints last year. He was used primarily as a kickoff return man by New Orleans, hauling in 43 for a 23.7 yard average. He has 4.5 speed.

Adkins was an outstanding high school athlete at Kirkpatrick High in Fort Worth. He mainly played basketball and did not play football until his junior year. His hometown is Fort Worth, Texas."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

GARY HAMMOND

Wide Receiver

No. 17

SMU

"Hammond spent the entire 1972 campaign on the taxi squad after suffering cartilage damage to his left knee in a rookie game in July. He was operated on and underwent therapy throughout the season, and should be 100% this year. Hammond will be tried as a wide receiver primarily. He has great hands and speed.

Drafted third in 1972, Gary worked in public relations for a restaurant during the off-season. His hometown is Port Arthur, Texas."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

ROCKY TURNER

Wide Receiver-Safety

No. 29

Tennessee-Chattanooga

"A versatile performer who played at both wide receiver and safety in spots for the Jets last year, Turner will be tried primarily at wide receiver this year. He's an outstanding athlete. Rocky was active for eight games, spending the remainder on the taxi squad.

He can also help return kicks. Turner handled three kickoffs for a 19.0 average and five punts for a 7.6 norm. He was drafted 10th in 1972.

Turner's proper name is Harley. He majored in biology and his hobby is snakes. His hometown is Augusta, Georgia."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

MIKE HAGGARD

Wide Receiver

7th Round

South Carolina

"Drafted in the seventh round, Haggard had an outstanding career for the Gamecocks. He caught 70 passes for 1,047 yards and 11 touchdowns, the third best mark in South Carolina history. Mike had eight touchdowns as a senior, an all-time South Carolina record.

Haggard played in the America Bowl and also participated in track. His hometown is Shelby, North Carolina."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

DAVID KNIGHT

Wide Receiver

11th Round

William & Mary

"Drafted 11th, Knight has 'super great' hands according to scouting reports. He won All-East honors from the AP and was All-Southern Conference as both a junior and a senior. He caught 133 for 1,995 yards and nine touchdowns in his career and had six touchdowns as a sophomore. With 4.7 speed, David was selected to the Coaches All-America Game, where he was a star.

Born in Trieste, Italy, Knight's brother is a wide receiver at William & Mary. His hometown is Alexandria, Virginia."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

RICH CASTER

Tight End

No. 88

Jackson State

"With all the talk of zone defenses in recent years, here's the man you go to when you want to beat them. Example: In 1972 against the Baltimore Colts, who are supposed to have one of the best zones, Rich caught six passes for 204 yards. Two passes of 79 and 80 yards in the fourth quarter helped.

Caster is probably the fastest tight end in pro football, having run legit 4.5 clockings. He says he's faster than Oakland's Raymond Chester, his top competition for the distinction. Caster had 39 catches in 1972, and his ten touchdowns and 21.4 yards-per-catch led AFC receivers. No AFC player since 1969 had eaten up as much as 200 yards after catches in a single game.

'Caster is the guy who opened up our whole offense,' says Ken Meyer, a Jet assistant coach."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

"Caster made the switch to tight end last year and did it so effectively that he was selected to the Pro Bowl and was selected to most All-AFC second teams behind Raymond Chester. He led the Jets in all receiving categories, the first tight end to do so, with 39 catches for 833 yards, 10 touchdowns and a 21.4 average. His yardage, average and touchdowns led the AFC.

Caster had his biggest day as a pro with six catches for 204 yards and three touchdowns at Baltimore as he hauled in touchdown passes of 80, 79 and 10 yards from Joe Namath. All three touchdowns came on first down plays. He was the only NFL receiver to go over 200 yards in a game and the first to do so since Don Maynard in 1969.

His placement at tight end helped the Jets break up double coverage on outside men as defenses had to concentrate on him. He can outrun most defensive backs one-to-one. Caster did a fine job blocking, which helped the Jets ground attack, but will continue to polish that aspect of his game.

He had been a wide receiver for two seasons. His 20.7 average per catch as a rookie was the best ever by a Jet first-year man, and his career average of 20.0 is also the best for a Jet. Caster won the Heede Award in 1971 as the most improved and dedicated offensive player. He was drafted No. 2 in 1970.

Caster likes to swim and play tennis. His hometown is Mobile, Alabama."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook

"Rich led AFC receivers in two categories in 1972. He had the most touchdown catches (10) and the most yards gained through the air (833)."

-1973 Topps No. 323

WAYNE STEWART

Tight End

No. 89

Calfornia

"Stewart was the backup tight end last year and served on the special teams. He caught a four-yard touchdown pass against the Dolphins in Miami, his first in the pros.

Wayne has had an injury-checkered career, suffering knee damage in 1970 and broken ribs in 1971. He has been mainly a special teamer when healthy. He was drafted 15th in 1969.

Stewart is in the National Guard. His hometown is Downey, California."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

1973 New York Jets Running Back Profiles

EMERSON BOOZER

Halfback

No. 32

Maryland State

"Boozer figures highly again in the Jets' plans now that Matt Snell is gone for good. Em gained 549 yards (4.6 a carry) last season. He also caught 11 passes for 142 more yards. His 14 touchdowns (11 rushing, three receiving) led the team.

Actually, Boozer has been an important figure in the Jets' scheme since his rookie year. He was hurt badly (severe knee injury) in 1967 but made a comeback in '68.

'Injuries inspire me more,' he says. 'My knee injury happened when I was young. I had myself convinced I could grow another leg to replace the injured one.' He ranks sixth on the list of active rushers, having lugged the ball 936 times for 3,690 yards. Boozer has 45 touchdowns on the ground and eight more on passes. He'll play for several more years if he can.

'Having had a taste of pro ball, I don't want it to end soon.' Emerson has a daily radio show in New York and would like a career in radio or television."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

"The eighth leading active rusher in the AFC, Boozer teamed with John Riggins in the backfield to give the Jets their best rushing attack ever. He finished as the second leading rusher on the club with 549 yards and became 'Mr. Touchdown' of the Jets offense. He set a club record with 11 touchdowns and caught three more TDs for an overall total of 14, to tie the Jet mark in that category. He led the AFC and tied for the NFL lead in touchdowns.

Boozer had three days of three touchdowns each, at Buffalo, at New England and against the Patriots at Shea. He has now turned the three-TD trick five times in his career and is the Jets' all-time rushing touchdown leader with 45. Boo is the third-leading scorer of all time with the Jets (312 points) and second only to the retired Matt Snell in rushing (3,690 yards). Emerson had his greatest afternoon as a pro in 1972, racing to 150 yards and three touchdowns at New England. The 150 yards were the fourth best ever by a Jet.

He accomplished all of this last year despite missing three games entirely due to injuries and sitting out most of two others. Boozer has now put together four outstanding seasons back-to-back and with another could become the Jets' all-time leading rusher. He has been dogged with minor injuries each year but always comes back. His sophomore year (1967) saw him suffer a major injury when he tore ligaments in his knee in the ninth game. He had already scored 13 touchdowns, only six shy of the AFL mark. Boozer recovered from surgery and a year later received praise for his work during the AFL championship game and for his blocking in the Super Bowl. He led the way for Snell, who gained 121 yards.

Emerson has always been known as a superb blocker and teams with Riggins flawlessly. He excels in handling linebackers on blitzes. His bouncy, high-kneed style of running comes from his high school coach. Named AFL Rookie of the Year by the Pittsburgh Courier in 1966, Emerson was drafted sixth that year.

Boozer does an excellent job on the banquet trail during the off-season. He has a daily radio program on WLIB, and is co-director with Dave Herman of a summer football camp. He's extremely interested in working with youths.

Emerson makes his home in Huntington Station, New York. His hometown is Augusta, Georgia."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

"A fine running back for the Jets the past seven seasons, Emerson has always been known as an outstanding blocker for his teammates and is superb at picking up the blitz."

-1973 Topps No. 464

JOHN RIGGINS

Running Back
No. 44
Kansas
"The Jets Most Valuable Player in his second year. He fell just four yards short of Matt Snell's team rushing record and 56 short of the magic 1,000 mark. Riggins may have topped both if it hadn't been for an odd shoulder injury late in the season. He carried 207 times for 944 yards, a 4.6-yard average and seven touchdowns. Riggins was over the 100 mark in three games in 1972. He gained 769 yards rushing as a rookie.
John's best day in '72 was against New England when he rolled for 168 yards. That was the second best ever by a Jet. His 32 carries that day equaled the team record.
A small-town boy who says, 'Stardom to me meant being the best ballplayer at Centralia (Kan.) High School.' Others predict loftier heights for him.
'Riggins is younger and has more speed than Larry Csonka,' says Miami coach Don Shula. 'He certainly will be a great one.' He is also a fine pass catcher, having led the Jets as a rookie. Last season, John caught 21- one was a 67-yard touchdown sprint."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

"Riggins had a stellar sophomore season despite being nagged by injuries and sitting out the final two games of the year after minor knee surgery. He was selected Jets MVP by his teammates. He rushed for 944 yards, only four yards shy of the Jet season record held by Matt Snell, and good enough for a seventh place finish among AFC runners.
John had his finest day as a pro, running for 168 yards on 32 carries, at New England. He went over the century mark on two other occasions- 125 yards at Baltimore and 105 yards at Detroit. John sat out half of the first Miami game and was in for only one play against New England at Shea. He suffered his right knee trouble in the New Orleans game and two days later underwent surgery to remove a chip from the knee.
As a rookie he was the first player in Jet history to lead the team in both receiving and rushing. Ewbank compares Riggins to Marion Motley, Alan Ameche and Matt Snell in terms of potential.
'One of the fastest learners I ever had,' said Ewbank. Riggins was one of the reasons why the Jets set a team record for rushing yards in 1972. He picks up the blitz very well and opens the holes when Boozer carries. Coaches felt he would have been a Pro Bowl choice if not for the injury.
A first round draft choice in 1971, John broke all of Gale Sayers' records at Kansas with 2,706 yards over three years. He also set the Jayhawk season mark with 1,131 yards as a senior. He never missed a game or practice at Kansas.
Riggins set the 60-yard dash state record in high school with a 6.4. He was twice a state 100-yard dash champ with 9.8. Riggins' biggest thrill in sports was seeing himself on a bubble gum card. His hometown is Centralia, Kansas."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

"John became the first player in Jets history to lead the team in both rushing and receiving as a rookie when he did this in 1971. He's a powerful runner."

-1973 Topps No. 245

STEVE HARKEY

Running Back

No. 36

Georgia Tech

"A reserve running back, Harkey was called upon to start in three games last year. He got the nod at Houston, at New England and at Oakland when injuries depleted the Jet running corps. He rushed for 129 yards in 45 tries.

Harkey is a straight-ahead type of runner with power. He has good hands and was used to catch nine passes for 114 yards. He was drafted 16th in 1971.

Steve is Vice-President of Harkey Enterprises, a sporting goods concern. He enjoys modern poetry. His hometown is Atlanta, Georgia."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

HANK BJORKLUND

Running Back

No. 40

Princeton

"Bjorklund was active for seven games in the second half of the season. He was used sparingly in the backfield but returned seven kickoffs for a 21.4 average. His best day came in the season finale against Cleveland when he ran seven times for 28 yards and caught three passes for 19 yards. Bjorklund also caught a 35-yarder against Buffalo at Shea to start the Jets on a drive for a field goal.

Hank is a big, strong type of runner who has straight-ahead speed and excellent hands. Drafted in the 12th round in 1972, he won All-East and All-Ivy honors and was an honorable mention AP All-America.

Bjorklund was drafted by the Jets after bringing his own films to Shea for Weeb Ewbank to look at. He is a licensed real estate salesman and the leading scorer on the Jets' off-season basketball team. His hometown is Glen Head, New York."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

CLIFF MCCLAIN

Running Back

No. 42

South Carolina State

"A valuable backup runner, McClain moved into the spotlight with five starting assignments last year when injuries depleted the ranks. He finished the season third among the rushers with 305 yards. He had the best average gain per attempt with 5.2 yards per try.

McClain's finest day was a 121-yard effort on only 10 carries at Detroit. He also gained 68 on 13 tries against New Orleans.

Cliff has a world of potential, with great speed and moves. He spurted 63 yards against Cincinnati in 1971 for the Jets' longest run from scrimmage ever. He was drafted fifth in 1970.

McClain also competed in track in college. He ran the 9.7 in 100, ran in the 440 relay, and threw the javelin and the shot. His hometown is Orlando, Florida."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

JIM NANCE

Running Back

No. 35

Syracuse

"If Jim Nance is still learning the art of ball-carrying, as he claims, what can be expected of him next? All he did last year- his third in the AFL- was to win his second consecutive rushing title and to go over the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in a row. No other AFL back had ever accomplished either of these feats before. The barrel-chested 6-1, 245-pound fullback gained 1,216 yards in 1967 on 269 carries for a 4.5 average and seven touchdowns. As a soph in '66, he set a league record of 1,458 yards rushing on 299 attempts for a 4.9 average and 11 touchdowns.

These are powerful indications of learning for a guy who was unimpressive as an overweight rookie. Jim's strength as a runner is strictly to the inside, and by the time he hits his hole, he's in full stride. When he tries to go wide, he commits himself too early and draws a crowd.

Incidentally, know what round the Patriots landed him? The 19th."

-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1968

"For the second year in a row, Jim was the leading fullback in the AFL. In 1966, he was voted Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player.

Jim was the NCAA wrestling champ in 1963."

-1968 Topps No. 72

"When the 1969 season opens, Jim Nance will have to put aside the five-speed English racer he's been traveling about on in recent months. But Jim won't need it- he's running at top speed again.

Last season he was hurt, and no one on the Patriots suspected just how much until Jim's damaged ankle was opened up and doctors found two bones pressing together. Missing about half the season, the 1,000-yard runner was only half as good as he was in 1967, as he gained 593 yards on 177 carries for a 3.4 average and four touchdowns. But in both 1966 and '67, he went over the 1,000-yard mark and won two consecutive rushing titles.

A brute of a man at 6-1 and 245 pounds, Jim is now in his fifth pro season since coming out of Syracuse as the Pats' nineteenth-round draft choice."

-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1969

"The powerful fullback is the first man to lead the A.F.L. in rushing two years in a row (1966 & '67). Last season, Jim was Boston's top ground gainer again.

Fast and amazingly strong, Jim won 91 out of 92 wrestling matches in college. He will not eat a meal for 16 hours before a game."

-1969 Topps No. 70

"The big fullback has been one of the AFL's best since coming out of Syracuse University five years ago. Although he failed to hit the thousand-yard mark in rushing last year, his 750-yard total was still impressive, considering that he was a doubtful factor before the season began. An ankle injury suffered in 1968 required surgery, but Nance came all the way back last year.

Despite having played out his option, the chances of his remaining with the Patriots are good because they're staying in Boston. Nance feared a shift to the south, which he did not want to make."

-Brenda and Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1970

"The first runner to lead the AFL in rushing two years in a row, Jim was voted as Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the AFL in 1966. He set a club mark with 11 touchdown runs that year. An outstanding and punishing blocker and a good pass receiver, Jim had an impressive finish as a rookie fullback in 1965 after choosing the Patriots over the Chicago Bears.

Jim doesn't eat for 16 hours before each game."

-1970 Topps No. 60

"In 1969 Jim Nance was hailed for making the AFL's comeback of the year when he returned from a severe ankle injury suffered in '68 to rush for 750 yards. Twice, in '66 and '67, Nance had led the AFL in rushing with 1,458 yards and 1,216 yards, respectively.

Whether or not he can be that good again depends solely on the Patriots. Last season, Nance was in good form but managed only 522 yards on the ground behind an injury-riddled offensive line. But the 6-1, 240-pounder blocked solidly and caught passes well. In 1970 'Bo' caught 26 passes for 148 yards.

He has the brute strength to carry tackles with him and enough speed to turn the corner. Only 28, he should be around when the Pats do start winning again."

-Brenda Zanger, Pro Football 1971

"Had a good but not great season in 1970 after reporting to camp late due to salary differences with management. Nance signed a multi-year contract just before the first game. He then went out and led the Patriots to an upset over Miami, rushing for 89 yards and a touchdown, and catching three passes for 28 more. He also scored the winning touchdown in the team's only other 1970 victory.

Nance gained 522 yards to lead the club but his 3.6-yard average was below his lifetime 4.0. He has become a pretty good receiver as the years pass, catching 26 in 1970. He's maybe the best blocking back in the conference.

He had an amazing season in 1966 when he rushed for over 100 yards in eight different games and completed the season with an AFL record of 1,458 yards. He carried the ball 299 times that season.

Nance probably won't gain 1,000 yards again because the Pats' offense is more varied. But he could have his finest all-around year if the team jells.

From Indiana, Pa., he was twice an NCAA wrestling champ and winner of 91 of 92 matches as an amateur. He savors 20-pound lobsters but stays away from the table for 16 hours before a game."

-John Devaney, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1971 Edition)

"Winner of the 1969 AFL Comeback of the Year award, Jim returned from serious off-season ankle surgery early in the year to finish second in the AFL in rushing. The first player to lead the AFL in rushing two years in a row, he gained over 100 yards in eight different games in 1966 for an AFL record and had six games over 100 yards in 1967. Jim tied a Boston record by scoring five times on the ground in his rookie season of 1965 and set a new mark with 11 ground scores in 1966.

Jim was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champ in 1963 and 1965, was the Eastern title winner three years in a row, and won 91 of 92 matches. He was the Athlete of the Year at Syracuse as a senior."

-1971 Topps No. 170

"Ideal fullback type. Nance is a great runner, an excellent all-around blocker and a good pass-catcher.

The second-leading rusher (to Leroy Kelly) in the AFC, he has 5,323 career yards and 45 touchdowns. His figures would be even higher except for injuries in the past couple of seasons. Nance could rank among the top ten rushers of all time in pro football if he has a good season this year.

Last season, he gained 463 yards in 13 games. He led the team with five rushing touchdowns and was third on the team in receiving with 18 catches.

Nance led the old AFL in rushing with over 1,000 yards in both 1966 and 1967. His best year was '66 when he gained 1,458 yards. He was twice an All-AFL selection and once league MVP.

From Indiana, Pa., Nance was a standout college wrestler at Syracuse, winning all but one of 92 heavyweight matches. He was twice an NCAA champion."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1972 Edition)

"The highlight of the 1971 season for Jim came in the Patriots' 20-0 shutout of the Jets on October 10. In that game he gained 93 yards on 20 carries, putting him over the 5,000-yard plateau in rushing yards and into 15th place among the NFL's all-time rushers.

Jim is a former NCAA wrestling champ."

-1972 Topps No. 183

"Nance signed with the Jets after sitting out the 1972 campaign. He's one of the AFL's great stars. His 5,323 yards places him 11th on the all-time NFL list and ranks him second to Leroy Kelly among active AFC rushers. His total of 45 rushing touchdowns ties him with Emerson Boozer behind Kelly's 71 on the active AFC list.

Jim led the AFL in rushing in 1966, with 1,458 yards and 299 carries, and in 1967. The AFL's most valuable player in 1966, he was twice all-league. He was originally drafted 19th by the Patriots in 1965.

Nance enjoys paddle ball for relaxation. He worked for a real estate firm last year and was recommended to the Jets by Mike Holovak, who coached Nance at Boston. Jim's hometown is Indiana, Pennsylvania."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

MIKE ADAMLE

Running Back

No. 1

Northwestern

"Adamle was acquired in a trade from Kansas City in exchange for Gerry Philbin last February. He was the Chiefs' third-leading rusher in '72 with 303 yards. He had been a backup at Kansas City for the past two years and responded well when called upon a year ago. Adamle also helped return kicks, posting a 21.9 average on kickoff returns. He was originally a fifth-round choice of the Chiefs.

Mike is the son of Tony Adamle, who played linebacker for the Cleveland Browns when Weeb Ewbank was an assistant coach there. His hometown is Kent, Ohio."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

1973 New York Jets Quarterbacks Profiles

JOE NAMATH

Quarterback
No. 12
Alabama
"Namath had a good year in something besides commercials in 1972. He was dropping bombs like the old Joe Willie. Staying free of injury, he made All-NFL by Pro Football Weekly and was U.P.I.'s All-AFC passer. In the year of the running back, he led the league in passing yardage with 2,816. Namath tossed 324 passes in all, 19 for touchdowns.
He was at his best in bunching the yardage. He got only 496 on 15 completions against Baltimore! He had 403 against Oakland. Only two other quarterbacks ever had a pair of 400-yard games in a single season. Namath almost got the Jets back into the championship circle against Oakland, but it was in vain.
'All you can do is give it your best shot,' he said. 'All we can do now is get ourselves back together for next year.' 'Next years' have always been questionable for Namath, but he goes into 1973 healthier than he's been in a long time. Bob Griese evaluated the 1972 Namath by saying, 'On a good day, he's going to have a picnic. He can probably throw the ball better than anyone has ever thrown it.'
Joe has a lifetime completion rate of 50.1%."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

"Namath put together a superb season, playing his first campaign free from serious injury since 1969. Fully recovered from the wrist and knee injuries that kayoed him in 1970 and 1971, he passed for more yards than any other quarterback in pro football, tied with Bill Kilmer for most touchdowns (19) and regained his spot as the All-Pro quarterback on most teams. Namath was named All-Pro on the NEA (Players), Professional Football Writers and Pro Football Weekly squad, and won his fifth selection to the Pro Bowl; he had to pass up the game, however, because of ankle injuries suffered late in the year against Oakland.
Joe was elected captain of the offensive unit prior to the 1972 season. He was captain from 1968-1970 but was injured in 1971. Joe put together some of the finest individual efforts of his career last year, becoming only the third quarterback in history to have two 400-yard games in one season.
The first was his best day ever as he tore apart the Colts' famed zone defenses with six touchdown passes and 496 yards passing, the third best yardage total in football history. He hit on 15 of 28 passes, the six TDs coming off a total of only 15 plays. Three of the TDs were consecutively thrown to Richard Caster on the first play from scrimmage after the Jets had taken over. Other TDs were thrown to Riggins, Bell and Maynard. It took Namath his six touchdown passes to beat Johnny Unitas, who also had his finest yardage day that afternoon. The two famed quarterbacks set a total passing yardage record of 872 yards.
In the thirteenth game at Oakland, Namath threw for 403 yards on 25 of 46 in the Monday night game. He worked with a patchwork backfield due to injuries and was forced to throw continuously. He also had a 301-yard day in the loss to Houston in the Astrodome.
In addition to his passing exploits, Namath also displayed his keen football sense when calling upon his backs, Riggins and Boozer. He directed the Jet backfield to an all-time Jet rushing record of 333 yards at New England as he called plays to tear away at the Pats' defense which was geared for his passing. At Detroit later in the year, he engineered a 229-yard ground attack.
Overall on the season he finished up with 2,816 yards passing, ahead of his nearest rival, Archie Manning of New Orleans. Namath displayed good mobility on his surgery-scarred knees, being dumped only 11 times. He benefited from the insertion of Caster at tight end to take off the pressure from the wide receivers. Joe found Don Maynard seven times in the Oakland game to help him break Raymond Berry's all-time reception record.
Joe sat out the final game of the year with bad ankles. The medical report on him is that he should be in excellent health for 1973. His knees were seldom a problem last year.
Namath is a member of the all-time All-AFL squad chosen by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a combined All-Pro (AFL-NFL) following the 1968 championship season. He gained almost every possible award after guiding the Jets to the Super Bowl win over the Colts. Namath was named winner of the Hickock Belt, AFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP and the George Halas Award as the most courageous player. He was the Jets MVP in 1968 and 1969. Joe won the New England sportswriters' Colclough Award as the most courageous following his return to action in 1971.
During the Super Bowl campaign of '68, Namath went through a six-game span without a touchdown pass but the Jets won five of those games as he became an all-around quarterback. He threw for three touchdowns in the AFL Championship game against Oakland (two to Maynard, one to Lammons). Joe called a perfect game in the Super Bowl, hitting on 17 of 28 for 206 yards.
Namath combined with Maynard for the longest pass play in Jet history- 87 yards at San Diego in 1968. He tossed an 83-yarder to Ed Bell last year. He holds virtually all the Jet passing records. Namath has been over 300 yards 20 times (three of those being over 400) in his career. He shares the NFL record for most consecutive pass completions with 15 in back-to-back games against Miami and Boston in 1967. Joe is the only passer in pro history to surpass 4,000 yards in one season with 4,007 in 1967.
AFL Rookie of the Year in 1965, MVP of the '65 All-Star Game and co-MVP of the '67 All-Star Game, Joe has rushed 46 times for 125 yards and six touchdowns. His longest run was 39 yards against Oakland in '66. He has had four knee operations. Joe was drafted first by both the Jets and the Cardinals in 1965.
Namath has made three movies: 'Norwood' with Glenn Campbell, 'C.C. and Company' with Ann-Margret, and 'The Last Rebel.' He received favorable notices for his starring role in 'C.C. and Company.' Namath had his own TV show syndicated during the '69 and '70 seasons and has hosted the Tonight Show numerous times. He has made many guest appearances on TV shows such as 'Laugh-In,' 'Flip Wilson' and 'Dinah Shore.'
He operates the Joe Namath Instructional Camp for young boys during June and early July. He owns Joe Namath Restaurants in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. Namath visited servicemen in the Far East following the Super Bowl.
Joe resides in New York and Miami during the off-season. His hometown is Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

"Joe's best game of 1972 was against the Colts on September 24. He threw for 496 yards on 15 completions, including six touchdown tosses, one of the greatest passing shows in history."

-1973 Topps No. 400

AL WOODALL

Quarterback

No. 18

Duke

"Woodall spent all but one game of '72 on the taxi squad. He was activated for the final game when Joe Namath was hobbled, but Al did not see action.

Al had a fine year in 1970, directing victories over the Rams and Vikings, but had a disappointing campaign in '71, yielding the quarterback job after the fourth game of the year. He has a strong arm and a good football mind. He handled the offensive telephone on the field last year and called several successful plays, one of them a touchdown pass.

Woodall spent the 1968 season with the Richmond Roadrunners of the ACFL after leaving Duke, and led the ACFL in passing. He was drafted No. 2 in 1969.

A private E-2 in the National Guard, Al has worked for an anti-narcotics program in Gastonia, North Carolina. He conducted a series of seminars on football for women this summer during training camp. His hometown is Erwin, North Carolina."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

DON GAULT

Quarterback

No. 15

Hofstra

"Signed by the Jets as a free agent this summer, Gault played in Canada last year after four seasons (three on the taxi squad) with the Cleveland Browns.

He was active with the Browns in 1970 for two games. Don started the third game of the season against Pittsburgh when Bill Nelsen was injured. He was a member of the Cleveland taxi squad in '68 but missed much of 1969 because of National Guard duty.

Gault set virtually all Hofstra passing records for coach Howdy Myers and still holds 11 of them. The president of Eastern Athletic Enterprises, Don works for Security Mutual Life Insurance Co. His hometown is Queens, New York."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

1973 New York Jets Coaches Profiles

WEEB EWBANK (Head Coach and General Manager)
"Weeb Ewbank, the architect of the New York Jets success story, enters his final season as a head coach in 1973. His 20th campaign as an NFL head coach will cap a career that has seen Ewbank win three World Championships, four division crowns, and build two teams into powerhouses.
The 66-year-old Ewbank made his announcement that he would retire from coaching last December 18, citing a need to spend more time with his family. In 1974 Ewbank will turn over the coaching reins to Charley Winner, who has been appointed as the successor.
As head coach and general manager, Ewbank guided the AFL Jets to the professional football championship of the world in 1968 and won NFL titles back-to-back in 1958 and 1959 as coach of the Baltimore Colts, the team the Jets defeated for the crown. His feat with the Jets made him the only coach in history to win world championships in both leagues. His 20 years of service rank second only to Paul Brown among active coaches.
Weeb began his career as an assistant at his alma mater, Miami University of Ohio, and spent 14 seasons there. In 1959 he was presented with an Honorary Doctorate from Miami and in February of 1969, he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.
In 1943 he joined Paul Brown at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station as an assistant. At the end of the war, Weeb became backfield coach at Brown University and head basketball coach for the Bruins. After one season there he moved on to Washington University in St. Louis as head grid coach. In two seasons he brought the Maroons their finest record in 30 years, compiling a 14-4 record, including a 9-1 mark in 1948. While there, Weeb also acquired a son-in-law- Charley Winner, one of his players, married his daughter. Winner, formerly head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, is now an assistant coach for the Jets.
In 1949, Weeb reentered the pros by rejoining Paul Brown and the Cleveland Browns, serving as line coach. During the next four years, the Browns dominated pro football, winning the All-America Conference title, then taking the NFL championship in 1950 and Eastern Division pennants in 1951,'52 and '53.
Ewbank publicly exhibited his brilliant managerial talents when he moved to Baltimore in 1954. He took a team that was beset with disorganization and within six years produced two NFL championships. Among the many stars developed by Ewbank at Baltimore were Johnny Unitas, Alan Ameche, Raymond Berry, Lenny Moore, Gino Marchetti, Art Donovan, Bill Pellington, Jim Parker and Big Daddy Lipscomb.
In 1963 the New York Jets moved to get Ewbank to lead the struggling AFL franchise on the path to success. Moving carefully to reorganize the team, Ewbank led the Jets for four years before producing a winner for the first time in 1967. Then in 1968, the rebuilding plans came to fruition with the Super Bowl championship.
Through the years, players and assistant coaches who have been under Weeb have gone on to greater assignments. Five of these associates have become head coaches in pro football. Don McCafferty, who coached with Ewbank, is presently coaching Detroit. Don Shula, who played under Ewbank at Baltimore, is the head man at Miami, and Chuck Knox, who was on Ewbank's first staff in New York, is the head coach of Los Angeles. Clive Rush, Weeb's aide with the Jets, was the head coach of the Boston Patriots. John Sandusky was head coach at Baltimore last year. Joe Thomas, another ex-Ewbank aide, is vice-president and general manager of Baltimore. Joe Spencer, Lou Rymkus, Art Spinney, Jack Patera, Carl Tasseff, Bobby Boyd, Raymond Berry, Bob Shaw, John Bridgers, Frank Lauterbur, Dick Wood, Billy Baird and Babe Parilli are others who have moved ahead after playing or coaching under Ewbank.
Since coming to New York, Ewbank has developed six All-Pro (combined AFL-NFL) players- Joe Namath, Gerry Philbin, George Sauer, Jim Turner, Matt Snell and Winston Hill. Don Maynard, Larry Grantham, Dainard Paulson, Dave Herman, Sherman Plunkett, Verlon Biggs and John Elliott are others who received All-AFL honors under Ewbank. Hill, Elliott and Richard Caster have been members of the American Conference Pro Bowl squad. A trio of these players- Namath, Philbin and Maynard- were selected to the all-time All-AFL team.
As an undergraduate at Miami, Weeb was a quarterback, captain of the baseball team and a forward on the basketball team. A native of Richmond, Indiana, he married the former Lucy Massey, also of Richmond. They have three married daughters, all with families."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

TIP FROM THE COACH

"'We can continue to get the yardage and the scoring on offense,' says Weeb Ewbank, who is bowing out after bringing a ragtag team to respectability. 'But we've got to upgrade our defense if we're going to think about the playoffs.' "

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1973 Edition)

BUDDY RYAN (Defensive Line)
"Ryan joined the Jet staff in 1968 and has molded rushing defenses that have ranked near the top. He has helped develop many players to All-Star status: among them are John Elliott, Verlon Biggs and Gerry Philbin. The '68 Jets were first in the AFL against the rush, second in 1969 and in 1970 his charges led the AFC in rushing defense.
Buddy won four letters as a guard at Oklahoma State from 1952-55. He was defensive line coach at the University of the Pacific in 1967 after being head defensive coach at Vanderbilt in 1966. From 1961-1965 he was defensive line coach at the University of Buffalo.
Ryan saw action in Korea and was a sergeant upon his discharge."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos


WIMP HEWGLEY (Offensive Line)
"Hewgley joined the Jets in the spring of 1971 and has helped maintain the tradition of strong offensive lines on Weeb Ewbank-coached teams. He helped keep Winston Hill an All-Pro tackle on the right side after switching him from the left. Left guard Randy Rasmussen won All-AFC second-team honors for his play as well.
Hewgley spent the nine previous years coaching the line at Wyoming and Purdue. He played tackle and end at Wyoming, earning all-conference honors. Wimp entered coaching in 1960 as the frosh coach at Wyoming and spent two seasons at that before becoming offensive line coach. He moved to a similar post at Purdue in 1967, spending four years there."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos


ED BILES (Defensive Backs)
"Biles joined the Jets in 1972 after spending a season in the scouting department. He shares defensive duties with Charley Winner and Buddy Ryan. Ed worked for two years (1969-1970) as an assistant coach with New Orleans.
Before going to the Saints, Biles was head coach at Xavier of Ohio for seven years. He graduated from Miami (Ohio) in 1953 with a degree in physical education and got his M.A. in Education from Miami. Ed entered coaching there and spent three years before moving to Xavier in 1956 as freshman coach. He took over the head job in 1962."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos


MIKE HOLOVAK (Offensive Backfield)
"Holovak joins the coaching staff this year after spending 1972 as a talent scout for the Jets. He was head coach of the Boston Patriots from 1961-68, earning AFL Coach of the Year honors in 1966. Mike guided the Patriots to the AFL's Eastern Division title in 1963. He was offensive coach of the 49ers in 1969, joined Oakland as a talent scout in 1970 and was Raiders receivers coach in 1971.
He was an All-America fullback at Boston College from 1939-42. Following a tour of duty in the Navy, Holovak played for the L.A. Rams in 1946 and the Bears in 1947-48. He returned to B.C. in 1949 and assumed the head coaching job in 1951."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos


CHARLEY WINNER (Linebackers)
"Designated as the next head coach of the Jets, Winner will handle the linebackers this season. He will succeed Weeb Ewbank in 1974.
Charley has been a pro coach for 19 years, starting out as an assistant to his father-in-law Ewbank with Baltimore in 1954. He remained with the Colts until 1966 when he accepted the head coaching position with St. Louis.
Winner compiled the best coaching record of anyone in Cardinal history over his five seasons there. He won 35, lost 30 and tied five games, and had the Cards driving for a playoff spot in 1970. Winner joined the Redskins as defensive backfield coach in 1971 and 1972.
He has handled almost every aspect of coaching since entering the NFL but is chiefly known for his defensive work. Charley was head defensive coordinator for the Colts when they won back-to-back titles in 1958 and 1959.
Winner served in the Air Force in World War II as a radio operator and gunner. He flew 17 missions over Germany before being shot down in 1945 and spent six weeks in a prisoner-of-war camp.
Charley played halfback under Ewbank at Washington University."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

JETS NAME WINNER TO COACH IN '74
"Charley Winner, former head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals and most recently an assistant with the Redskins, will take over the head coaching reins of the Jets starting with the 1974 season.
Winner was named by Jets President Philip H. Iselin, who said that Winner would join the Jets this season as an assistant to the retiring Weeb Ewbank.
'I believe in an orderly transition,' said Iselin. 'I feel that by naming Winner to our staff, he will gain a full year of learning in our organization. If we waited until Weeb retired, we would lose a year.'
Ewbank, the only coach the Jets have ever known, announced on December 18 that he would put aside the coaching chores following the 1973 season. Iselin immediately began a search for a man to succeed one of pro football's most successful men and after much research tabbed Winner.
'I received nothing but favorable reports and comments on Charley,' Iselin noted at the 21 Club press conference on February 1. 'I researched this man and contacted a lot of clubs about him. I think that Charley is a winner and the right man to follow a great coach like Weeb.'
Winner, the son-in-law of Weeb Ewbank, has an association with the NFL that dates back to 1954 when he joined Weeb as an assistant coach at Baltimore. Eventually, he was put in charge of the entire Colts defense, a position he held when the Colts won back-to-back NFL titles in 1958-59.
In 1966 he accepted the head job at St. Louis and guided the Cards to the best five-year mark in the club's history and propelled the team into the playoff race in 1970. He went to George Allen's Redskins the next year where he helped mold their defense for a Super Bowl trip [in 1972].
Players who have been associated with Winner talked highly about the 47-year-old coach.
Mike Bass, defensive back, Washington Redskins: 'I think you will probably find that Charley is probably one of the most knowledgeable guys when it comes to defense. With a veteran group like we have, he is not the type of coach to force himself on you. He is willing to listen to suggestions and understands the problems defensive backs have, which was a help. I think you will find Charley one of the finest men. He does know football. He is very critical but very understanding. The criticism is always based on the good of the team.'
Brig Owens, defensive back, Washington Redskins: 'I think Coach Winner is one of the finest coaches I ever played under. He communicates well with the players and has a great knowledge of the game. As for the racial problem at St. Louis, it must have been blown way out of proportion because I talked to several of the players under him and they say he inherited the problem and he cleared it up. I think he's a good man.
Larry Wilson, former Cardinal All-Pro and now a coach at St. Louis: 'Charley is a fine person and a fine football coach. You people are very fortunate to have Charley as your coach. As far as indecision goes (a Dave Meggyesy charge) I didn't see that here. In fact, while he was here that was the best our team was ever handled. He'd listen to you and give you an opportunity to talk to him and express yourself. Charley Winner's Cardinal record speaks for itself.' (The best won-lost percentage in the 50-year history of the Cards).
Ernie McMillan, tackle, St. Louis Cardinals and a leading spokesman for the black players: 'If I were on the Jets, I wouldn't be concerned about Charley Winner taking over. He inherited the Cardinals' racial situation, he didn't create it. He opened the lines of communication here. He listened, moved and dealt.'"

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

KEN SHIPP (Receivers)
"A veteran of five years in the NFL, Shipp joined the Jets this year to take the place of the departed Ken Meyer. He spent the past two seasons as offensive coach for New Orleans. Shipp previously had been hired to his first NFL job under Charley Winner at St. Louis in 1968 and remained with the Cardinals through 1970.
Ken started at Middle Tennessee State and spent two years there. He moved to Trinity University (1953-57), Florida State (1958), Tulsa (1961-62), South Carolina (1963), and Miami (Florida) from 1964-67. He spent two years with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL from 1959 to 1960."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

1973 New York Jets Front Office Profiles

"The New York Jets Directors have been the impetus for the remarkable transition of the troubled New York entry in the American Football League into one of the most exciting and successful franchises in pro football. The Directors and the man they hired, Weeb Ewbank, have brought New York fans a quality brand of football, the World Championship in 1968, an AFL title in 1968, and two AFL Eastern Division crowns (1968 & 1969).
The Directors have always been an aggressive group, acting quickly for the betterment of the club. In 1963 they moved immediately to retain the services of Ewbank, one of the most respected head coaches in the pro ranks. Most recently, in an innovative decision, the Board named Charley Winner to succeed the retiring Ewbank in 1974 and to join the staff immediately.
'I believe in an orderly transition,' remarked President Philip Iselin at the time. 'I feel that by naming Charley to our staff now, he will gain a full year of learning in our organization.'
Three members of the Jets' original Board of Directors have been a guiding force in the development of the franchise since they acquired the team in 1963- President Philip Iselin; Townsend B. Martin, Chairman of the Board; and Leon Hess, Vice-President and Treasurer. Mrs. Helen L. Springborn, daughter of the late President of the club, Donald Lillis, assumed the post of Vice-President and Secretary in 1968 and has become one of the most respected women in professional sports.
The front office appointed by the Jets Directors is one of the most highly regarded in the National Football League. Both on and off the field, the club is talented and full of vitality.
The Board of Directors are dedicated to perfection. They have been rewarded in the past and continue to strive for nothing less in the future.
Philip H. Iselin, President, is the president of the Korell Company and Chairman of the Board of the Monmouth Jockey Club. The popular Iselin has an extensive background in racing and enjoys the unique distinction of heading two major sporting concerns.
Mr. Iselin lives in Oceanport, New Jersey and in 1969 was the recipient of an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Monmouth College (NJ) for his contributions to the shore area.
Townsend B. Martin, Chairman of the Board, is an internationally known owner and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses and a member of the Jockey Club. Mr. Martin is also engaged in the investment banking business with Bessemer Securities Corp. in New York City. An original backer of the Monmouth Park Jockey Club in 1946, he now serves on its Board of Directors.
Leon Hess, Vice-President and Treasurer, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Amerada Hess Corporation. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Monmouth Park Jockey Club, the American Broadcasting Corporation and the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company.
Mrs. Helen L. Springborn, Vice-President and Secretary, is the daughter of the late President of the Jets, Donald C. Lillis. She is a vivacious and enthusiastic football fan who is in regular attendance at every Jet game and function. She resides with her family in Greenwich, Connecticut."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

HOMER EDINGTON (Director of Player Personnel)

"Edington joined the Jets four years ago after a long high school and college coaching career in Ohio and Michigan. He directed the Jets to a strong draft in both 1970 and 1971.

Homer coached against Weeb Ewbank nearly 30 years ago on the Ohio high school circuit. In the '50s he was a civilian athlete consultant to the U.S. Army in France and Germany and head coach at New Albany High (Ohio). He coached eight years at Lakewood High (Hebron, Ohio) from 1960-67, and then spent a year at Muskegon Heights High (Michigan) just prior to joining the Jets.

Edington graduated from Ohio State."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

CARROLL HUNTRESS (Talent Scout and Assistant Coach)

"A newcomer to the Jet organization, Huntress will serve as a scout in the Jets combine with Denver and Houston. He has a coaching record in the high school and collegiate ranks which extends back to 1949.

Huntress joined the University of Maryland in 1960. He coached the freshmen and the offensive ends for five years at College Park. He became head coach at Bucknell in 1965, serving four years."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

JESS THOMPSON (Talent Scout and Assistant Coach)

"Thompson enters his second season with the Jets after joining the team in the summer of 1972. He served for six years as a scout with the Blesto VII combine from 1965-70.

He began his coaching career at Seminole High in Florida. Two years later Thompson moved to Cameron J.C. where he produced two Little Rose Bowl champs in his 13 years there. He also served as a defensive assistant coach at Mississippi Southern (two years), Tulsa (five years) and Texas Tech (two years) before moving to the Calgary Stampeders in 1961."

-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos

1973 New York Jets Outlook

DRAFT REVIEW

"Curiously, they didn't go for any quarterback to develop behind Joe Namath. But they did tighten their secondary with Burgess Owens, the premier defensive back in the draft, and Delles Howell. That trade also gave them defensive end starter Richard Neal, putting the Jets in a position to grant Gerry Philbin's trade wish and send him to Kansas City for Mike Adamle and a future draft choice.

They also reinforced Namath's protection with No. 2 pick Robert Woods, who could push Bob Svhius for a tackle job, added linebacking depth and picked respectable guard prospect Travis Roach. Rating: 6 1/2 (Under 4 is poor, 4-5 fair, 6-7 good, over 7 excellent)"

-Ed Stone, Football Digest, June 1973

TEAM DIRECTORY

President: Philip H. Iselin

General Manager and Head Coach: Weeb Ewbank

Assistant Coaches: Charley Winner, Buddy Ryan, C.W. Hewgley, Mike Holovak, Ken Shipp, Ed Biles

Trainer: Jeff Snedeker

Office: 595 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10022

Stadium: Shea Stadium (60,000)

Colors: Kelly Green and White

Training Camp: Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

-The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1973 Edition)

"Weeb's final year as a coach in pro football brings about an end of an era in the National Football League for the first and only man who won world championships with two different teams. His son-in-law, Charley Winner, takes over for him in 1974. Weeb will need some coaching feats to upend Miami in the AFC East. His Jets were second a year ago, but they were miles behind Miami.
Actually, in yards not miles, the Jets were closer to Miami than anyone offensively. The Jet total offense was second only to the Dolphins among all 26 NFL teams, which was a pretty good consolation prize for a club that didn't make the playoffs. Joe Namath, who made it through the season unmarked by injury, passed the Jets to the top of the AFC in aerial offense.
But the Jets' defense was shoddy. And it's hard to believe that the club can straighten out all of its problems by kickoff time come September. The only stable point on defense is at tackle, where John Elliott and John Little are impregnable. But even there, Elliott has been hampered by injuries in the past two campaigns.
On offense, of course, there's always the possibility of another injury to the always-vulnerable Namath."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD
"Namath unloaded bombs last season. Some people selected him as the All-Pro quarterback. Statistically, he ranked 14th among NFL passers, which wasn't much. But he did gain 8.7 yards a throw, which was almost as good as the ancient league leader, Earl Morrall. The main thing about Namath is that he can bunch together a lot of yardage and pull off a spectacular upset, no matter who the Jets are playing. But he hasn't been that great consistently, no matter what anyone on Madison Avenue says.
Jet Joe is blessed with some fine receivers, particularly Rich Caster who can hold his own against any tight end when it comes to grabbing a ball out of the air. If Jerome Barkum, the young wide receiver with so much promise, develops quickly, Jet Joe will have two speedy targets. As it stands now at WR, Eddie Bell, small but competent, and Don Maynard, the busiest pass catcher in history, give Namath adequate help.
John Riggins and Emerson Boozer, the regular running backs (Matt Snell is officially retired), are also good receivers. But they shine as runners. Indeed, a year ago the Jets were 13th among 26 teams in rushing, which is darn good considering how much they threw the ball. Clifford McClain is a strong backup. Mike Adamle (who came to the team at a costly price, traded straight up for Gerry Philbin) is another good reserve."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

OFFENSIVE LINE
"Tackles Winston Hill and Bob Svihus, guards Dave Herman and Randy Rasmussen and center John Schmitt are like money in the bank. No problem there."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

DEFENSIVE LINE
"Rich Neal, who comes from the New Orleans Saints, is expected to fill the place of the traded Gerry Philbin. That's no easy task. Mark Lomas and Ed Galigher will battle it out at the weakside end. John Elliott is a fine player at tackle and John Little holds his own on the other side of the line. John Mooring can play either tackle or end so he makes a fine replacement. But the Jets are in trouble on the line."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD
"Four linebackers and six defensive backs equal 10 players. And 10 into seven positions won't go. A year ago, the Jets finished dead last among all NFL teams in pass defense, an area blamed mostly on the backfield. Overall on defense, the Jets were 22nd among 26 teams, and a large portion of that fault lies with the backfield, too.
The Jets have four linebackers. Ralph Baker, Larry Grantham and Al Atkinson used to work well as a unit. But they are getting old. All are 30 or more. Young Mike Taylor shows some promise both in the middle and on the flanks. He should be a regular in 1973.
Steve Tannen, W.K. Hicks, Earlie Thomas, Delles Howell and Burgess Owens (a rookie) are vying for two cornerback jobs. Tannen may also be a safety as could some of the others. The safety positions are manned by Chris Farasopoulos and Phil Wise. They may be replaced. The Jets' defensive backfield is in for some reshuffling, obviously."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

SPECIALISTS
"Farasopoulos is a fine kick returner. The other kick returners are still a question mark, though Adamle may help. Bobby Howfield can really kick the ball, both on field goals and kickoffs. But punter Steve O'Neal is in a precarious position."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

OUTLOOK
"The Jets will look like the Miami Dolphins sometimes on offense but never on defense. New York should aim at second place and a wildcard playoff berth."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

1973 New York Jets Big Play

"A crossing pattern between the tight end and the flanker is the key to this play. Tight end Caster loops outside, drawing the strong safety with him, while Don Maynard cuts to the inside to take the cornerback. Thus, Caster can go outside against the safety, one-on-one. Should Caster still be covered, Joe Namath can look to Maynard cutting downfield over the middle."

-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition

"OFFENSE: In the second week of last season, Joe Willie Namath bombed Baltimore's zone defense for 15 completions in 28 attempts, six touchdowns and 496 yards. Baltimore had given up all of nine touchdown passes the entire season of 1971.
'Maybe one of the reasons the zone defense has gotten such a reputation,' suggested a Jet coach, 'is because Namath has been hurt the last two years.' Baltimore's John Unitas teased after the game, 'that Namath, he doesn't know any better than to put the ball up for grabs against a zone defense.' And Jet offensive coach Ken Meyer chirped, 'The Kid is back.' The Kid was back, indeed, in 1972. Namath returned from two seasons of virtual inactivity to lead the league in passing yardage (2,816) and touchdowns (19), and to furnish the Jets' offense with most of its 341.9 yards per game. He became only the third quarterback in history to record two 400-yard games in the same season.
There was enough offense to go places but the Jets watched the playoffs on television because of a leaky defense and a diminished supply of healthy running backs. There is more than enough offense to better last year's 7-7 finish. Rich Caster, moved to tight end from wide receiver, led the AFC in yards gained receiving with 833, average gain per catch (21.4) and touchdowns, 10. He led the Jets with 39 receptions. Eddie Bell caught 35 for an 18-yard average and Don Maynard caught 29 passes to establish the all-time NFL mark for receptions with 632.
The Jets rushed for a team record 2,010 yards but ran out of healthy backs as the season ended. John Riggins finished seventh in the conference with 944 yards and Emerson Boozer added 546 and scored 11 touchdowns.
Namath was sacked only 11 times but threw 21 interceptions among his 324 pass attempts. The line is led by Winston Hill, who made it to the Pro Bowl for a sixth straight time last season. Guard Randy Rasmussen had his best season to date. Guard Dave Herman and center John Schmitt did capable work but tackle Bob Svihus, known around the league as a notorious holder, dropped off in efficiency. The Jets haven't had much depth on the offensive line since the Super Bowl season of 1968, but this year it might be different. John Mooring, a center-tackle, guard Roy Kirksey, guard Roger Finnie, No. 2 draft choice Robert Woods, a tackle from Tennessee State, and sixth pick Travis Roach, a guard from Texas, may furnish the bench strength.
'We think that if we can continue to get the yardage and scoring from our offense that we got last year and upgrade our defense, we have a fine chance of winning,' said coach Weeb Ewbank. It will be a lame duck season for the 65-year-old Ewbank, who retires after this year and hands over the head coaching job to Charley Winner, Weeb's son-in-law and former head coach at St. Louis.
DEFENSE: In a moment of frustration last season, Joe Namath was berating his defense.
'The way things are going, we have to score just about every time we get our hands on the ball,' Joe whined. Things were nearly that bad. While leading the league in passing offense and scoring the second highest number of points (367) in the league, the Jets gave up a whopping 324 points. They scored 41 touchdowns but gave up 37, 18 by the pass.
So Ewbank went to the draft and came out extremely happy. The Jets dealt second and third round choices to New Orleans for cornerback Delles Howell and defensive end Richard Neal. Then Ewbank grabbed cornerback Burgess Owens of the University of Miami in the first round.
'I'm optimistic that we have improved our defense,' Ewbank said. 'We think that with the addition of Richard Neal to our defensive line, and Delles Howell to our secondary along with Burgess Owens, we made a solid move upwards.'
Three years ago, the Jets led the conference in defense. Last year, the statistics crashed down to 11th in total defense (336.4 a game), ninth against the rush (148 a game) and 13th in the AFC against the pass. The pass rush scored 27 sacks and the secondary grabbed off a respectable 22 interceptions, including seven by corner Steve Tannen.
Tackle John Elliott has recovered from an injury-prone year to rejoin the front four which includes tackle John Little and ends Richard Neal and Mark Lomas. Linebacker was a weakness last year and Ewbank may switch Al Atkinson from the middle to the outside and move Mike Taylor to the middle. Larry Grantham is the other outside man. Tannen and Earlie Thomas return at cornerback and will be hard pressed to survive the onslaught of rookies who'd like their jobs. Chris Farasopoulos had a good year at safety and Phil Wise will never forgive his shoe for permitting Earl Morrall to get loose on a 37-yard touchdown run. Wise's sole ripped from his shoe and he slipped in pursuit of the hot footed Morrall.
'We need better coordination between our rush and coverage,' said Ewbank. 'Our linebackers must help the secondary and the pass rushers more this year.'
SPECIAL TEAMS: Bobby Howfield led the conference in scoring with 121 points last year, kicking 27 of 37 field goals. He also kicked off well although the return yardage was a high 29.5. Steve O'Neal is trying to come back from a 39.3 punting average and he'll have the competition of Jim Foote of Delaware Valley. Chris Farasopoulos led the AFC in punt returns with a 10.5 average and one touchdown and also had a 24.1 kickoff return average.
QUESTIONS: A terrible defense, depth at running back and a weak punting game make the Jets less than a title threat.
STRENGTHS: Defense, defense. Quarterbacking depth, proven receivers and another big-figure season from Namath.
OUTLOOK: This is not the year for a New York Jet resurrection but Namath will make it interesting just the same."

-Al Levine, Gridiron News 1973 Pro Yearbook


"One of the joys of watching the New York Jets play football is that it takes you back to the days before Piltdown thought conquered the NFL with its zone defenses and run, run, run offense.
Watching the Jets means seeing touchdowns. With Joe Namath, the Jets are going to score them, and with the Jet defense functioning the way it has the last few years, the opposition is going to score even more.
In only five of 14 regular season games last year did the Jet defense hold the opposition to 20 points or less. The Jets finished dead last among American Conference teams in defending against the pass. They were only slightly better against the run, ranking ninth out of 13.
Relatively confident that the Jet touchdowns will continue as long as Namath stays healthy, Coach Weeb Ewbank went to work on the reconstruction of his defense.
It started with a trade. Weeb sent one of his two second-round choices plus a third-round pick to New Orleans for defensive end Richard Neal and cornerback Delles Howell. It's unlikely the Jets could have gotten any defensive end in the draft who could provide immediate help like Neal should. Many objective observers feel Neal is about to blossom as a bona fide star. Howell is a better cornerback than anyone the Jets had at the position last year.
Hours later, when it came time to draft, Ewbank got the exact player he wanted, Miami cornerback Burgess Owens. The consensus of scouting opinion is that Owens is ready to play regularly in the NFL as a rookie.
Neal could be the anchor the Jets need in rebuilding their sagging defensive line. If he is and if tackle John Elliott continues the comeback he started late last season, the Jets could take some pressure off their linebackers and deep backs with a better pass rush. Sophomores Ed Galigher and Joey Jackson could help, too.
The acquisition of Howell and the drafting of Owens gives Ewbank a lot of maneuvering room. He could play either one of them at safety if Earlie Thomas appears capable of holding his job. Steve Tannen, a starting cornerback last year, seems better equipped to play safety.
But even if Ewbank does solve those problems, he still is confronted by another one- his linebackers. Larry Grantham, the 34-year-old 13-season player, may have had it at long last. Ewbank speaks of trying veteran middle linebacker Al Atkinson on the outside with sophomore Mike Taylor moved inside.
To underline the problem, check the Jets' draft list. Their third and fourth picks, Bill Ferguson of San Diego State and Bruce Bannon of Penn State both are linebackers.
The Jets' attack, however, is probably more potent than ever. For one thing, there is Namath, admittedly not as sharp as he was before his two injury-plagued seasons of '70 and '71. But Namath, even non-sharp, remains the best passer in the game today.
Ewbank, annoyed at seeing his passing game tied up by the zone defenses, made a tactical move last year which paid off. He switched Richard Caster, the big outside receiver, to tight end. Strong safeties were required to ride a motorcycle to cover him. If he ever curbs his habit of dropping the easy passes, he may have to be outlawed.
For another thing, there is the running game. The Jets may possess two of the most potent backs in football, John Riggins and Emerson Boozer. If Riggins hadn't been injured late in the year, he would have joined the 1,000-yard club. As it turned out, he missed two games yet ran for 944 yards in his second pro season. Boozer ran for 549 yards, but his thing is getting into the end zone. He did it 14 times last year, 11 on runs.
The Jets classify their offensive line as 'adequate,' but some experts think it's better than that. You don't score 41 touchdowns without some quality people up front. And behind the starters, Ewbank has been nurturing John Mooring. Maybe this is the season to spring him as a starter. The anchor is tackle Winston Hill, who made his sixth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl.
Caster's shift to tight end left wide receiver in the hands of aging Don Maynard and undersized Eddie Bell. Bell caught 35 passes and Maynard 29. But as a concession to Maynard's 36 years and Bell's lack of size, Ewbank plans to play both in the same spot, possibly splitting the duty, with the talented 1972 No. 1 draft choice, Jerome Barkum, holding the other position.
Before the '72 season, one of the team's critical needs was for a place kicker who could plunk the ball through the uprights a reasonable percentage of the time. It was felt that Bobby Howfield, the little Englishman, would not do.
But Howfield did an amazing about-face. He tried 37 field goals and made 27, leading the conference with 121 points."

-Larry Felser, Pro Football 1973

OFFENSE
"QUARTERBACKS: Joe Willie remains the most electrifying quarterback in the game. Age has seen him acquire some rounding. The quality drops to mediocrity after him.
Performance Quotient: 2 [1 through 5, 1 being best]
RUNNING BACKS: The Jets' excellent running attack is sometimes overlooked due to the presence of Namath. Riggins would have reached 1,000 yards but for a late-season injury. He's right up there with Larry Csonka as a power back. Boozer is 30 but he still has that feeling for the end zone. Cliff McClain could have a bright future. Mike Adamle came from Kansas City and Hank Bjorklund works hard.
Performance Quotient: 1
RECEIVERS: The story here is Barkum's first full season with the club. He was a holdout far into training camp after being the top draft pick in '72. He could be a great star with seasoning.
Caster is a game breaker, and the top touchdown pass catcher in the AFC. Richard still has occasional lapses holding onto the ball, however.
Bell, who fights the size handicap, and Maynard, now 36, could share the spot opposite Barkum. The rest are reserves.
Performance Quotient: 2
INTERIOR LINEMEN: You don't score 39 touchdowns from scrimmage without a first-class line. The Jets split their touchdown output almost evenly, 18 running, 21 passing, which shows the versatility of the forward wall.
Hill is still considered an All-Pro tackle. Randy Rasmussen is now starting to get recognition in his seventh season. Bob Svihus plays better as a Jet than he did as an Oakland Raider. John Schmitt remains one of the league's most unsung centers. Mooring could get more work in his third pro year. Richard Woods was a second-round draft pick. He should be a big help with proper seasoning.
Performance Quotient: 1
KICKERS: Howfield led AFC scorers in a surprise comeback. Steve O'Neal slumped in '72.
Performance Quotient: 2"

-Larry Felser, Pro Football 1973

DEFENSE
"FRONT LINEMEN: The big news here was the swap with New Orleans which brought Neal to New York. He is considered a budding star in the NFL. The Jets may have solved many problems with that deal. He replaces veteran Gerry Philbin, traded to Kansas City.
Galigher impressed as a rookie before he got hurt. Steve Thompson un-retired at mid-season. He would be vital if ready to contribute. Elliott has been hexed by injuries lately. Mark Lomas is a steady performer.
Performance Quotient: 3
LINEBACKERS: The drift of the Jets' recent drafts indicates concern in this area. Last year Taylor was a first-round pick, and Ferguson was a No. 4 this year. Taylor must play if the Jets are to pick up a defensive impetus. Ferguson was known as a hitter at San Diego State.
Grantham had another good season, but he's 34. Atkinson remains steady in the middle. John Ebersole is getting some work as his replacement. Paul Crane, injured at mid-season, is still valuable as a backup and as a center for the kickers. Bannon was an All-America defensive end at Penn State.
Performance Quotient: 3
CORNERBACKS: There could be a complete changeover here. Howell came in the Saints deal which also delivered Neal. He was better than any corner the Jets had last year. Owens is a fantastic prospect. He was the Jets' No. 1 draftee. If both win starting jobs, Tannen and Thomas could contribute as safeties.
Performance Quotient: 3
SAFETIES: A shaky situation. Chris Farasopoulos got better in his second season but he could be vulnerable to a challenge. Phil Wise gets the Jets beaten. When the season opens, it would be no surprise to see two newcomers from the cornerback slots here.
Performance Quotient: 4"

-Larry Felser, Pro Football 1973

"For the first time since 1969, the Jets had the benefit of Joe Namath's legendary right arm for an entire season. Joe Willie was, of course, the main reason behind the team's impressive No. 1 ranking in the NFL passing department. Unfortunately for Weeb Ewbank, his defensive secondary played Mr. Hyde to Namath and the offense's Dr. Jekyll in that the Jets were also the league's worst team when it came to passing defense. Even so, New York managed to stay in contention for a playoff spot until the twelfth week before a rash of injuries that decimated the secondary had an effect on the team's defensive efforts.

Thanks primarily to Namath's devasting ability to devastate the opposition, the Jets finished second in overall team offense to Miami as they produced the NFL's leading scorer in Bobby Howfield (121 points) as well as a 32-touchdown performance that was spread three ways- Emerson Boozer (14 touchdowns), Rich Caster (10 TDs) and John Riggins (8 TDs). Riggins and Boozer give the Jets one of the most powerful one-two rushing attacks in the AFC (second only to that of the Dolphins), while Caster, Jerome Barkum, Eddie Bell and Don Maynard comprise the AFC East's best group of receivers. While Namath's passing a year ago was mostly phenomenal, there were times when he showed the effects of the almost two-year period of injury idleness. Despite this sometimes lack of consistency, Namath finished with 2,816 yards and 19 touchdowns while completing exactly 50 per cent of his passing attempts. Of all the league's top passers only the Lions' Greg Landry accounted for more yardage than Joe Willie.

Ewbank is confident that his offensive line can be depended on to put together one more strong performance, and he was especially pleased with the play of Dave Herman who graded out as the team's best pass blocker. Namath's band of protectors, Bob Svihus and Winston Hill at tackle, Herman and Randy Rasmussen at guards and the veteran John Schmitt at center, was the most proficient group of pass blockers in the AFC, allowing Namath to be sacked only 17 times.

An injury-plagued secondary that gave up 18 touchdowns and the most yardage in the league via the pass as well as aging linebackers offer Ewbank his biggest defensive challenges. Despite the poor statistical performances of the Jets' pass defenders, Ewbank is optimistically looking for people like Steve Tannen, Gus Hollomon and Rich Sowells to bounce back from their injuries. They will be joined by No. 1 pick Burgess Owens (U. of Miami), holdover Earlie Thomas and newly acquired Delles Howell (from New Orleans) to give the Jets added strength in an otherwise weak area.

Ewbank also plans some changes in his linebacking corps. Mike Taylor is projected as a possible starter in the middle with Al Atkinson moving to the outside to team with Ralph Baker.

The Jets' pass rush also figures to improve considerably with the addition of defensive end Richard Neal who was also part of the deal with the Saints, along with a healthy John Elliott and Steve Thompson.

The presence of Super Bowl veterans continues to diminish- Gerry Philbin was traded and Matt Snell and Larry Grantham retired.

The Jets had a particularly productive draft in that Ewbank feels that Owens can come right in and start at either cornerback or strong safety, while second-round pick Robert Woods (Tennessee State) is slotted to fill in behind Svihus and Hill at the tackle spots.

Besides the two divisional contests with the Dolphins and the Colts, the Jets must also face the Steelers and the Bengals, along with Denver, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Green Bay. On paper this is the easiest schedule they have had since the merger in 1970. The relative weakness (with the exception of Pittsburgh) of the Jets' out-of-division opposition is one of the reasons why the New Yorkers have an excellent chance of making the playoffs. Namath and that high-scoring offense will form the foundation for a successful challenge to the Dolphins. However, the substance of winning will have to be supplied by the restructured defense that Ewbank has worked so hard to improve.

Predicted Finish: 2nd."

-Frank Ross & the Editors, Pro Football Illustrated 1973

"As long as Joe Namath can stand erect, with more yards of tape on his legs than he has gained in passing, the Jets will continue as a title threat. An arm with the quickness and firepower of Namath can destroy a defense.

Namath has had his injuries and so have the Jets-  a run of bad luck. 

The Jets have a way of making it look easy when Namath hangs the ball out there and 6-foot-5 Rich Caster runs under it- but it doesn't happen often enough. Jerry Barkum, coming off a rookie season when he showed signs of the promise that was forecast, and Eddie Bell are the explosive receivers who make the Jets difficult to contain.

John Riggins gained 944 yards in his second pro season. He's a powerful blocker, deceptively fast and strong. He'll team again with Emerson Boozer, talented but plagued by injuries during his eight-year career. They were in the same backfield unit for only five of the 14 games a year ago.

This is to be Weeb Ewbank's final season as a head coach.

The Jets have the offense to win if they stay healthy.

Linebacking concerns the Jets; they went heavy in the draft for replacements, making Bill Ferguson of San Diego State and Bruce Bannon of Penn State high choices. The Jets' No. 1 pick was Burgess Owens of Miami, who is a can't-miss because of his speed and agility.

The lines, offensively and defensively, are good enough to win. Winston Hill has taken the fire out some of the best defensive ends in the game. Defensively, tackle John Elliott has quickness, determination and pursuit. But he, too, has had injury worries in the past.

An off-season trade saw the Jets dispose of defensive end Gerry Philbin, 32, for young, crab-like Mike Adamle, only 5-foot-9 but tough as steel cable. Adamle will be relief for Boozer and Riggins, no doubt utilized in spot roles by Ewbank.

The Jets are going to need full years from their offensive leaders: Boozer, Riggins, Namath and Caster, if they are to offer a sustained threat. They can put points on the board any time they're healthy and, when they are, they have the capabilities to cut down any opponent."

-John Steadman, Football Digest (September 1973)

1973 NEW YORK JETS ROSTERS

New York Jets 1973 Veteran Preseason Roster

  1 Mike Adamle (RB) Northwestern

82 Gary Arthur (TE) Miami (Ohio)

62 Al Atkinson (LB) Villanova  

51 Ralph Baker (LB) Penn State

83 Jerome Barkum (WR) (Jackson State)

7 Ed Bell (WR) Idaho State

40 Hank Bjorklund (RB) Princeton

32 Emerson Boozer (RB) Maryland State 

88 Rich Caster (WR) Jackson State

56 Paul Crane (LB-C) Alabama

15 Bob Davis (QB) Virginia

55 John Ebersole (LB) Penn State

80 John Elliott (DT) Texas

19 Chris Farasopoulos (S) Brigham Young 

85 Ed Galigher (DE-DT) UCLA

60 Larry Grantham (LB) Mississippi  

36 Steve Harkey (RB) Georgia Tech

67 Dave Herman (G) Michigan State 

33 W.K. Hicks (S) Texas Southern

75 Winston Hill (T) Texas Southern 

48 Gus Hollomon (S) Houston

24 Delles Howell (CB) Grambling

  3 Bobby Howfield (K)

86 Joey Jackson (DE-DT) New Mexico State

63 Roy Kirksey (G-DT) Maryland State 

57 John Little (DT) Oklahoma State

84 Mark Lomas (DE-DT) Northern Arizona

13 Don Maynard (WR) Texas Western

42 Cliff McClain (RB) South Carolina State

71 John Mooring (T-C) Tampa

12 Joe Namath (QB) Alabama

81 Richard Neal (DE) Southern

20 Steve O'Neal (P) Texas A&M 

66 Randy Rasmussen (G) Kearney State

44 John Riggins (RB) Kansas

52 John Schmitt (C) Hofstra 

46 Rich Sowells (CB) Alcorn A&M

89 Wayne Stewart (TE) California

76 Bob Svihus (T) USC

21 Steve Tannen (CB) Florida

50 Mike Taylor (LB) Michigan

45 Earlie Thomas (CB) Colorado State

87 Steve Thompson (DT) Washington

29 Rocky Turner (WR) Tennessee-Chattanooga

27 Phil Wise (S) Nebraska-Omaha

18 Al Woodall (QB) Duke

53 Bill Zapalac (DE-LB) Texas

-The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1973 Edition)

1973 Rookies in Draft Order

Burgess Owens (DB) Miami

Robert Woods (T) Tennessee State

Bill Ferguson (LB) San Diego State

Bruce Bannon (LB) Penn State

Travis Roach (G) Texas

Rick Harrell (C) Clemson

Mike Haggard (WR) South Carolina

Rick Seifert (DB) Ohio State

Rob Spicer (LB) Indiana

Joe Carbone (LB) Delaware

James Krempin (T) Texas A&I

David Knight (WR) William & Mary

Gary Puetz (T) Valparaiso

Robert Parrish (DT) Duke

Joe Schwartz (RB) Toledo

Mahon Williams (TE) North Carolina Central

John Cerwinski (T) Bowling Green

Jim Foote (P) Delaware Valley

-The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1973 Edition)

New York Jets Preseason Roster

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks

Joe Namath (Alabama)

Bob Davis (Virginia)

Al Woodall (Duke)

Running Backs

John Riggins (Kansas)

Emerson Boozer (Maryland Eastern Shore)

Cliff McClain (South Carolina State)

Steve Harkey (Georgia Tech)

Hank Bjorklund (Princeton)

Mike Adamle (Northwestern)

Receivers

Jerome Barkum (W) (Jackson State)

Don Maynard (W) (Texas Western)

Richard Caster (T) (Jackson State)

Ed Bell (W) (Idaho State)

Rocky Turner (W) (Tennessee-Chatanooga)

Wayne Stewart (T) (California)

Gary Arthur (T) (Miami-Ohio)

(W)-Wide Receiver  (T)-Tight End

Interior Linemen

Winston Hill (T) (Texas Southern)

Bob Svihus (T) (USC)

Dave Herman (G) (Michigan State)

Randy Rasmussen (G) (Kearney State)

John Schmidt (C) (Hofstra)

John Mooring (T-C) (Tampa)

Roy Kirksey (G) (Maryland Eastern Shore)

Richard Woods (T) (Tennessee State)*

(T)-Tackle  (G)-Guard  (C)- Center

Kickers

Bobby Howfield

Steve O'Neal (Texas A & M)

DEFENSE

Front Linemen

Richard Neal (E) (Southern)

Mark Lomas (E) (Northern Arizona)

John Elliott (T) (Texas)

Ed Galigher (T) (UCLA)

Joey Jackson (T-E) (New Mexico State)

John Little (T) (Oklahoma State)

Steve Thompson (T) (Washington)

(E)-End  (T)-Tackle

Linebackers

Mike Taylor (O) (Michigan)

Larry Grantham (O) (Mississippi)

Al Atkinson (M) (Villanova)

Ralph Baker (O) (Penn State)

Paul Crane (O) (Alabama)

John Ebersole (M) (Penn State)

Bill Ferguson (O) (San Diego State)*

Bill Zapalac (O) (Texas)

Bruce Bannon (O) (Penn State)*

(O)-Outside Linebacker  (M)-Middle Linebacker)

Cornerbacks

Delles Howell (Grambling)

Burgess Owens (Miami)*

Steve Tannen (Florida)

Earlie Thomas (Colorado State)

Rich Sowells (Alcorn A & M)

Safeties

Phil Wise (S) (Nebraska-Omaha)

Chris Farasopoulos (W) (Brigham Young)

(S) Strong Side  (W) Weak Side or "Free" Safety

* Rookie

-Pro Football 1973, published by Cord Communications Corporation

1973 New York Jets Revised 40-Man Roster (after final cutdown before the start of the 1973  regular season)

   1 Mike Adamle (RB) Northwestern

62 Al Atkinson (LB) Villanova  

51 Ralph Baker (LB) Penn State

83 Jerome Barkum (WR) (Jackson State)

7 Ed Bell (WR) Idaho State

40 Hank Bjorklund (RB) Princeton

32 Emerson Boozer (RB) Maryland State 

88 Rich Caster (WR) Jackson State

55 John Ebersole (LB) Penn State

80 John Elliott (DT) Texas

10 Julian Fagan (P) Mississippi

19 Chris Farasopoulos (S) Brigham Young 

58 Bill Ferguson (LB) San Diego State

85 Ed Galigher (DE-DT) UCLA

67 Dave Herman (G) Michigan State 

75 Winston Hill (T) Texas Southern 

24 Delles Howell (CB) Grambling

  3 Bobby Howfield (K)

86 Joey Jackson (DE-DT) New Mexico State 

82 David Knight (WR) William & Mary

57 John Little (DT) Oklahoma State

84 Mark Lomas (DE-DT) Northern Arizona

42 Cliff McClain (RB) South Carolina State

71 John Mooring (T-C) Tampa

12 Joe Namath (QB) Alabama

35 Jim Nance (RB) Syracuse

81 Richard Neal (DE) Southern 

22 Burgess Owens (S-CB)) Miami

78 Gary Puetz (G-T) Valparaiso

66 Randy Rasmussen (G) Kearney State

52 John Schmitt (C) Hofstra 

46 Rich Sowells (CB) Alcorn A&M

59 Rob Spicer (LB) Indiana

76 Bob Svihus (T) USC

21 Steve Tannen (CB) Florida

50 Mike Taylor (LB) Michigan

45 Earlie Thomas (CB) Colorado State

18 Al Woodall (QB) Duke

72 Robert Woods (T) Tennessee State

53 Bill Zapalac (DE-LB) Texas

Preseason Inactive List

26 Margene Adkins (WR) Henderson JC

87 Steve Thompson (DT) Washington

27 Phil Wise (S) Nebraska-Omaha

-Football Digest (December 1973) 

1973 New York Jets Preseason Depth Charts

Offense

QB Joe Namath, Bob Davis, Al Woodall 

RB John Riggins, Steve Harkey

RB Emerson Boozer, Cliff McClain, Hank Bjorklund, Mike Adamle

WR Jerome Barkum, Rocky Turner                     

T Bob Svihus, John Mooring

G Randy Rasmussen, Roy Kirksey

C John Schmitt, John Mooring

G Dave Herman, Roger Finnie

T Winston Hill, Robert Woods*

TE Rich Caster, Wayne Stewart, Gary Arthur

WR Don Maynard, Ed Bell

Defense

DE Richard Neal, Joey Jackson

DT Ed Galigher, John Little, Steve Thompson

DT John Elliott, John Little, Joey Jackson

DE Mark Lomas, Joey Jackson

LB Mike Taylor, Ralph Baker, Bruce Bannon*

MLB Al Atkinson, John Ebersole, Bill Ferguson*

LB Larry Grantham, Paul Crane, Bill Zapalac

CB Steve Tannen, Delles Howell, Rich Sowells

SS Phil Wise, Gus Hollomon

FS Chris Farasopoulos, W.K. Hicks

CB Earlie Thomas, Burgess Owens*

*rookie

-Pro Football 1973, published by Cord Communications Corporation

OFFENSE

QB Joe Namath (Alabama) 12, Al Woodall (Duke) 18

RB Emerson Boozer (Maryland State) 32, Mike Adamle (Northwestern) 1, Hank Bjorkland (Princeton) 40

FB John Riggins (Kansas) 44, Cliff McClain (South Carolina State) 42, Jim Nance (Syracuse) 35

WR Jerome Barkum (Jackson State) 83, Margene Adkins (Henderson JC) 26

T Bob Svihus (USC) 76, Robert Woods (Tennessee State)*

G Randy Rasmussen (Kearney State) 66

C John Schmitt (Hofstra) 52

G Dave Herman (Michigan State) 67, Gary Puetz (Valparaiso)*

T Winston Hill (Texas Southern) 75, John Mooring (Tampa) 71

TE Rich Caster (Jackson State) 88

WR Ed Bell (Idaho State) 7, 82 David Knight (William & Mary)*

DEFENSE

DE Richard Neal (Southern) 81, Ed Galigher (UCLA) 85

DT John Little (Oklahoma State) 57, Steve Thompson (Washington) 87

DT John Elliott (Texas) 80

DE Mark Lomas (Northern Arizona) 84, Joey Jackson (New Mexico State) 86 

LB Ralph Baker (Penn State) 51, Rob Spicer (Indiana) 59

MLB Al Atkinson (Villanova) 62, John Ebersole (Penn State) 55, Mike Taylor (Michigan) 50

LB Bill Ferguson (San Diego State) 58, Bill Zapalac (Texas) 53

CB Delles Howell (Grambling) 24, Rich Sowells (Alcorn A&M) 46

SS Burgess Owens (Miami)*, Phil Wise (Nebraska-Omaha) 27

FS Chris Farasopoulos (Brigham Young) 19, Rocky Turner (Tennessee-Chattanooga) 29

CB Earlie Thomas (Colorado State) 45, Steve Tannen (Florida) 21

K Bobby Howfield 3

P Julian Fagan (Mississippi) 10

KR Margene Adkins (Henderson JC) 26

PR Margene Adkins (Henderson JC) 26

*rookie

1973 New York Jets Topps Checklist

No. Name    

51   Ralph Baker (linebacker)

7     Ed Bell (wide receiver)

32   Emerson Boozer (running back)

88   Rich Caster (tight end)

19   Chris Farasopoulos (safety)

60   Larry Grantham (linebacker)

67   Dave Herman (guard)

75   Winston Hill (tackle)

48   Gus Hollomon (safety)

20   Delles Howell (cornerback)

3     Bobby Howfield (kicker) (1972 AFC Scoring Leader, 121 points)

84   Mark Lomas (defensive end)

13   Don Maynard (wide receiver)

12   Joe Namath (quarterback)

81   Richard Neal (defensive end)

20   Steve O'Neal (punter)

66   Randy Rasmussen (guard)

44   John Riggins (running back)

52   John Schmitt (center)

21   Steve Tannen (cornerback)

1973 New York Jets Profile Summary

President - Philip H. Iselin 

Chairman of the Board - Townsend B. Martin

Vice-President and Treasurer - Leon Hess

Vice-President and Secretary - Helen L. Springborn 

Director of Player Personnel - Homer Edington

Talent Scout and Assistant Coach - Carroll Huntress

Talent Scout and Assistant Coach - Jess Thompson

Head Coach & General Manager - Weeb Ewbank

Defensive Backs Coach - Ed Biles

Offensive Line Coach - Wimp Hewgley

Offensive Backfield Coach - Mike Holovak

Defensive Line Coach - Buddy Ryan

Receivers Coach - Ken Shipp

Linebackers Coach - Charley Winner

QB Joe Namath (Alabama) 12

QB Al Woodall (Duke) 18

QB Don Gault (Hofstra) 15

HB Emerson Boozer (Maryland State) 32

FB John Riggins (Kansas) 44

RB Steve Harkey (Georgia) 36

RB Hank Bjorklund (Princeton) 40

RB Cliff McClain (South Carolina State) 42

RB Jim Nance (Syracuse) 35

RB Mike Adamle (Northwestern) 1

WR Don Maynard (Texas Western) 13

WR Jerome Barkum (Jackson State) 83

WR Ed Bell (Idaho State) 7

WR Margene Adkins (Henderson JC) 26

WR Gary Hammond (SMU) 17

WR Rocky Turner (Tennessee-Chattanooga) 29

WR Steve O'Neal (Texas A & M) 20 

WR Mike Haggard (South Carolina) 11

WR David Knight (William & Mary) 82

TE Rich Caster (Jackson State) 88

TE Wayne Stewart (California) 89

C John Schmitt (Hofstra) 52

C Paul Crane (Alabama) 56

C Rick Harrell (Clemson) 61

G Dave Herman (Michigan State) 67

G Randy Rasmussen (Nebraska-Kearney) 66

G Roy Kirksey (Maryland State) 63

G Gary Puetz (Valparaiso) 78

T Winston Hill (Texas Southern) 75

T Bob Svihus (USC) 76 

T John Mooring (Tampa) 71

T Robert Woods (Tennessee State) 72

DT John Elliott (Texas) 80

DT John Little (Oklahoma State) 57

DT Steve Thompson (Washington) 87

DT Bob Parrish (Duke) 70

DE Mark Lomas (Northern Arizona) 84

DE Richard Neal  (Southern) 81   

DE Joey Jackson (New Mexico State) 86

DE Ed Galigher (UCLA) 85

MLB Al Atkinson (Villanova) 62

MLB John Ebersole (Penn State) 55

MLB Rob Spicer (Indiana) 59

MLB Wally Dempsey (Washington State) 54

LB Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60

LB Ralph Baker (Penn State) 51

LB Paul Crane (Alabama) 56

LB Bill Zapalac (Texas) 53

LB Mike Taylor (Michigan) 50

LB Bill Ferguson (San Diego State) 58

LB Bruce Bannon (Penn State) 64

CB Earlie Thomas (Colorado State) 45

CB Delles Howell (Grambling) 24

CB Rich Sowells (Alcorn A & M) 46

SS Steve Tannen (Florida) 21

SS Burgess Owens (Miami) 22

SS Gus Hollomon (Houston) 48

FS Chris Farasopoulos (Brigham Young) 19

FS Phil Wise (Nebraska-Omaha) 27

S Rocky Turner (Tennessee-Chattanooga) 29

S Rick Seifert (Ohio State) 47

K Bobby Howfield 3

P Julian Fagan (Mississippi) 10

P Steve O'Neal (Texas A & M) 20 

P Gus Hollomon (Houston) 48

KR Chris Farasopoulos (Brigham Young) 19

KR Phil Wise (Nebraska-Omaha) 27

KR Margene Adkins (Henderson JC) 26

PR Chris Farasopoulos (Brigham Young) 19

PR Margene Adkins (Henderson JC) 26

LS Rick Harrell (Clemson) 61