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