1976 Profile: Phil Wise

Free Safety
No. 27
Nebraska-Omaha
"An excellent athlete with speed, range and intelligence who makes things happen on the field, Phil picked up in 1975 where he left off in 1974, starting the first three games at free safety. He intercepted a pass against Kansas City and returned it 14 yards, and also intercepted a New England aerial.
A groin injury against the Vikings sidelined him. Phil came back as a starter against Miami only to miss the Buffalo and Baltimore games with a recurrence of the groin injury. He came back briefly in the second Miami game before the injury put him out for the season.
He [could be] one of the best athletes on the team if the injury jinx could be avoided; groin injuries have cost him a total of 19 games in his career. Coaches say he is 'tactically inclined and capable of controlling the secondary.'
Wise started the final six games of 1974 at free safety. He missed six games in 1973 with a groin pull suffered in the preseason, yet had an 80-yard fumble return against Baltimore. In 1971, he blocked a punt against the 49ers set up a touchdown and recovered a Patriot fumble to set up the winning touchdown.
Drafted sixth in 1971, Phil led Nebraska-Omaha in rushing, scoring and kickoff returns as a senior, gaining 983 yards as a runner. His career rushing totals were 2,129 yards on 447 carries for 21 touchdowns. He was a cornerback as a sophomore, then a running back.
Wise majored in criminal justice and specialized in probation and parole problems. He's a part-time player on the Jets' off-season basketball team. His hometown is Omaha, Nebraska."

-1976 New York Jets Media Guide