"After spending their first three years as Titans, the Jets finally became the Titans of pro football last season. Unless you have a very short memory or were out of the country at the time, that was when they captured the Eastern Division and AFL titles, then pulled the upset of upsets by defeating the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl. Now when you dial the Jets on the telephone, a voice comes on saying, 'World Champions.' There's a good chance they'll be using that line again this year unless the man who made them World Champions, Joe Namath, sticks to his resolve to stay in the restaurant business.
Indeed, any repeat performance by the Jets as Eastern champs hinges on Namath's returning to quarterback. Which there was every likelihood of his doing when the summer training camps began opening up. But before Joe could put on his green football jersey and white shoes again, he had the fundamental business of settling his affairs with Commissioner Pete Rozelle who, in effect, gave Joe an ultimatum; he was to sell his one-third interest in Bachelors III, an East Side Manhattan bistro where unsavory characters were said to be hanging out. In a characteristic display of emotion, Joe called a hasty press conference at which he tearfully said he'd sooner quit than bow to such an edict.
But personal problems and his chronically bad knees aside, Joe was expected back, if only for the reason that football is what makes him what he is, and it's what he does best. As he proved last year, he is now at the peak of his game. He threw for less yardage and fewer touchdowns in 1968 (and fewer interceptions, too) than he did in 1967, when he set a professional football record by gaining more than 4,000 yards in the air. But the Jets still didn't win in '67; they did win last year as Joe rallied the Jets from behind in several games and led an attack that produced 419 points. Were the Jets to lose Namath for any reason, they would be restored to the rest of the pack and resemble an ordinary football team. They would have to fall back on the veteran Babe Parilli, a fine quarterback in his day, who now holds the ball for place kicker Jim Turner, the third string quarterback. Behind them is a rookie from Duke named Al Woodall, so you see the spot the Jets would be in without Joe.
Lining up as a unit for the fourth year in a row as Namath's receivers are George Sauer, Don Maynard and Pete Lammons, who are regarded widely as the best three starters on any club in the league. Last year they caught 155 passes among them for a total of 2,838 yards and 16 touchdowns, and Lammons adds spice to his performance by being a hard-nosed blocker. In reserve, the Jets have seasoned pass catchers in Bake Turner and Bill Rademacher, and they will have such rookies and taxi squaders as Harvey Nairn, Jerry Zawadzkas, Tommy Burnett and Wayne Stewart for any extra jobs available.
As Namath demonstrated last season, he is perfectly willing - and able - to dispense with the pass and rely on running plays to move the ball. And he has two excellent movers in fullback Matt Snell, who came back strong in 1968, and halfback Emerson Boozer, who was running at full speed again at the end of the season after returning from knee surgery. The backfield is endowed with depth, following the retirement of Bill Mathis and Mark Smolinski. Competing for jobs will surgical cases Billy Joe and Lee White; the rookies are number five draft choice Chris Gilbert, who became the third leading rusher in NCAA history at Texas, and the aptly named George Nock from Maryland State.
For years the New York line was assailed for being strictly a pass protection unit, designed to give Namath maximum protection, but highly immobile on running plays. The way the line blocked against the Baltimore defense in the Super Bowl may have dispelled that notion, for while no one was looking, it underwent some changes. The Jets are getting good two-way blocking up front from Winston Hill and Sam Walton at the tackles, Bob Talamini, Randy Rasmussen and Dave Herman at the guards, and John Schmitt at center. The veteran Talamini and the youthful Rasmussen shared the left guard post last season, then when Walton got a case of rookie-itis before the Super Bowl, Herman moved into his spot and Rasmussen played right guard. The other relief men will come among third-year pro Jeff Richardson, who backs up Hill, top draft choice Dave Foley, a 6-5, 255-pound All-America from Ohio State who will battle Walton for right tackle, Gary Roberts, Frank Peters and Ezell Jones, who will also get a look at defensive tackle.
On defense, the Jets have what Weeb Ewbank likes to call a front five, instead of a front four. Either way, he only plays four of them at a time, and they were good enough last season to hold the opposition to an average of 85 yards rushing a game. They normally line up with Gerry Philbin and Verlon Biggs at the ends, and Paul Rochester and John Elliott at the tackles. (Elliott, incidentally, had an outstanding rookie year in 1968 and could develop into a star.) But alternating with Rochester is Carl McAdams, the prize draft choice of a couple seasons back when he joined the Jets as a linebacker. Rochester is bigger and slower, but wins points on his ability to hang in there on runs; McAdams is quicker and more active, and he has excellent pursuit. Behind them are ample replacements in young vets Steve Thompson, Ray Hayes and Karl Henke, and rookies Ezell Jones, Cliff Larson, Roger Finnie and Fred Zirkle.
As the Colts found out in Miami, the Jets have good linebacking, too. Returning intact this year is the unit comprising Larry Grantham and Ralph Baker at the corners, and Al Atkinson in the middle. Mike Stromberg, Paul Crane and John Niedert are the experienced subs, while the rookie candidates are Gary Magner, Mike Hall and Jimmy Jones.
Once the weakest line of the Jet defense, the deep secondary is an aggressive and savvy platoon that came up with 23 interceptions last year and finished second in pass defense. The starters figure to be chatty Johnny Sample and quick-hitting Randy Beverly, who's already getting a hatchet man reputation after only two years in the league, at the corners, with the steady Jim Hudson and Bill Baird at the safeties. Cornell Gordon, who lost his cornerback job though injury a couple seasons ago, is good enough to challenge any of the starters. Behind them are Mike D'Amato, Jimmy Richards and John Dockery among the holdovers, and fledglings Mike Battle, the All-American from USC, and Cecil Leonard from Tuskegee."
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1969
IN BRIEF
Probable 1969 Finish: 1st (East)
Strengths: Namath's aerial circus balanced with a strong running attack, and an aggressive, grudging defense.
Biggest Needs: some depth at tight end, linebacker and in the deep secondary.
1968 finish: 1st (11-3-0)
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1969
"None of us who sat in the faded, rusted anachronism known as the Polo Grounds in 1960 and watched the New York Titans- a team made up mostly of mad dogs, misfits and missing persons who drew their plays on the field in huddles- could have conceived that this club would in eight years be world champions. There were few of us there in that first season of the American Football League- despite the attendance figures personally announced by Titan owner Harry Wismer. Harry's numbers would reverberate over the public address system and we'd look around in disbelief, wondering what he was counting. New York News columnist Dick Young decided Harry was counting not bodies but eyes. George Vecsey, then of Newsday, thought it was arms and legs.
If there were few of us who had much hope for the AFL's New York team in '60, though, there weren't a whole lot of people with great faith in the Jets as recently as five games into the '68 season. Quarterback Joe Namath threw touchdown passes almost at will in the first two games as the Jets beat the Kansas City Chiefs and the Boston Patriots. Then a strange thing happened when the Jets, 19-point favorites, journeyed to Buffalo for game number three. Namath started throwing the ball to the other guys. The Bills picked off five of his passes and upset New York, 37-35.
The next week, back home at Shea Stadium, the Jets barely beat a solid San Diego Charger team, 23-20. The following Sunday the Jets were again 19-point favorites, over the Denver Broncos, and again Namath had trouble distinguishing the right color jerseys to throw to. The Broncos caught five of his passes ... and won, 21-13. Afterward, Namath was found sitting in front of his dressing cubicle with his head down. 'Fellas,' he said to the newspapermen who gathered to question him, 'I've always been willing to talk to you before, but this time give me a break. Just say I stink.'
The fact was that not all of the interceptions were Namath's fault, and in both losses he was under great pressure from the left defensive ends, Ron McDole of Buffalo and Rich Jackson of Denver. New York was going with a rookie right tackle, Sam Walton, who simply broke down in those games. As the Jets prepared for their upcoming game against the Houston Oilers, coach Weeb Ewbank made one all-important decision. From then on Walton would have blocking help until he proved he could do the job alone. Fullback Matt Snell, one of the game's most underrated ballplayers, was the man who usually helped out Walton.
Ewbank made one other move in this game that allowed him to bench Walton in the AFL championship game and in the Super Bowl game. He started veteran All-League guard Bob Talamini. The former Oiler had been obtained just before the start of the season and his unfamiliarity with the Jet system coupled with some nagging physical problems caused Ewbank to take his time in using Bob. The fact that the Jets already had two excellent guards in Dave Herman and Randy Rasmussen gave Ewbank the time. But Weeb felt Talamini, who had no love for OIler management when he left Houston, would be a good man to have in the lineup against his former teammates. And this game turned out to be a key to the Jets' success in '68.
Namath was plain awful in the first half, missing his first ten passes and completing only three of 15. Still, he did not make his earlier mistake of forcing his throws into areas where obviously the chances were excellent there would be an interception. Instead of jamming the ball in there, he purposely overthrew or ate the football. So he wasn't intercepted. And his three completions came on one drive that took the Jets to the one-yard line. Namath carried it in and Babe Parilli, holding for the PAT, passed to Bill Mathis for a two-point conversion. A safety and a Jim Turner field goal gave the Jets a 13-0 lead going into the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the New York defense had been superb, having dropped quarterback Bob Davis five times for losses. The last one sent him staggering to the sideline, which was not such a good thing. Don Trull came in and quickly passed for two touchdowns to give Houston a 14-13 lead.
Namath took over at his own 20-yard line with four minutes remaining on the Astrodome clock. Joe hit split end George Sauer on a slant-in for 14 yards. When the running game stalled, he came back to Sauer on square outs for nine- and 14-yard gains. Halfback Emerson Boozer was responsible for the fourth straight completion, stretching for a pass off the grass, then cutting [down] field for a 27-yard gain. After Boozer picked up 12 yards [on] two carries, Snell drove to the two. Then Matt smashed between the blocks of Rasmussen and tackle Winston Hill to score. It was 20-14 Jets with 48 seconds left. Ewbank put Gerry Philbin, one of the finest defensive ends in pro football and the inspirational leader of the Jet defense, in on the kickoff team. He raced downfield, jarred the football loose from return man Zeke Moore and Bill Rademacher recovered for New York.
That was the ball game and the beginning of the new Jets, the ones who would end up Super Bowl champs. As Namath later admitted, 'I began to do some things differently in that game. ' The Jets lost only one game- the famous Heidi game to Oakland- the rest of the season. After the Oiler victory they beat Boston, Buffalo and Houston again. Namath didn't throw a single touchdown pass in this streak. He didn't throw a single interception, either.
One reason Namath stopped forcing passes was that he began to have tremendous confidence in his own defense. 'I'll throw the ball away rather than risk an interception because I know our defense can hold'em and get the ball back for us,' he said before the Super Bowl.
The Jet defense became the best all-around unit in the AFL. The key here was the switch of John Elliott, a reserve end and linebacker as a rookie in '67, to a regular job at right tackle. An amazingly quick 6'2", 250-pounder, Elliott is already a very fine pass rusher and he's still learning. His partner on the right side, 6'4", 268-pounder Verlon Biggs, can play football on any team when he wants to. He's not always as motivated as he should be, but last season he came to play more than he came to watch, fortunately for the Jets. Left tackle Paul Rochester is a steady, consistent ballplayer who doesn't penetrate a whole lot but, like Hawg Hanner in his heyday at Green Bay, Paul's an invaluable asset to a front four. He sits there, knocking down everything that comes through the middle, and he makes virtually no mistakes. Philbin, as noted, is simply a superb left end, using his speed, quickness and savvy to make big plays all over the field.
The linebackers, Larry Grantham, Al Atkinson and Ralph Baker, work well with the front four and with the secondary. With the pass rush improved so much, the linebackers didn't have to blitz as often in '68 and could afford to drop back and help on pass coverage. This was particularly necessary at the corners, where young Randy Beverly was inexperienced and older Johnny Sample at times showed he had too many ballgames under his surgically scarred legs. Sample, who harasses receivers with his mouth and his elbows, led the team in interceptions with seven. But in at least one game he had to be pulled off the field by Ewbank for ineffective coverage. The deep backs, Jim Hudson at strong safety and Bill Baird at free safety, are both good ones. Baird is a good roamer and Hudson is a vicious tackler.
Generally the defense played a conservative, here-we-are, you-beat-us kind of game. The offense was more flamboyant. Not only because of Namath and Sauer and flanker Don Maynard (who averaged 22.8 yards gained for each of his 57 receptions) and clutch-catching tight end Pete Lammons. Matt Snell was a solid fullback who rushed for 747 yards, but he was the only solid runner New York had. Halfback Boozer spent much of the season trying to regain his rushing form of '67, before he was injured. He gained 441 yards, but it wasn't until the very end of the season that he began to show his old cutting, slashing abandon. So Ewbank occasionally employed a triple wing, a double slot, even an unbalanced line to unbalance defenses. More often than not the unusual (for Jets) formations paid off. In the AFL championship game against Oakland, New York showed a double-slot formation that so confused the Raiders that Maynard was wide open for a touchdown pass from Namath. New York went on to win, 27-23.
So all in all the Jets had a lot of football team going into the Super Bowl. Yet most experts gave them little chance of beating the Baltimore Colts, 18 to 20-point favorites with the bookies. Frankly, that seemed about right to this correspondent. Not because we disparaged the Jets but because we felt the Colts were one of the great football teams of the past decade. The feeling was that the only way the Jets could win was if Namath threw at least three touchdown passes and Jim Turner- who set an all-time record by scoring 145 points with his toe- kicked a few field goals. As it turned out he did, hitting from 32, 30 and nine yards out. But Namath passed for no touchdowns. Snell scored New York's only one on a four-yard run as the Jets ran for 142 yards against the Colts. However, Namath did call the plays, directing the attack at the Colt weaknesses and completing 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards. He was not intercepted. He did exactly what he had to do to win, which is what he said he was going to do before the game. Win.
Afterwards, he was named the game's outstanding player by Sport Magazine and received a $5,000 Dodge Charger. 'Is that one of those things I have to give back after a year?' Joe asked. 'You keep it forever,' Al Silverman, the editor of Sport, said. 'That's more like it,' said Namath.
This season the Jets are obviously the team to beat. Assuming quarterback Jack Kemp is fully recovered, Buffalo with its formidable defense and its one-man offense in O.J. Simpson, will be very tough. The Jets will have to be even better and they should be. Boozer should be all the way back from his operation now and he and Snell should provide a more solid running game to go with Namath's passing- which is still improving. And the offensive line now has tremendous flexibility with Dave Herman having shown he can play tackle if Sam Walton does not come on early. The Jets also drafted an excellent tackle, Dave Foley of Ohio State, who has the potential to move into a regular job if need be. Dave Foley probably never even heard of a faded, rusted anachronism called the Polo Grounds, either. Which is just as well."
-Berry Stainback, Pro Football Forecast for 1969
THE NAMATH THE GAME IS NAMATH
"The mark of a champion is repeating and that is the goal of the New York Jets, world champions of professional football.
'We have but one goal in mind and that's winning the Super Bowl again' says Weeb Ewbank. the man who became the first coach to win world titles in both leagues. And Ewbank feels the Jets have a good shot at accomplishing that difficult feat. 'I feel we have a young ball club that is actually still improving. This last season we had more cohesiveness than we've had in the past and I like to think it was because we are maturing and playing together more.'
The Jets had several strong points in 1968- mainly their passing game and their defense- and there is no reason to believe that they won't be just as strong in those same areas this fall unless injuries strike. Any rundown on a pro club must begin at the quarterback position, and the Jets presently have one of the best in the game in Joe Namath. This past season, Namath was selected to every all-pro team, every all-AFL team and was named the AFL's MVP, Super Bowl MVP, New York Jets' MVP and winner of the Hickok Belt. Namath's statistics weren't what they were the year before when he set a pro record for most yards gained passing (4,007), but he was a much better quarterback as the Jet record shows.
Namath went through a period of six games without throwing a touchdown pass, but the Jets won five of those games and the guy leading them was Namath. His passes and his play calling generally got the Jets into scoring range, whether it was by rushing (the Jets led the AFL in rushing touchdowns with 22) or by field goal (Jim Turner set a pro record for most field goals in a season with 34). Namath's stats do show one big improvement over 1967 and that was that his interception total was down from 28 to 17. (And 10 of those 17 errant passes were committed in two early season games.)
Ewbank is fortunate to have a fine back-up quarterback on hand in veteran Babe Parilli and this year he will be bringing along a rookie who played last year in the Atlantic Coast League, Al Woodall. So the signal calling department in New York is in A-1 order. Ewbank has built his offense around Namath's passing ability and so it isn't by chance that the Jets have a great trio of receivers and a line that is known for pass protection.
Before the last Super Bowl Ewbank stated that he prides himself on being able to protect his quarterback- and protect the quarterback is what the Jets' line and running backs do. Heading the line are Dave Herman, all-AFL guard, and Winston Hill, an all-Star selection at tackle. Ewbank actually has three standout guards- Herman, Bob Talamini and Randy Rasmussen and it was this flexibility that enabled him to move Herman to the troubled right tackle spot for the AFL championship game and the Super Bowl with great results. The right tackle spot this year is up for grabs with a battle developing among sophomore Sam Walton, who had the job last year until he started to wane late in the season; third-year man Jeff Richardson; and the Jets' No. 1 draft choice, Dave Foley, a 6-5, 225-pound All-America selection from Ohio State. At center is John Schmitt, a solid performer who begins his fourth year as a starter. Ewbank has some fine rookies on hand for depth purposes including Gary Roberts, Frank Peters and possibly Ezell Jones, who will also get a shot on defense.
Ewbank likes to refer to his trio of receivers as the best group of starters in football. George Sauer was named to the combined all-pro team and Don Maynard is the all-time pro yardage receiving leader with 9,435 yards. The combination of Sauer and Maynard has made it hard for opposing teams to decide who to double cover. In the AFL championship game, it was Maynard who had a field day with two touchdowns on six catches for 118 yards. Sauer had seven grabs for 70 yards. In the Super Bowl, Maynard was bothered by a leg injury and didn't catch any, but Sauer grabbed eight for 133 yards. The other wheel in the threesome is tight end Pete Lammons, who was bothered by a knee injury in 1968 but is expected to be okay for this fall. Lammons consistently gives Namath an open target when Sauer and Maynard are occupied. Last year he caught 37 passes. The Jets have unusual depth on hand here including veterans Bake Turner and Bill Rademacher. The rookies and taxi squaders are Harvey Nairn, Gerry Zawadzkas, Tommy Burnett and Wayne Stewart.
In Matt Snell and Emerson Boozer, the Jets have two fine all-around running backs. Snell, who performed in fine all-around fashion all season, received due credit with back to back performances in the AFL title game and the Super Bowl. He is called the best pass protecting back by Ewbank. Last year Boozer came back slowly from knee surgery that sidelined him for the final games of the '67 season, but still had a good year. He should be completely recovered this autumn. Backing up these starters are veterans Bill Mathis and Mark Smolinski and two players returning from knee surgery- Bill Joe and Lee White. Ewbank also has two hard-running rookies on hand in Chris Gilbert, the third leading rusher in the history of the NCAA, and George Nock from Maryland State.
New York's defense was ranked No. 1 in the AFL last year as it permitted only 240.2 yards per game and it should be just as strong in 1969. The whole unit returns and the extra year of experience for tackle John Elliott and cornerback Randy Beverly should pay off. The front four, or front five as Ewbank likes to call it, put a strong pass rush on rival quarterbacks last year, dumping them 43 times for losses of 399 yards. The opposition's ground attack was also halted as the Jets led the loop in rushing defense, permitting only 85.4 yards a game and 3.2 yards per carry. Heading up the line is All-Pro choice Gerry Philbin. No. 81 caused havoc for opposing quarterbacks and runners alike. Elliott had a great first year and could be All-Pro this coming season if he continues his progress. Ewbank employs a combination at left tackle with veteran Paul Rochester and Carl McAdams used interchangeably. Verlon Biggs, who made the all-star team for the third year, is holding down right end. There's excellent depth in sophomores Steve Thompson, Ray Hayes and Karl Henke and rookies Ezell Jones, Cliff Larson, Roger Finnie and Fred Zirkle.
The linebacking is solid with a veteran trio of Larry Grantham, Al Atkinson and Ralph Baker. This unit will begin its fourth year together. Fine depth is on hand behind them in Mike Stromberg, Paul Crane, John Neidert and good looking prospects Gary Magner, Mike Hall and Jimmy Jones.
The defensive secondary, which finished second in pass defense last year allowing only 154.8 yards a game, comes back as a unit and should be stronger. Leading the group is Jim Hudson, one of the most underrated strong safeties in the game. The other safety is competent veteran Billy Baird. John Sample and Randy Beverly held down the corner posts last season but will receive a challenge again from all-around Cornell Gordon. Gordon can and has played both cornerback spots and also free safety and he gives Ewbank good flexibility. Several fine candidates will be pressing for jobs including sophomore Jimmy Richards, Mike D'Amato and John Dockery. Newcomers on hand are All-America choice Mike Battle and speedy Cecil Leonard.
The Jets kicking game is in good hands with Jim Turner, who established a pro record for most points purely by kicking (145) and also a pro field goal mark of 34. Curley Johnson returns as the punter with Steve O'Neal an All-America booter on hand."
-Sports Quarterly Presents The Pros Football 1969
1969 New York Jets Preseason Roster
Bob Anderson (K) Iowa
62 Al Atkinson (LB) Villanova
46 Bill Baird (DB) San Francisco State
51 Ralph Baker (LB) Penn State
* Mike Battle (DB) Southern California
42 Randy Beverly (DB) Colorado State
86 Verlon Biggs (DE) Jackson State
32 Emerson Boozer (HB) Maryland State
Tommy Burnett (FL) Arkansas
45 Earl Christy (SP) Maryland State
56 Paul Crane (LB-C) Alabama
47 Mike D'Amato (DB) Hofstra
43 John Dockery (DB) Harvard
80 John Elliott (DT) Texas
* Roger Finnie (DE-TE) Florida A & M
* Dave Foley (OT) Ohio State
Bill Gibson (LB) Delaware State
* Chris Gilbert (RB-FL) Texas
48 Cornell Gordon (DB) North Carolina A & T
60 Larry Grantham (LB) Mississippi
* Mike Hall (LB) Alabama
73 Ray Hayes (DT) Toledo
70 Karl Henke (DT) Tulsa
67 Dave Herman (OG-OT) Michigan State
75 Winston Hill (OT) Texas Southern
22 Jim Hudson (DB) Texas
35 Billy Joe (RB) Villanova
33 Curley Johnson (P-TE) Houston
* Ezell Jones (DT-OT) Minnesota
* Jimmy Jones (LB) Wichita State
87 Pete Lammons (TE) Texas
* Cliff Larson (DE-OG) Houston
* Cecil Leonard (DB) Tuskegee
Gary Magner (DE-LB) Southern California
13 Don Maynard (WR) Texas Western
50 Carl McAdams (DT-DE) Oklahoma
* Harvey Nairn (FL-DB) Southern
12 Joe Namath (QB) Alabama
* George Nock (RB) Morgan State
* Steve O'Neal (P) Texas A & M
15 Babe Parilli (QB) Kentucky
* Frank Peters (OT-C) Ohio
81 Gerry Philbin (DE) Buffalo
23 Bill Rademacher (WR) Northern Michigan
66 Randy Rasmussen (OG) Kearney State
26 Jim Richards (DB) Virginia Tech
74 Jeff Richardson (OT-C) Michigan State
* Gary Roberts (OG) Purdue
72 Paul Rochester (DT) Michigan State
24 John Sample (DB) Maryland State
83 George Sauer (WR) Texas
52 John Schmitt (C) Hofstra
41 Matt Snell (RB) Ohio State
* Wayne Stewart (TE) California
68 Mike Stromberg (LB) Temple
Dennis Stuewe (DB) Nebraska
85 Steve Thompson (DE) Washington
29 Bake Turner (WR) Texas Tech
11 Jim Turner (K-QB) Utah State
71 Sam Walton (OT) East Texas State
34 Lee White (RB) Weber State
* Al Woodall (QB) Duke
Jerry Zawadzkas (TE) Columbia
* Fred Zirkle (DT-OT) Duke
-Pro Football 1969
1969 New York Jets Preseason Depth Charts
OFFENSE
QB - Joe Namath (Alabama) 12, Babe Parilli (Kentucky) 15, Jim Turner (Utah State) 11, Al Woodall (Duke)*
HB - Emerson Boozer (Maryland State) 32, Chris Gilbert (Texas)*
FB - Matt Snell (Ohio State) 41, Billy Joe (Villanova) 35
SE - George Sauer (Texas) 83, Bake Turner (Texas Tech) 29
T - Winston Hill (Texas Southern) 75, Jeff Richardson (Michigan State) 74
G - Randy Rasmussen (Kearney State) 66
C - John Schmitt (Hofstra) 52, Frank Peters (Ohio)*
G - Dave Herman (Michigan State) 67, Gary Roberts (Purdue)*
T - Sam Walton (East Texas State) 71, Dave Foley (Ohio State)*
TE - Pete Lammons (Texas) 87
FL - Don Maynard (Texas Western) 13, Harvey Nairn (Southern)*
DEFENSE
DE - Gerry Philbin (Buffalo) 81, Cliff Larson (Houston)*
DT - Paul Rochester (Michigan State) 72, Carl McAdams (Oklahoma) 50
DT - John Elliott (Texas) 80, Ray Hayes (Toledo) 73
DE - Verlon Biggs (Jackson State) 86, Steve Thompson (Washington) 85
LB - Ralph Baker (Penn State) 51, Mike Hall (Alabama)*
MLB - Al Atkinson (Villanova) 62, Mike Stromberg (Temple) 68
LB - Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60, Paul Crane (Alabama) 56
CB - Johnny Sample (Maryland State) 24, Cornell Gordon (North Carolina A & T) 48
S - Jim Hudson (Texas) 22, Mike D'Amato (Hofstra) 47
S - Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46, Mike Battle (USC)*
CB - Randy Beverly (Colorado State) 42, Jim Richards (Virginia Tech) 26
* rookie
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1969
OFFENSE
QB - Joe Namath (Alabama) 12, Babe Parilli (Kentucky) 15, Al Woodall (Duke)*
HB - Emerson Boozer (Maryland State) 32, Bill Mathis (Clemson) 31, Lee White (Weber State) 34, Chris Gilbert (Texas)*
FB - Matt Snell (Ohio State) 41, Billy Joe (Villanova) 35
SE - George Sauer (Texas) 83, Bake Turner (Texas Tech) 29
T - Winston Hill (Texas Southern) 75, Sam Walton (East Texas State) 71
G - Randy Rasmussen (Nebraska-Kearney) 66, Gary Roberts (Purdue)*
C - John Schmitt (Hofstra) 52, Paul Crane (Alabama) 56
G - Dave Herman (Michigan State) 67, Pete Perreault (Boston University) 64
T - Dave Foley (Ohio State)*, Roger Finnie (Florida A & M)*
TE - Pete Lammons (Texas) 87, Wayne Stewart (California)*
FL - Don Maynard (Texas Western) 13, Harvey Nairn (Southern)*
DEFENSE
DE - Gerry Philbin (Buffalo) 81, Jimmy Jones (Wichita State)*
DT - Paul Rochester (Michigan State) 72, Carl McAdams (Oklahoma) 50
DT - John Elliott (Texas) 80, Ray Hayes (Toledo) 73, Ezell Jones (Minnesota)*
DE - Verlon Biggs (Jackson State) 86, Steve Thompson (Washington) 85
LB - Ralph Baker (Penn State) 51, Paul Crane (Alabama) 56
MLB - Al Atkinson (Villanova) 62, Mike Hall (Alabama)*
LB - Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60, John Neidert (Louisville) 63
CB - Johnny Sample (Maryland State) 24, Cornell Gordon (North Carolina A & T) 48, John Dockery (Harvard) 43
SS - Jim Hudson (Texas) 22, Mike D'Amato (Hofstra) 47
FS - Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46, Cecil Leonard (Tuskegee)*, Mike Battle (USC)*
CB - Randy Beverly (Colorado State) 42, Jim Richards (VPI) 26
SPECIALISTS
K - Jim Turner (Utah State) 11
P - Steve O'Neal (Texas A & M)*
KR - Mike Battle (USC)*, Bake Turner (Texas Tech) 29
PR - Mike Battle (USC)*, Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46
* rookie
1969 New York Jets Profile Summary
Head Coach - Weeb Ewbank
QB - Joe Namath (Alabama) 12
QB - Jim Turner (Utah State) 11
HB - Emerson Boozer (Maryland State) 32
FB - Matt Snell (Ohio State) 41
FL - Don Maynard (Texas Western) 13
SE - George Sauer (Texas) 83
SE - Bake Turner (Texas Tech) 29
TE - Pete Lammons (Texas) 87
C - John Schmitt (Hofstra) 52
G - Dave Herman (Michigan State) 67
G - Randy Rasmussen (Nebraska-Kearney) 66
G - Bob Talamini (Kentucky) 61
G - Pete Perreault (Boston University) 64
T - Winston Hill (Texas Southern) 75
T - Dave Foley (Ohio State) 70
DT - John Elliott (Texas) 80
DT - Paul Rochester (Michigan State) 72
DE - Gerry Philbin (Buffalo) 81
DE - Verlon Biggs (Jackson State) 86
MLB - Al Atkinson (Villanova) 62
LB - Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60
LB - Ralph Baker (Penn State) 51
LB - Jim Carroll (Notre Dame) 55
CB - Johnny Sample (Maryland State) 24
CB - Randy Beverly (Colorado State) 42
SS - Jim Hudson (Texas) 22
FS - Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46
K - Jim Turner (Utah State) 11
P - Steve O'Neal (Texas A & M) 20
P - Bake Turner (Texas Tech) 29
KR - Bake Turner (Texas Tech) 29
PR - Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46
