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Post by Lithfan on Aug 3, 2015 7:26:39 GMT -5
8/3/1996Coming off of a 3-13 season the Jets went on an off-season spending spree to bring in Jumbo Elliott, Frank Reich, David Williams, Jeff Graham and Neil O'Donnell. Add #1 overall pick Keyshawn Johnson to the mix and the Jets were sure to improve upon the prior year's 3-13 season. On August 3, they would open their pre-season with a trip to Jackson, MS for a matchup with the Houston Oilers. The New York Times describes that start of the O'Donnell era: www.nytimes.com/1996/08/04/sports/keeping-offense-in-protective-custody-jets-lose-to-oilers.html"So the first nine plays the Jets ran -- they ran. Adrian Murrell produced fine yardage on a pair of runs of 9 yards and another of 12. And on the 10th, on third-and-4 from the Oilers' 24-yard line, O'Donnell dramatically stepped back into the shotgun: the moment Jets' fans have spent the off season daydreaming about.
He had his prized rookie receiver, Alex Van Dyke, cutting over the middle. He used Wayne Chrebet, Jeff Graham and Webster Slaughter. Four receivers out for passes after last year's boring two-receiver sets. Only Keyshawn Johnson, the No. 1 pick who is still trying to squeeze $2 million or so in up-front money, wasn't there.
O'Donnell, an accurate downfield gunner, drilled one into Van Dyke's hands -- and the rookie dropped it while Cris Dishman harassed him. And that was it for O'Donnell tonight." O'Donnell would be winless in 6 starts that season before suffering a shoulder injury. The Jets went on to a 1-15 season under Rich Kotite,
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Post by I Can Almost Reach My Nuts on Aug 3, 2015 8:08:35 GMT -5
Neil O'Donnell gets so much hate from Jet fans. He wasn't even that bad of a player. Didn't he lead Pitt to the AFCCG a year or two earlier? You can blame the fact that he had an AWFUL offense to work with, along with the worst HC in NFL history.
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Post by Lithfan on Aug 3, 2015 8:33:49 GMT -5
Neil O'Donnell gets so much hate from Jet fans. He wasn't even that bad of a player. Didn't he lead Pitt to the AFCCG a year or two earlier? You can blame the fact that he had an AWFUL offense to work with, along with the worst HC in NFL history. The thing about O'Donnell is that he was the classic game manager. He didn't make mistakes -- actually had a very low turnover rate, but he was not the kind of guy that was going to elevate a bad team. In 96, he hurt his shoulder, and tehn when he was set to return after the injury, he suffered a leg injury in warmups and sat out the rest of the season. His 2nd year with the Jets, 1997, Parcells first season, he put together a decent season, goping 8-6 in his 14 starts. And you are right, he did get to the Super Bowl with Pittsburgh the year before he signed with the Jets. |
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Post by Peebag on Aug 3, 2015 9:23:20 GMT -5
O'Donnell would be winless in 6 starts that season before suffering a shoulder injury. The Jets went on to a 1-15 season under Rich Kotite, That pic pretty much sums up his career here. |
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Post by jetswin on Aug 3, 2015 9:29:59 GMT -5
He had his prized rookie receiver, Alex Van Dyke, cutting over the middle....O'Donnell, an accurate downfield gunner, drilled one into Van Dyke's hands -- and the rookie dropped...O'Donnell would be winless in 6 starts that season before suffering a shoulder injury. The Jets went on to a 1-15 season under Rich Kotite, lol |
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Post by Lithfan on Aug 3, 2015 9:36:57 GMT -5
O'Donnell would be winless in 6 starts that season before suffering a shoulder injury. The Jets went on to a 1-15 season under Rich Kotite, That pic pretty much sums up his career here. Yup. Was looking for a photo of him that pretty much captured that 1-15 season. I like the unforms though with the black trim around the numbers - but I get we wouldn't use throwbacks from 1996. |
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Post by nyahaybus on Aug 3, 2015 9:50:58 GMT -5
He was cautious to a fault and had terrible accuracy. It didn't take long to realize that he was a waste of money. Foley! Foley! Foley!
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Post by jetswin on Aug 3, 2015 11:03:04 GMT -5
I'll never forget being on Sanibel Island sitting at a bar, and there were two Steeler fans cracking up at me over my happiness to have signed this guy, "you'll see they kept telling me."
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Post by Peebag on Aug 3, 2015 11:13:52 GMT -5
I'll never forget being on Sanibel Island sitting at a bar, and there were two Steeler fans cracking up at me over my happiness to have signed this guy, "you'll see they kept telling me." "trophy mod"? lolz! |
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Post by greenwave on Aug 3, 2015 11:24:10 GMT -5
Neil O'Donnell gets so much hate from Jet fans. He wasn't even that bad of a player. Didn't he lead Pitt to the AFCCG a year or two earlier? You can blame the fact that he had an AWFUL offense to work with, along with the worst HC in NFL history. The thing about O'Donnell is that he was the classic game manager. He didn't make mistakes -- actually had a very low turnover rate, but he was not the kind of guy that was going to elevate a bad team. In 96, he hurt his shoulder, and tehn when he was set to return after the injury, he suffered a leg injury in warmups and sat out the rest of the season. His 2nd year with the Jets, 1997, Parcells first season, he put together a decent season, goping 8-6 in his 14 starts. And you are right, he did get to the Super Bowl with Pittsburgh the year before he signed with the Jets. Exactly. O'Donnell wasn't great, but you could argue that O'Donnell at his best was equal to Pennington at his best. Two physically limited QBs with pretty solid decision-making skills and better than average accuracy. If either of those guys are QB in '09 and '10, I think the Jets are at least playing in the SB both years. |
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Post by southparkcpa on Aug 3, 2015 11:45:44 GMT -5
I'll never forget being on Sanibel Island sitting at a bar, and there were two Steeler fans cracking up at me over my happiness to have signed this guy, "you'll see they kept telling me." Like we tell Philly fans about Sanchez..... |
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Post by DDNYjets on Aug 3, 2015 12:28:59 GMT -5
I wonder how many teams that made Super Bowls have let their QBs walk the same off season.
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Post by Touchable on Aug 3, 2015 13:02:57 GMT -5
I wonder how many teams that made Super Bowls have let their QBs walk the same off season. Ravens did it with Dilfer |
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Post by JetRepulsion1 on Aug 3, 2015 14:30:02 GMT -5
Neil O'Donnell gets so much hate from Jet fans. He wasn't even that bad of a player. Didn't he lead Pitt to the AFCCG a year or two earlier? You can blame the fact that he had an AWFUL offense to work with, along with the worst HC in NFL history. The thing about O'Donnell is that he was the classic game manager. He didn't make mistakes -- actually had a very low turnover rate, but he was not the kind of guy that was going to elevate a bad team. In 96, he hurt his shoulder, and tehn when he was set to return after the injury, he suffered a leg injury in warmups and sat out the rest of the season. His 2nd year with the Jets, 1997, Parcells first season, he put together a decent season, goping 8-6 in his 14 starts. And you are right, he did get to the Super Bowl with Pittsburgh the year before he signed with the Jets. I do remember the first game of the '97 season with O'Donnell though (Parcells first game as coach). The Jets absolutely destroyed the Seahawks like 45-0! It was great. |
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Post by Lithfan on Aug 3, 2015 14:45:38 GMT -5
The thing about O'Donnell is that he was the classic game manager. He didn't make mistakes -- actually had a very low turnover rate, but he was not the kind of guy that was going to elevate a bad team. In 96, he hurt his shoulder, and tehn when he was set to return after the injury, he suffered a leg injury in warmups and sat out the rest of the season. His 2nd year with the Jets, 1997, Parcells first season, he put together a decent season, goping 8-6 in his 14 starts. And you are right, he did get to the Super Bowl with Pittsburgh the year before he signed with the Jets. I do remember the first game of the '97 season with O'Donnell though (Parcells first game as coach). The Jets absolutely destroyed the Seahawks like 45-0! It was great. Yup. Score was 41-3 and O'Donnell threw for 5 TDs. By far his best game as a Jet. |
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