Dec 30 in Jet History: 4 Jets Named to All-Time AFL Team
Dec 30, 2015 8:30:32 GMT -5
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Post by Lithfan on Dec 30, 2015 8:30:32 GMT -5
12/30/1969
The AFL's last regular season ended as the league was set to merge with the NFL. During the week before the final AFL Championship Game would be played between the Raiders and Chiefs, the Pro Football Hall of Fame released its All-Time AFL team. The first team included 4 members of the New York Jets. Following are the HOFs player capsules for the Jets on the team:
WIDE RECEIVER (END)
Don Maynard - Titans/Jets
Maynard started his pro career with the New York Giants in 1958. After a one-year hiatus, he became the first player signed by the New York Titans in 1960. He starred with the Titans, later renamed the Jets, through the ‘72 season before playing his final year with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973. Maynard was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
Maynard topped all AFL players in career receiving yardage as he accumulated 10,289 yards during the 10 seasons that the league existed. His 546 catches ranked second all-time in AFL history. Maynard was named first- or second-team All-AFL six times and was voted to four AFL All-Star Games.
QUARTERBACK
Joe Namath - Jets
One of the most important moments in the AFL’s history came when the New York Jets outbid the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals and signed Joe Namath to a historic $400,000 contract. Namath’s flair off the field was as important as his strong arm on it during his career that spanned from 1965-1976 with the Jets and one last year with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977. Namath, who became the first QB ever to pass for 4,000 yards in a season, also guaranteed the unlikely Super Bowl III upset of the heavily favored Baltimore Colts.
Namath was named to four AFL All-Star Games and one AFC-NFC Pro Bowl; and selected as a first- or second-team four straight seasons. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
DEFENSIVE END
Gerry Philbin – Jets
Philbin anchored New York’s defensive front line from 1964 to 1972 before he played one last season in Philadelphia with the Eagles in ’73.
He reached the pinnacle of his career toward the end of the AFL years. He was an integral part of the 1968 Jets’ championship team. Philbin earned first-team All-AFL honors and was voted to the AFL All-Star Game after both the 1968 and 1969 seasons.
COACH
Weeb Ewbank – Jets
Ewbank is the only coach ever to win a championship in both the NFL and the AFL. After guiding the Baltimore Colts to back-to-back NFL titles in 1958 and 1959, Ewbank joined the Jets in 1963.
His poise and a great ability to handle raw, young talent help project the Jets to the top of the football world. After winning the 1968 AFL title, the Jets shocked the heavily favored Colts in Super Bowl III. Ewbank was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978.
The AFL's last regular season ended as the league was set to merge with the NFL. During the week before the final AFL Championship Game would be played between the Raiders and Chiefs, the Pro Football Hall of Fame released its All-Time AFL team. The first team included 4 members of the New York Jets. Following are the HOFs player capsules for the Jets on the team:
WIDE RECEIVER (END)
Don Maynard - Titans/Jets
Maynard started his pro career with the New York Giants in 1958. After a one-year hiatus, he became the first player signed by the New York Titans in 1960. He starred with the Titans, later renamed the Jets, through the ‘72 season before playing his final year with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973. Maynard was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
Maynard topped all AFL players in career receiving yardage as he accumulated 10,289 yards during the 10 seasons that the league existed. His 546 catches ranked second all-time in AFL history. Maynard was named first- or second-team All-AFL six times and was voted to four AFL All-Star Games.
QUARTERBACK
Joe Namath - Jets
One of the most important moments in the AFL’s history came when the New York Jets outbid the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals and signed Joe Namath to a historic $400,000 contract. Namath’s flair off the field was as important as his strong arm on it during his career that spanned from 1965-1976 with the Jets and one last year with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977. Namath, who became the first QB ever to pass for 4,000 yards in a season, also guaranteed the unlikely Super Bowl III upset of the heavily favored Baltimore Colts.
Namath was named to four AFL All-Star Games and one AFC-NFC Pro Bowl; and selected as a first- or second-team four straight seasons. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
DEFENSIVE END
Gerry Philbin – Jets
Philbin anchored New York’s defensive front line from 1964 to 1972 before he played one last season in Philadelphia with the Eagles in ’73.
He reached the pinnacle of his career toward the end of the AFL years. He was an integral part of the 1968 Jets’ championship team. Philbin earned first-team All-AFL honors and was voted to the AFL All-Star Game after both the 1968 and 1969 seasons.
COACH
Weeb Ewbank – Jets
Ewbank is the only coach ever to win a championship in both the NFL and the AFL. After guiding the Baltimore Colts to back-to-back NFL titles in 1958 and 1959, Ewbank joined the Jets in 1963.
His poise and a great ability to handle raw, young talent help project the Jets to the top of the football world. After winning the 1968 AFL title, the Jets shocked the heavily favored Colts in Super Bowl III. Ewbank was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978.