Where are they now , Freeman McNeil ?

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

The No. 3 overall pick in the 1981 NFL draft, McNeil enjoyed a stellar career at UCLA, earning all-conference honors twice for the Bruins. He wasted little time making a big impact for the Jets, leading the NFL in rushing yards in his second season.

A three-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler, McNeil spent all 12 of seasons of his NFL career with the Jets, topping 1,000-yards on the ground twice, in back-to-back seasons (1984-85). His 8,074 career rushing yards ranks second in franchise history, trailing only Hall of Famer Curtis Martin.

 

 

 

 

McNeil ranks fourth on the Jets’ all-time rushing touchdown list with 38, and his 144 games played ranks No. 1 among running backs in franchise history. Only six players have ever suited up for more games as a Jet.

McNeil’s 1985 campaign saw him rush for 1,331 yards, the fifth-highest single-season total in team history. He carried the ball nearly 1,800 times over his 12-year career, averaging an impressive 4.5 yards per carry.

One of the most recognizable faces in the long, storied history of one of the NFL’s most prestigious franchises, McNeil made ESPN’s list of top 50 Jets of all-time, coming in at No. 7. Indeed, few players have left such a footprint on Jets’ history quite like McNeil’s.

McNeil has remained connected to his former team long after retirement, most recently appearing on the red carpet for the team’s unveiling of new uniforms earlier this year.

 

 

 

 

 

[Gibby]

Always be a Todd fan. He was the QB when I started watching back in 80.

[joewilly12]

@SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN  Are you writing these or are you quoting someone else's work. 

[RichardTodd27]

8 hours ago, Gibby said:

Always be a Todd fan. He was the QB when I started watching back in 80.

Same here. Hell, even took his name (on this site) because of it.

Memories of the good ole days.

[roscoeword]

Sorry, but  he was terrible, and we wasted our best years and roster with him at the helm. He was a wishbone qb that didn't run, didn't throw well, he happened to have one of the best receivers ever in Wesley Walker, who he underthrew constantly. Todd held us back. I know you guys are nostalgic and all, but I was a fierce Todd hater (nothing personal, he just wasn't very good) during those years. Matt Robinson was better, for crying out loud.  Did you guys watch the games?  Nostalgia could  be a strong emotion at times, but if you look objectively, Todd stunk and Joe Namath is guilty for touting him; Joe also touted Al Woodall, another TERRIBLE qb, who also wasted a potential superbowl roster.

[TNJet]

4 hours ago, roscoeword said:

Sorry, but  he was terrible, and we wasted our best years and roster with him at the helm. He was a wishbone qb that didn't run, didn't throw well, he happened to have one of the best receivers ever in Wesley Walker, who he underthrew constantly. Todd held us back. I know you guys are nostalgic and all, but I was a fierce Todd hater (nothing personal, he just wasn't very good) during those years. Matt Robinson was better, for crying out loud.  Did you guys watch the games?  Nostalgia could  be a strong emotion at times, but if you look objectively, Todd stunk and Joe Namath is guilty for touting him; Joe also touted Al Woodall, another TERRIBLE qb, who also wasted a potential superbowl roster.

Not often a terrible player wins team MVP after the playoff run...

[Gibby]

5 hours ago, roscoeword said:

Sorry, but  he was terrible, and we wasted our best years and roster with him at the helm. He was a wishbone qb that didn't run, didn't throw well, he happened to have one of the best receivers ever in Wesley Walker, who he underthrew constantly. Todd held us back. I know you guys are nostalgic and all, but I was a fierce Todd hater (nothing personal, he just wasn't very good) during those years. Matt Robinson was better, for crying out loud.  Did you guys watch the games?  Nostalgia could  be a strong emotion at times, but if you look objectively, Todd stunk and Joe Namath is guilty for touting him; Joe also touted Al Woodall, another TERRIBLE qb, who also wasted a potential superbowl roster.

Honestly I was real young when Todd was the QB- ( born in 71). I think the real truth is somewhere in the middle. His overall stats do support what you’re saying. He did have a couple of real good years too. Did he “ hold us back” as you’re suggesting? The only way to truly. Know that would’ve been to see a different QB in the 81& 82 seasons. He played pretty well in both. Not sure any quarterback would’ve played well on the rain soaked field in Miami.

As for Robinson? Barely remember him ( other than my brother who always said he was better. I’ll say the same to you as I do him. He wound up in Denver ( pre Elway and barely got on the field ( and they gave up draft picks for him) - how good could he really have been?

[Jet Nut]

4 hours ago, Gibby said:

As for Robinson? Barely remember him ( other than my brother who always said he was better. I’ll say the same to you as I do him. He wound up in Denver ( pre Elway and barely got on the field ( and they gave up draft picks for him) - how good could he really have been?

Actually youre looking at it the wrong way.  

As bad as Robinson was, and he wasnt actually all that good, he was better than Todd because Todd wasnt as good as a bad QB.  

Todd absolutely held us back.  He had a really solid OL, Freeman McNeil, top WRs, TEs etc and was mediocre at his best.  Worse he never turned it up when he was needed and led the team to tough wins outside of one or two games

[Gibby]

7 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

Actually youre looking at it the wrong way.  

As bad as Robinson was, and he wasnt actually all that good, he was better than Todd because Todd wasnt as good as a bad QB.  Todd absolutely held is back.  He had a really solid OL, Freeman McNeil, a top WR, TEs etc and was mediocre at his best.  Worse he never turned it up when he was needed and led the team to tough wins outside of one or two games

Try to remember nut- I opened my post by saying “ you’re probably right” - and because Todd was the quarterback when I started my fandom- I would guess I am guilty of being “nostalgic”.  All I was saying is he wasn’t as bad as you were making him out to be. 
 

 

 

[Jet Nut]

25 minutes ago, Gibby said:

Try to remember nut- I opened my post by saying “ you’re probably right” - and because Todd was the quarterback when I started my fandom- I would guess I am guilty of being “nostalgic”.  All I was saying is he wasn’t as bad as you were making him out to be. 
 

I got what you're saying,  I do the same with those players from back in the day, get just as nostalgic.  

Todds problems were, he followed Namath.  Came from Alabama.  Wasn't even close to a Namath in ability.  

He never connected with fans as Matt Robinson did.  I remember being at one of his early games as the starter and a banner made on a full bed sheet unraveled with the "Break Todds legs" hanging from the upper deck.  Trumped the "Todd is God" banner.  

Todd wasn't all that good ands unfortunately was as bad as people remember.  

[Scott Dierking]

Todd had the misfortune of having Lou Holtz as his first professional coach. Holtz had Todd running option plays with these ridiculously sized shoulder pads.

[deucebag]

1 hour ago, TNJet said:

Not often a terrible player wins team MVP after the playoff run...

Lets put it this way, he was the type of QB that if everything went right he could play well, great protection, consistent running game, open receivers.  He did not possess an NFL caliber arm, but worst of all he tipped when he was going to throw the ball by patting it just before he threw it,  If we had a top 15 QB we make it to at least one Super Bowl with that roster.

[Jetscode1]

1 hour ago, deucebag said:

Lets put it this way, he was the type of QB that if everything went right he could play well, great protection, consistent running game, open receivers.  He did not possess an NFL caliber arm, but worst of all he tipped when he was going to throw the ball by patting it just before he threw it,  If we had a top 15 QB we make it to at least one Super Bowl with that roster.

...and Klecko make the HoF easy with that on his resume.

[Jet Nut]

3 hours ago, Scott Dierking said:

Todd had the misfortune of having Lou Holtz as his first professional coach. Holtz had Todd running option plays with these ridiculously sized shoulder pads.

I'll always remember a quote from when Don Shula was asked what he thought of Todd coming out of Alabama.  

He said he liked him: "as a linebacker" 

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

19 hours ago, joewilly12 said:

@SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN  Are you writing these or are you quoting someone else's work. 

cut and paste my man

[Sperm Edwards]

On 12/15/2019 at 1:50 PM, Jet Nut said:

I'll always remember a quote from when Don Shula was asked what he thought of Todd coming out of Alabama.  

He said he liked him: "as a linebacker" 

omg it's the Lamar Jackson story!

I kid, I kid

[SAR I]

STOP

STARTING

THREADS

ALREADY

SAR I

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

3 hours ago, SAR I said:

STOP

STARTING

THREADS

ALREADY

SAR I

Fans like to reminisce about old players and not shill about this years horrible mess .

[Maxman]

4 hours ago, SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN said:

Fans like to reminisce about old players and not shill about this years horrible mess .

Let's keep this stuff to one thread. The where are they now thread. Thanks.

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

John Dockery (September 6, 1944) is an American sportscaster and former American football defensive back who played for the New York Jets and later the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1968 to 1973. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jets out of Harvard. He spent the last two years of his playing career with the Steelers.^[1]

In 1965, he played collegiate summer baseball for the now defunct Sagamore Clouters of the Cape Cod Baseball League. A first-baseman, Dockery played alongside future major league manager Bob Schaefer under Clouters' manager Lou Lamoriello, who skippered the team to the 1965 league title.^[2]

Following his retirement, Dockery went on to co-host Sports Extra on WNYW Channel 5 in New York City with Bill Mazer. He also served as a color analyst for College Football on ABC and NFL on CBS telecasts as well as a sideline reporter for College Football on CBS and Notre Dame Football on NBC.

Dockery served as a sideline reporter for Monday Night Football broadcasts on Westwood One radio from 1999 to 2007. Prior to that, he served as analyst for the network's Sunday Night Football radiocasts, as well as sideline reporter for other games.

Dockery continues to serve the game of football by co-organizing a youth football camp with Joe Namath that is in this 44th year. Additionally after his sports career Dockery founded Cambridge Corporate Services in 1998, a New York-based outsourcing service provider.

[y2k8]

32 minutes ago, SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN said:

John Dockery (September 6, 1944) is an American sportscaster and former American football defensive back who played for the New York Jets and later the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1968 to 1973. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jets out of Harvard. He spent the last two years of his playing career with the Steelers.^[1]

In 1965, he played collegiate summer baseball for the now defunct Sagamore Clouters of the Cape Cod Baseball League. A first-baseman, Dockery played alongside future major league manager Bob Schaefer under Clouters' manager Lou Lamoriello, who skippered the team to the 1965 league title.^[2]

Following his retirement, Dockery went on to co-host Sports Extra on WNYW Channel 5 in New York City with Bill Mazer. He also served as a color analyst for College Football on ABC and NFL on CBS telecasts as well as a sideline reporter for College Football on CBS and Notre Dame Football on NBC.

Dockery served as a sideline reporter for Monday Night Football broadcasts on Westwood One radio from 1999 to 2007. Prior to that, he served as analyst for the network's Sunday Night Football radiocasts, as well as sideline reporter for other games.

Dockery continues to serve the game of football by co-organizing a youth football camp with Joe Namath that is in this 44th year. Additionally after his sports career Dockery founded Cambridge Corporate Services in 1998, a New York-based outsourcing service provider.

Channel 5's Sports Extra with Bill Mazer and John Dockery was must watch Sunday night after a Jets win. Loved that show and those two guys. 

While the network feed highlights they aired looked like they were shot underwater for some reason - they did splice in highlights from their own camera on the sideline which was a different perspective I enjoyed seeing. 

[jago]

3 hours ago, y2k8 said:

Channel 5's Sports Extra with Bill Mazer and John Dockery was must watch Sunday night after a Jets win. Loved that show and those two guys. 

While the network feed highlights they aired looked like they were shot underwater for some reason - they did splice in highlights from their own camera on the sideline which was a different perspective I enjoyed seeing. 

my dad , RIP, and the person responsible for my jet fandom (all is forgiven pop) , loved sports extra.

[jgb]

Where was he then?

[Alka]

On 12/15/2019 at 10:37 AM, deucebag said:

Lets put it this way, he was the type of QB that if everything went right he could play well, great protection, consistent running game, open receivers.  He did not possess an NFL caliber arm, but worst of all he tipped when he was going to throw the ball by patting it just before he threw it,  If we had a top 15 QB we make it to at least one Super Bowl with that roster.

I go even further:  If Ken O'Brien was our quarterback at the time that Richard Todd was our quarterback, then we go and win the Super Bowl.  Not that Ken O'Brien was great, because he was good, not great; but he was good enough with the roster that Todd was on.

[TuscanyTile2]

 

[TuscanyTile2]

And while we're talking John Dockery, why not include some Bill Mazer, Jerry Girard (def worth it to watch his wry sense of humor starting at 3:28), Dick Schaap and Jim Lampley (though I'm disappointed I couldn't fine any footage of Lampley recapping scores at haltime of a college football game for ABC with the typewriter sounds going off in the background).

 

 

 

 

 

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

Drafted as a defensive tackle out of LSU in 1977, Dan Alexander reported to the Jets training camp and found himself being told to huddle up with the offensive linemen before even having a chance to buckle his chinstrap for the first time.

“I’d never played offense except in high school. I don’t know if they thought I wasn’t big enough to be a defensive lineman or what it was. I didn’t ask any questions. I just did what I had to do,” said the 6-4, 260-pound Alexander. “I got into a fight my first practice and it helped get me noticed a little bit. I don’t even recall the name (of who I fought with), but it was a big ol’ fella that had been there a couple of years.

“It was different at first. It’s kind of harder to play (on offense) as far as remembering all the plays right off the bat. It’s much harder than defense in that sense of the game, but it worked out fine. I ended up starting my rookie year at offensive guard.”

Alexander not only ended starting at right guard his rookie year, but he did so for the next 12 years. In fact, he didn’t miss a single game until 1987, his 11th season, when he was sidelined because of a torn calf muscle in his right leg.

In a game where the average length of a career is around three years, how was Alexander able to play 13 seasons at a position where there’s contact on most, if not every, play from scrimmage?

 

“Well, you just show up every day,” said Alexander, who played in 192 games for the Jets. “I played with a little pain every now and then, but I was lucky enough to not be injured and stay healthy. To this day, I never had surgery, never broke a bone in my life. I had a lot of dislocated fingers and stuff like that, but I’m 63 years old and never broke a bone in my life. I was just lucky, I guess.”

Luck mirrored with exceptional genes.

“My father (Wade) was a really good athlete. He was playing senior softball at 88 years old. That was pretty neat. I used to go watch him all the time,” Alexander said. “And I had an older brother (Alan) that used to whoop me up all the time. I got tired of him kicking my ass and I finally got big enough to kick his. He was a good athlete and played baseball in college at Sam Houston State. They both instilled a lot in me.

“I was just proud to say that I was there every week and I was able to play 13 years and stay healthy. Then when I retired (following the 1989 season), I retired on my own. I wasn’t asked to leave, but I’m sure it wasn’t far off. Anyway, I left on my own terms and that was good, too.”

After hanging up his shoulder pads for the last time, Alexander headed south to Louisiana and embarked on a second career as a businessman. Making his home in Plaquemine, a suburb of Baton Rouge; with his wife, Julie; he owns Nicks Package Liquor & Lounge.

“It’s a small town and everybody knows everybody. It’s kind of like a Cheers-type bar,” said Alexander, the Bayou’s answer to Sam Malone. “It’s just been a good business and fun to run. We have got a bunch of Jet pictures, all the team pictures from when I was there. It’s got a big ‘ol helmet on the outside of the bar. It’s a green and white cinderblock building and it’s got the old Jets logo on there, from when I played, the arrow.”

[Jetpain]

Dan Alexander was / is one of the most underrated Jets of all time.  

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

Wayne was the best . Screw Keyshawn .

[themeangreenkillingmachine]

Is this a Chrebet thread or Todd thread? I’m so confused

[Adoni Beast]

On 12/15/2019 at 10:30 AM, Scott Dierking said:

Todd had the misfortune of having Lou Holtz as his first professional coach. Holtz had Todd running option plays with these ridiculously sized shoulder pads.

RE-TODD ... RE-TODD !!! Who remembers those chants?

Oh and I love Wayne Chrebet !! 

[JetsFanatic]

On 12/17/2019 at 7:36 PM, Alka said:

I go even further:  If Ken O'Brien was our quarterback at the time that Richard Todd was our quarterback, then we go and win the Super Bowl.  Not that Ken O'Brien was great, because he was good, not great; but he was good enough with the roster that Todd was on.

Ken O’Brien had better talent around him and won nothing. Todd at least won playoff games.

[pdxgreen]

He did a great interview on the Official Jets Podcast recently.  Guess he won't have anything to do with Hofstra any more.  Cant say I blame him.

[RobR]

20 minutes ago, pdxgreen said:

He did a great interview on the Official Jets Podcast recently.  Guess he won't have anything to do with Hofstra any more.  Cant say I blame him.

Why would he have anything more to do with Hofstra? Didn't they lose their football team a few years back?

[TNJet]

On 12/14/2019 at 5:40 PM, SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN said:

Wayne Chrebet was born August 14, 1973 and is a former wide receiver who played 11 seasons for the New York Jets of the National Football League from 1995 to 2005.

High School and College Career:

Chrebet played wide receiver in high school football at Garfield High School in his hometown.

Chrebet played for Hofstra University, the site of what used to be the Jets’ year-round training facility. At Hofstra, Chrebet was a four-year letter-winner who twice led the Flying Dutchmen (now known as The Pride), in receiving. In addition he set the single season and career touchdown marks with 16 (1994), and 31, respectively. Also in 1994, Chrebet became Hofstra’s first 1,000-yard receiver. Along the way he set a Hofstra school record with 245 receiving yards in a game against Delaware, and tying Jerry Rice for the NCAA I-AA mark with five touchdowns.

For his accomplishments at Hofstra University, Wayne Chrebet was part of the inaugural class to be inducted into the Hofstra University Athletic Hall of Fame and his jersey was retired.

NFL Career:

Chrebet was not drafted by any team at the National Football League Draft in 1995. Chrebet eventually earned a walk-on opportunity with the New York Jets where he was 11th of 11 on the depth chart. Chrebet was stopped and detained at the front gate on his first day of training camp by the senior New York Jets security guard who did not believe Chrebet could actually be a football player due to his relatively small size. A New York Jets team official was summoned to verify he was an authorized walk-on and could enter the training complex. Chrebet worked his way up the depth chart from 11th to make the team and was the first Hofstra football player to make an NFL roster since John Schmitt in 1964.

In a December 3, 1995 game versus the St. Louis Rams, Chrebet pulled in 8 receptions and broke several tackles on a scramble toward the goal line. On October 19, 1996 at Jacksonville, Chrebet hauled in 12 receptions for 162 yards with five third-down conversions. On September 24, 2000, after former Jets teammate Keyshawn Johnson claimed that comparing Chrebet to him was like “comparing a flashlight to a star,” Chrebet caught an 18-yard TD pass from Curtis Martin with 52 seconds left to give the Jets a 21-17 victory against Johnson’s team at the time (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). After this, the New York media dubbed Chrebet “The Green Lantern.” His primary nickname, however, was “Mr. Third Down” because 379 of his 580 career receptions were third to first down conversions. Wayne Chrebet become a sensation secondary to his achievement and was featured on cereal boxes in addition to having his #80 jersey was worn by the lead character Michael in the 2003 Will Ferrell motion picture Elf.

Some consider Chrebet’s best overall game as the October 10th, 2004 contest with the Buffalo Bills in which Chrebet enjoyed a perfect game, catching all 8 passes sent his way from quarterback Chad Pennington in a 16-14 victory. Chrebet’s career history was named one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in the history of professional sports by Sports Illustrated later that year.

In a November 6, 2005 game against the San Diego Chargers, Chrebet’s career ended prematurely when he sustained a serious concussion on a clean play. Despite being knocked unconscious for several minutes, Chrebet still made that third-down catch for a first down, symbolic of the type of plays he made throughout his career. Chrebet’s 580 receptions ranks him 2nd and his 7,365 yards from scrimmage place him 5th all-time in the New York Jets record books.

Chrebet wore the New York Jet number 80 jersey for 11 straight seasons. During his career, he caught passes from 13 different players, played for several different head coaches, and worked for two different owners. Chrebet was formally honored by the New York Jets on “Wayne Chrebet Day” during halftime of the September 23rd, 2007 game against the Miami Dolphins.Chrebet’s number 80 has not been issued by the team since he retired, and it is generally understood that no Jet will wear that number in the foreseeable future.

After the NFL:

Chrebet now resides in Colts Neck Township, New Jersey. Chrebet has operated two restaurants on Long Island near his alma mater, Hofstra University. Initially a steakhouse called Chrebet’s, it was later closed and reopened as a sports-themed bar/restaurant called “Social Sports Lounge and Kitchen”

In a 2007 interview with the Bergen Record, Chrebet stated he still feels post-concussion symptoms as a result of the multiple concussions he suffered while playing in the NFL, including headaches, lethargy, and sensitivity to light and noise.

The NFL Network recognized Wayne Chrebet’s career in 2009 by including Chrebet in their Top 10 episode “Best Undrafted Players” at the number ten position.

Chrebet served as the “FCS Championship Game Ambassador” for the 2009 FCS Championship Game between Villanova and Montana.

On May 28, 2009 Chrebet joined Morgan Stanley as a financial advisor working out of the Red Bank, New Jersey office. In Fall 2012, Chrebet joined Barclays Capital as a financial advisor and Assistant Vice President working out of the Park Ave, New York City office.

Chrebet is routinely invited to attend Jets games as a guest of honor by owner Woody Johnson and also routinely serves as an ambassador on behalf of the New York Jets and National Football League via community service and public relations events.

Being 37, in my lifetime no Jet touched my heart more, he is my all time favorite Jet.