Countdown to Camp: 97
As we look ahead to training camp in late July, we're going to take a daily retrospective look back at some random people, moments and games from Jets history...
The Current 97
This number is currently not allocated, although the Jets may soon give it to someone like Kevin Pierre-Louis or Micah Awe. Ed Stinson was the most recent player to wear the number, but he's still unsigned.
The Greatest
There have only really been two good number 97's in team history and either of them could claim to be the best. Let's give the edge to Calvin Pace because it's easier to find a gif of him almost ending Eli Manning...
The other 97's
Marvin Washington, Lawrence Thomas, Dorian Boose...
The '97 season
After a hectic offseason, the Jets ended up with Bill Parcells as their head coach and held onto the number one pick in the draft, instead being forced to send their 1997 first rounder to New England. However, the Jets traded down in the draft and ended up selecting James Farrior with the 8th overall pick.
The Jets got off to a great start at 8-4 before blowing their next two games. A 31-0 win over the Bucs that featured two Otis Smith interception returns put them in position to potentially make the playoffs, but they lost 13-10 to the Lions in a game highlighted by Leon Johnson throwing an interception on a fourth quarter halfback option play from the nine yard line and missed out despite finishing with a winning record at 9-7.
With Neil O'Donnell at quarterback, Keyshawn Johnson led the team in receiving and Adrian Murrell rushed for over 1,000 yards but Aaron Glenn was the team's only pro bowler.
The worst 97
This wasn't a great way for Rex Ryan's defense to mark his final game as the team's head coach:
The 97-yard run by Lamar Miller was the longest given up in team history, even though the Jets still won thanks to Geno Smith's hilariously-timed "perfect" game.
Let us know if there's any connections to 97 that we missed...