I remember the Jets only win in 1996 was around Halloween time against the Cardinals because I went to the pumpkin patch, and when I got home I heard the Jets won. Other games I remember that year: the Saturday loss to the Eagles, which the Jets could have won. It was close. And the home Dolphins game that was my first Jets home game I ever attended. Jets played well, but Marino was too good.
The Kotite years were when my brother and I first got season tickets. It started out well with an OT loss to the Colts (great game) then they crushed the Jags - then it was all down hill from there. We really questioned our season tickes but toughed it out! The Parcel years were well worth the wait! But those Kotite years we REALLY bad, thats why he's my profile pic - pretty much sums up my 30+ years of fandom!
That Eagles game was won for about 3 seconds. They were up 20-7 midway through the fourth quarter and held the Eagles on fourth and goal but it was wiped out by a penalty. Eagles scored on the next play then on the first play of Jets next possession a safety named Mike Zordich ( a former Jet ) intercepted Glenn Foley and the Eagles scored another TD to take the lead. Then in the closing minutes the Jets were close to FG range when Foley was intercepted again on a tipped pass....typical Kotite ending.......ahh the memories. To this day they still haven't beaten the Eagles.
Over the years I've convinced myself that Kotite couldn't really be evaluated as a HC because he was such a bad GM that he effectively destroyed his own team. I'm reconsidering my opinion.
We’re the opposite. My buddy and I were on the ST waiting list at Shea. When the Jets moved to the Meadowlands, we got our seats. At some point, he moved to Jacksonville, so I was taking care of all 4 tickets. During the Kotite years, no one wanted to go. I couldn’t give them away. It was me and 3 empty seats a lot if times. At one miserable game, I was the only guy in my whole section. Then, I started going to school at night. I had a lot of expenses, no free time, and Kotite provided no hope. Then, my buddy moved back. So, I gave up my seats, and you know the rest. Sometimes, I miss going to games, but it’s just not the same anymore. I live only a few miles from the stadium, but honestly, the experience in the new place isn’t what it used to be. All the friends that used to go to games with me have moved and gotten old. The new place strikes me as a mall with a football field in it. I’m okay with watching the team on the big screen in my living room.
I guess its not all that surprising since Kotex was a complete disaster, but after he was mercifully fired he dropped off the face of the earth! Never coached again, didn't do TV or anything. I mean Todd Bowles was horrible and he's already back coaching. Matt Millen was like the worst General Manager in the history of the league and yet he's on ESPN or something every week telling us about players and prospects. Kotite though, not a peep. Its like he went into hiding haha
I remember this article reflecting on Kotite from back in 2014. It was pretty funny- https://nypost.com/2014/11/13/misery-loves-company-1996-jets-can-relate-to-this-years-debacle/ Ray Mickens recalled when that ’96 team ended its eight-game slide around midseason — “We had circled Arizona on the calendar as a team we could definitely beat to get our first win,’’ Mickens said. “So we go there and win and we partied on the plane all the way home and when we got back to New York, Kotite got up in front of us Monday morning and said, ‘Guys, we’re still in this thing.’ “I remember everyone looking around at each other and laughing,’’ Mickens said. “It was hysterical.’’ Former Jets linebacker Marvin Jones recalls that moment as well - “At some point you have to be real and not pretend like everything is OK, because it’s not,’’ Jones said. “I can remember when Kotite would say, ‘OK, in a few weeks we’ll get everybody back from injuries and we can make a run.’ We’re like, ‘What? We’re [expletive] 1-8.’ People would say, ‘You’re the best 1-8 team in the league,’ but you know what, you’re 1-8 and you have to be real and say, ‘Hey, we’re not a very good team.’ This one was the funniest though! Ray Mickens recalls the next year when the Tuna took over- “I remember when [Bill] Parcells was hired the next year [1997], he called a team meeting that March and laid down the law and a bunch of guys retired after that meeting,’’ Mickens said. “Myself, Aaron Glenn, Marcus Coleman and Gary Jones were on the same flight back to Dallas after the meeting and Gary asked the flight attendant for a fifth of bourbon. We said, ‘What are you doing?’ He said, ‘Hey man, this is it. I’m done. I can’t do this anymore.’ ’’
RK was a decent guy but you had to know his personality. he could come off as a wise ass if u didn't know. He did alienate several people in the league during his time as asst, corrdinator, and HC. the complexity of the game caught up and passed him probably when he was waltons asst. in the mid 80's. most players actually liked him and his simple, basic approach to things.
I thought the same exact thing. He was a nice guy but just seemed out of his league towards the end....
not sure if anyone remembers the kotite training camps in 95 and 96 at hofstra. i myself was there many times and i remember some of the RB and WR drills were high school level. i remember one vividly where he had the WR group running 10-12 yard outs at the sidelines to practice keeping the feet in bounds. funny thing was that chrebet was the best at that. We would be like WTF.
Hilarious! Thanks for posting. Yeah, I can't even imagine the difference it must have felt like to be on the 96 Jets and then the 97 Jets. Complete 180.
Great video! Thanks for posting. That makes the the Gase/Johnson introductory press conference look pretty good in comparison! I did not realize Kotite stepped down and then still coached the final game of the season. That is classic Jets.
This is the result of the awful two years of the Kotite regime. Jets owner Leon Hess introducing Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick: