A good read. Their collapse during the championship game nearly killed me. https://fansided.com/2020/04/30/wayne-chrebet-jets-1999-memories/ Wayne Chrebet has yet to watch the tape. The year was 1999, 21 years ago. Chrebet was in his fourth season, and the Jets were up 10 in the third quarter on their way to the Super Bowl. But then, John Elway and Broncos ran off 23-straight points to win the AFC championship game and subsequently Super Bowl XXXIII 34-19 over Atlanta. “It hurts,” Chrebet said. “I’ve seen some of it, never seen the whole game. I know we were up, but a guy like John Elway gets going its tough to stop. The thing was, we had really beat the Falcons good during the year, so I figured whoever won that game was going to win the Super Bowl. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth we never got that close again.” The 1999 Jets coaching staff was loaded with talent. Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick and Charlie Weis. Chrebet loved playing for Parcells and his sharp tongue. “One of the first things he (Parcells) said to me, if you don’t listen to me your career will go downhill faster than a dump truck with a concrete parachute,” Chrebet recalls. “I always wanted to play for Bill growing up a Giants fan, one of my bucket lists was to Gatorade him, like Harry Carson did. So I got a chance to get him and that’s one of the big highlights of my career.” Charlie Weis and Chrebet were not as chummy. “We butted heads a lot,” Chrebet said. “He put me in the right situation to succeed which I’m thankful for. Sometimes it tough to listen on how to run a route from someone who has never played the position.” As for Belichick, no Jets player or fan likes to think about the cocktail napkin resignation after one day on the job. But, while he was the defensive coordinator, Chrebet appreciated young Belichick. “We had a lot of great talks,” Chrebet said. “I liked him, I thought he was funny. I wished he would have been our coach for more than 48 hours. He’s done well for himself, who knows if he would have stayed? We can’t think about it that way.” Chrebet is thinking about a Jets team he sees on the verge of being back in the playoff conversation and doing something special with quarterback Sam Darnold entering his third year. “I think he’s (Darnold) got more weapons around him,” Chrebet said. “Another year with Adam (Gase), you lose Robby (Anderson), but you get (Breshad) Perriman, I think that’s a little bit of an upgrade for less money. The wild card is Quincy Enunwa, if he comes back they are stacked. If not, they need one more piece in the receiving core.” Whatever happens with the 2020 Jets and beyond, Chrebet will enjoy watching them without any regrets. “You know those movies you watch at three in the morning, B-movies, the guy scores the winning touchdown, he gets the girl,” Chrebet asked. “That’s like my life, just a B-movie that’s not believable, it just worked out that way. My play was part courage, part stupidity. I made myself believe I could do things perhaps I couldn’t. I didn’t want to go down, I didn’t want to go out of bounds and I don’t think I’d be appreciated the way I am if I played anyway different. If I would have played longer if I played a little more skittish, I don’t care. I think it worked out the way it was supposed to. I got 11 years and I’m grateful for that.
Chrebet is right - 1998 was the Jets year. The return to the white helmets - Parcells, solid team. Exactly 30 years since the SB win and the SB was back in Miami. The Jets whipped Atlanta that year 28-3 and were about 25 minutes away from a rematch. Everything was going OK. Then.....IT happened ......
Great read. Thank you for the memories. The two most crushing and unforgettable losses in my Jets memory, first the one to Denver, and second the playoff loss to the Steelers when we missed the field goal to win the game with time running out.
I don't know if I should be glad I was too young to experience the pain of the '98 season's ending or sad because I missed such an exciting season. The main focus of my life back then was the worldwide phenomenon called Pokemon.
I was furious watching the Broncos come back and beat us. I was living just south of Denver and surrounded by rabid Broncos fans. And I was furious that the Jets had never developed its offense with the same focus as the defense...this became a trademark failing that has existed up until now (hopefully).
Alexander Ovechkin Thrilled To Learn He Won Stanley Cup Last Year https://sports.theonion.com/alexander-ovechkin-thrilled-to-learn-he-won-stanley-cup-1828797867
It's amazing that Curtis Martin and Wayne Chrebet played together in the same offense. Two guys that did more with less than virtually anybody else in the NFL.
Hah, you beat me. The author picked awful wording for the title of the article. I went, "Wha . . . ?" It almost writes itself. I'll never forget that terrible last shot Wayne Chrebet took as a Jet. I thought he was dead for a split second. He was flat on his back, unconscious with his eyes open. I almost had a panic attack. You had to see it live to appreciate how bad it truly was. I think every Jets fan who saw Wayne Chrebet play will always have a special place in their heart for him. The underdog, the little train that could. It's the only thing Rich Kotite did right in his entire miserable career. I'm ignoring all discussion of the Denver game. Slowly I turned, step by step, inch by inch . . . COVID-19, I'll die of aggravation first.
Be sad. That was the best Jets team I've seen. I predicted a Jets-Vikings Super Bowl back during that pre-season (before any of us knew what Rookie Randy Moss could really do), and right up through the playoffs, it was looking like the right call. Championship weekend ruined everything.
And Keymouth. If he wasn't so consumed with professional jealousy who knows what that tandem would've produced; and they didn't do half bad as it was.
Wayne Chrebet is still my favorite Jet, right up there with Chad Pennington. 1998 was an amazing season. As a kid, the Jets were so bad. I'm actually amazed I continued to cheer for them, because I literally had no reason. Then Parcells showed up and it was like he hit a light switch. Instant success in 1997, then an amazing season in 1998. Sadly, Vinny was injured in 1999, and it felt like the party was over before it started. Still great times though. Anyone remember Chrebet's restaurant next to Hofstra? That was a fun place to visit. I went one day after practice and he was just there similar to Rocky Balboa in his restaurant. Just walking around, talking to people. Talked to me and my Dad. Couldn't be more kind. He was already my favorite, but that was icing on the cake!
Good read, but why is everyone including Chrebet so hung up on Enunwa? It’s time to move on from this guy already.
Enunwa would have retired already if it wasn't for the way his contract is worded. He gets full pay if on the roster or IR. One more hit could cripple him.
That offense did very well given the lack of speed on it. When Keyshawn, Chrebet and Martin were on the field the Jets probably had less speed on the field than any other NFL team. Keyshawn had height and physicality. Chrebet had quickness and hands. Martin had excellent feet, toughness and an all-time great ability to avoid fumbling.
Really the truth of the matter is Enunwa should retire for his own safety, why would he ever risk going on the field again? Was the last contract given to him from Mac a retirement package and everybody at the Jets knows he will not take the field competitively again in his career? Nice kid and a lot of potential but it is over for him imo
