I love hearing these stories, esp from the old-time Jets fans! Always interesting to learn how people first decided to follow their favorite teams. It is kind of sad though, to think of some of the old-timers selecting the Jets as their team after Super Bowl III, never imagining that they might not see the Jets play in another Super Bowl even if they live to be 80 or 90. That is just an indictment of the franchise AND horrific luck (since ownership has obviously changed hands multiple times since Super Bowl III, but the Jets harsh luck remains the same)... Hopefully, the old-timers will be able to see another Super Bowl in their lifetime.
This is me... except I became a fan because of Joe Namath, and I was an AFL fan in a house of Giant fanatics. I remember being so down in'67 after they got off to a great start for the second year in a row, but in '68, everything fell into place. The next year, I remember going to the '69 play-off between the Chiefs and the Jets, fully expecting a win, and getting my first taste of 50+ years of disappointment.
My family’s first apartment was walking distance to Shea Stadium, we were there until 1973 and Mom was a huge Namath fan.
Born into it, just like me 3 sons are now too, won't change like fair weather Cowboys fans, but don't get excited and pop a vein in my neck anymore. If we get Zach Wilson, Allen Robinson, a starting HB, a pass rusher, another solid o liner and we go to war next year with Crowder, Bechton, Mims, Herndon, Fant, Elfein, Bless Austin, Bryce Hall, Maye, Myers, Q, Fatukasi, Hewitt, Mosley, Davis, Mann, Corey Ballantine KR, Berrios PR, new Coach ...I will become excited again!
It was back in the late fall of 1996. My dad and I were heading to the butcher before Thanksgiving and a man in a green robe + hood came behind us and let a gun in each hand to our heads and said "root for the Jets or I'll find you and kill you." It's amazing what Leon Hess was willing to do to get fans to the stadium back then.
My late brother in law introduced me to the Jets in 1989. He was like a Father to me, took me to games and taught me the sport. He was a die hard fan and loved the Jets. He use to post here as well name was Papichango. When he passed away it was the height of Rex Ryan run. I wore his Rob Moore jersey as I carried the casket. I bleed green and win or loose I watch the games as a way of paying respect and never forgetting a great man.
This is funny as I have a similar story. I blame my pops too he was a huge Joe Willy fan and loved the Jets. As a kid then I started loving the Jets too. My Dad eventually flipped to being a GB fan as he couldn’t take the Jets BS anymore and he became a huge fan of Brett Favre. Then when the Jets signed Favre he was back on the wagon for a year till he went to Minny. He followed players and the teams they played on while I follow a team and that team is our beloved Jets.I loved watching Vinny Testaverde with Parcels dumping the Pats for us and then Curtis Martin and then when Rex came it was a true shot in the arm! He really got me fired up with his will to win and beating some big names like Brady, Manning and Rivers on the road in the playoffs while we were huge underdogs. Great times! it’s been an up and down love affair with this team but I’m in it for the long haul. Hopefully we get a winner on the field soon!
My son dumped the Jets at the age of 5 for the Seahawks and Russel Wilson.. I guess he’s more like his grandfather lol
Started following Jets in 1967 primarily because of Namath. That year he was the first QB to throw for 4,000 yards and I loved the AFL wide open style of football. 1968 Jets win SB so after 2 years as a Jets fan, I was thinking that being a Jets fan is outstanding. Next year (69) they make the playoffs and are playing a very strong (and eventual SB champion) Chiefs team at Shea (game was not on local tv and had to watch at Bishop Form HS on closed circuit tv). At one point, Jets had a first and goal from the KC 1. Three straight runs and nothing, They settle for a FG, and lose 13-6. IMO, Jets have been cursed ever since.
I grew up a Brooklyn Dodger fan, therefore, I could not root for a team named the New York Giants especially since they played in Yankee Stadium. I was a Jim Brown fan so I rooted half heartedly for the Cleveland Browns as my football team in the 50's. When the AFL came along, I did not root or care for the Titans who played in the Polo Grounds, the turf of the hated baseball Giants. Besides, I can't recall ever seeing them play on TV and they didn't have any players I cared about. Being a fan of great running backs, I liked to watch the K.C. Chiefs with Abner Haynes and the L.A. Chargers with Keith Lincoln and Paul Lowe. These teams along with the Oilers with Billy Cannon and Charlie Tollar seemed to be the only teams broadcast on TV as far as I can remember. Fast forward to 1964, the Titans were still a team of no consequence, but it was announced the team had been sold to Werblin and renamed the Jets, an obvious tribute to the Mets who were wildly popular in a perverse way. Then it was announced that the Jets had drafted and signed Joe Namath, the top collegiate player. For me personally, this was earth shaking because, as someone who wore their hair long, to see a big time athlete with long hair made me an instant fan.
