Breaking down Valentine Holmes’ new home: who are the NY Jets?
Valentine Holmes’ NFL dream is alive and well — with the former NRL superstar finding a home at the New York Jets. But just what has he gotten himself into?
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NFL hopeful Valentine Holmes has landed in the biggest market in the US — the bright lights of the Big Apple.
The former NRL star has secured a pathway deal with the New York Jets, meaning the green and whites may well be about to pick up a legion of Australian fans caught up in the
But just who are the Jets?
And what should any prospective fan know before handing over their hard earned for a Holmes jersey?
Here’s a quick brief on one of the NFL’s most tortured franchises.
Are they a good team?
In a word, no. The New York Jets are not even the best team in their city — that honour belongs to the New York Giants, and to be honest the Giants are not travelling that well either — although they did happen to be Holmes’ favourite team, that is until he signed with the Jets.
In 2018 the Jets finished 4-12 overall and last in their division.
In fact Team Green have won just 14 games over the past three seasons and last made the playoffs in 2010.
Were they ever a good team?
Yes. In 2009 and 2010 the Jets not only made the playoffs they went all the way to the AFC Championship game — one win short of a Super Bowl appearance — but lost both of those.
Those two wins came in the first seasons of Rex Ryan’s stint as head coach but Ryan was unable to replicate the feat and was sacked after the 2014 season.
After Ryan the Jets appointed Todd Bowles and they posted a 10-6 record in 2015.
After stinking it up 2016-2018 the Jets sacked Bowles and appointed Adam Gase as head coach.
Have they ever won?
The Jets do have a Super Bowl appearance, and win, to be proud of — but you have to go all the way back to 1968 for that heady franchise peak.
Super Bowl III, the third AFL-NFL Championship Game but first to carry that moniker, Joe Namath led the Jets to an improbable victory over firm favourites the Baltimore Colts.
But what is really their most famous moment...
OK, so the J-E-T-S won the 1968 Super Bowl. But that’s not their most iconic moment.
This is the Jets we’re talking about, which means the most memorable play wasn’t a 70 yard touchdown pass or a game-winning sack.
It was the Butt Fumble, a comical blunder which in many ways sums up the one of the NFL’s great underachievers.
On the biggest day on the NFL calendar outside of the playoffs, Thanksgiving Day, the Jets were playing the perennially strong New England Patriots in front of nearly 80,000 fans at MetLife Stadium.
Down 14-0 early in the second quarter, they turned to maligned quarterback Mark Sanchez to get things going.
He took the ball and, with no passing options available, set off on foot to try and gobble up some yardage as he spotted a small gap in the line.
That gap quickly disappeared — with Sanchez colliding with the backside of teammate Brandon Moore, before fumbling the ball which was then recovered by Patriot Steve Gregory for a touchdown.
In the space of 52 seconds the Jets conceded three touchdowns — sealing the Butt Fumble’s place as the most embarrassing moment in Jets history.
Is that the only moment of heartbreak?
Certainly not. In fact, while the Butt Fumble is hilarious - it pales into insignificance when put alongside this franchise-altering moment.
Division rivals the Patriots have been the biggest thorn in the side of the Jets - and many other teams in the NFL, it must be said - for the past two decades.
How different things could’ve been if not for an abrupt about face ahead of the 2000 season.
After serving as an assistant coach at the Jets for three seasons, Bill Belichick was named the team’s new head coach following the retirement of Bill Parcells.
And then, 24 hours later, he held a press conference - which had been called to introduce him as the team’s head coach but which turned into a truly remarkable resignation.
Moments before he fronted the cameras, Belichick had scribbled a resignation ‘letter’ on a napkin.
Belichick immediately turned around and linked with the Patriots.
The Jets were given a first-round pick as compensation. The Patriots, however, landed the greatest coach in the history of the game.
Who are the most famous Jets players?
There’s no contest as to who the greatest Jets player of all time is — and it’s unlikely Holmes will ever rival Joe Namath’s pedigree.
The Hall of Fame quarterback led the Jets to their only Super Bowl win, earning MVP honours, was named to the Pro Bowl five times and holds just about every Jets passing record there is.
Namath’s teammate for many years, wide receiver Don Maynard, also played a key role in the Jets’ Super Bowl team and retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving yardage.
Darrelle Revis was an elite corner back who went to the Pro Bowl four times. Revis’ reputation as a major threat meant teams became afraid of throwing anywhere near him, creating ‘Revis Island’ on the field.
What is the Aussie connection?
Aussies seem to love New York.
Holmes is the latest Australian to join the NFL, and he’s joining a franchise with a fairly strong Australian history.
In fact, he’s landed at one of the teams to currently boast an Australian on their roster. Lachlan Edwards was drafted by the Jets in the seventh round of the 2016 Draft and has been a mainstay on their roster in the past two seasons.
One of Australia’s finest NFL exports, Ben Graham, started his career at the Jets in 2005. He was elevated to their leadership group the following year, becoming the first Australian to captain an American pro-sports team in the process.
And more recently there was former rugby player Hayden Smith, a Penrith-born powerhouse who excelled in English rugby with Saracens before trying his hand at the NFL.
The 6ft6 Smith suited up for the Jets and took his one and only NFL pass in a game against the San Diego Chargers — before being cut and returning to rugby.
Originally published as Breaking down Valentine Holmes’ new home: who are the NY Jets?
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