New York Jets - Franchise Snapshot

Football Digest, Dec, 2002 by Chuck O'Donnell

* Linebacker Mo Lewis, a first degree black belt in karate and tae kwon do, became interested in martial arts when he saw a Bruce Lee movie as a child.

* Lewis' other off-field hobby is bass fishing. He once collected a $25,000 award for winning a contest by catching a 10-pounder. He now runs his own tournament.

* Despite being legally blind in his left eye, wide receiver Wesley Walker had a banner career with the Jets from 1977 through '89. He ranks second in team history in receiving yards (8,306) and is lied for fourth in receptions (438).

* The Jets' 34-24 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1999 is their only playoff win since 1986.

* Pro Bowl running back Curtis Martin didn't play high school football until his senior year.

* Last season, Martin became the third player in league history to rush for more than 1,000 yards; in each of his first seven seasons, joining Eric Dickerson (seven times) and Barry Sanders (10 times).

* John Hall holds the modern-day NFL record for touchbacks in a season with 29 in 1997.

* Hall has been known to keep a poster in his locker of Sean Penn's surfer/stoner character Jeff Spicoli from the movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."

* Joe Namath holds team records in many passing categories, including interceptions. In fact, his 215 picks are 77 more than runner-up Richard Todd.

* Wide receiver Wayne Chrebet has his own cereal, Chrebet Crunch. The proceeds from sales of the cereal go to a New Jersey-based charity.

* Chrebet entered the 2002 season needing just 62 receptions to pass Al Toon (517 career catches) and move into second place on the team's all-time list.

* Former Major league Soccer MVP Tony Meola had a tryout to be the Jets' kicker in 1994.

* Jets owner Woody Johnson occasionally enjoys heli-skiing in the Canadian Rockies.

* Joe Klecko, one of the members of the New York Sack Exchange of the 1980s, was the first NFL player named to the Pro Bowl at three positions: defensive end, tackle, and nose guard.

* Mose Rison, the team's wide receivers coach, is a cousin of former Pro Bowl receiver Andre Rison.

* In its first three seasons, spent in the AFL, the franchise was known as the New York Titans. The Titans became the Jets in 1963.

* Quarterback Vinny Testaverde's wife Mitzi is a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader.

* Herman Edwards led the Jets to 10 wins last year in his first season at the helm, the most by any rookie head coach in team history.