Countdown to Camp: 24
As we look ahead to training camp in late July, we're taking a daily retrospective look back at some random people, moments and games from Jets history...
The Current 24
This number is currently out of use and may be considered for retirement in honor of the last player to wear it; cornerback Darrelle Revis. At his peak, Revis was one of the best Jets of all time, but his two ignominious exits will likely delay this.
The Greatest
Once again the player being considered as a candidate to have their number retired arguably isn't the greatest Jet to wear that number. That distinction perhaps belongs to running back Freeman McNeil. McNeil was a Jet for 12 years, rushing for over 8,000 yards, including two thousand-yard seasons. He also scored 50 total touchdowns and led the NFL in rushing in the strike-shortened 1982 season.
McNeil was also a great postseason performer as he had three 100-yard rushing games and five total touchdowns. Here he puts on a masterclass in how to follow your blockers in the 1982 wild card win over Cincinnati:
The other 24's
Ray Mickens, Ty Law, Johnny Sample...
24 years ago
The 1994 season saw Pete Carroll's team lose their last five after a promising 6-5 start. We detailed that earlier in our countdown, here.
24-yard touchdown
Here's Robby Anderson from Josh McCown last season:
24 on the scoreboard
A couple of memorable wins with 24 points on the board were the 24-14 wild card win against the Bengals in 2009 and the 24-22 win in Oakland on the final day of the 2001 season. Shonn Greene rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown and Dustin Keller had 99 yards and a touchdown receiving in the Bengals game. John Hall's last minute 53-yard field goal sent the Jets to the playoffs in the Oakland win.
24 on the statsheet
Rookie David Harris made an instant impact with 24 tackles in just his second NFL start in 2007. That's one shy of Brian Urlacher's NFL record, although records have only been tracked since 2005. Harris had racked up 17 tackles in his first career start the previous week. Amazingly, over the entire rest of his career, he only managed to beat 14 total tackles one other time - in an overtime game where he only had seven solo tackles.
Let us know if there's any connections to 24 that we missed...