Countdown to Camp: 82
As we look ahead to training camp in late July, we're going to take a daily retrospective look back at some random people, moments and games from Jets history...
The Current 82
Lucky Whitehead seemed like a pretty good pick-up last year but he never got his shot due to injury, despite beginning preseason as the number one return man. Still, the Jets kept him around and he'll have a chance again this year, although the additions of Trenton Cannon and Andre Roberts will make it tough for him.
The Greatest
In 12 years as a Jet, Mickey Shuler established himself as one of the best tight ends in the NFL. He went to two pro bowls and his career-high 76 catches in 1985 was seventh best in the entire NFL (not just tight ends). He caught 37 touchdown passes with the Jets and in the five years from 1984 to 1988, he averaged 65 catches for 715 yards and five touchdowns - huge numbers for a tight end in that era.
These back-to-back plays helped set up Wesley Walker's tying touchdown in the famous overtime win against Miami:
The other 82's
David Knight, Rob Carpenter, Matt Mulligan...
The '82 season
1982 was one of the strangest seasons in NFL history but it should have been the Jets' year. The season was shortened to nine games due to a players' strike and the Jets went to the postseason at 6-3 only to then controversially lose 14-0 to Miami on a waterlogged field in the AFC title game.
Despite Joe Klecko being unavailable for most of the year due to injury, Mark Gastineau had an all-pro year with six sacks in nine games. All-pro running back Freeman McNeil led the league in rushing running behind pro bowlers Joe Fields and Marvin Powell.
Wesley Walker, also a pro bowler, had a huge game in the divisional playoff against Oakland. He ended up with 169 receiving yards, including a first half touchdown and a long reception to set up Scott Dierking's late game-winning touchdown plunge.
The 82nd pick
The only player in Jets history to be selected with the 82nd overall pick was Lorenzo Mauldin, who is a bit of a forgotten man in the Jets' defensive plans after missing 2017 with a back issue. Could the fact that the Jets haven't allocated many resources to the position mean that they're still high on Mauldin to be able to make solid contributions, perhaps?
Let us know if there's any connections to 82 that we missed...