History of The New York Jets

January 12, Super Bowl III
The Jets became the first AFL team to win the Super Bowl, pounding out a 16-7 victory over the NFL's heavily favored Baltimore Colts at Miami’s Orange Bowl. Joe Namath (17-for-28, 206 yards), who "guaranteed" the victory three days earlier, was named Super Bowl MVP. Weeb Ewbank became the first coach to win world titles representing both leagues.

May 17, New Neighbors
Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh join the AFL clubs to complete the merger of the AFL and NFL. The Jets are placed in the new American Conference East with Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo and Miami.

July 18, Not The Retiring Type
Namath announced his retirement from pro football in a dispute with the NFL over his ownership of a Manhattan bar, Bachelors III (June 6). Six weeks later, he announced the sale of Bachelors III and came out of retirement.

August 1, All-Star First
The Jets, the first AFL team to play in the Chicago preseason all-star game, defeated the College All-Stars, 26-24.

August 17, Crosstown Rivals
In a preseason game that had the feel of a regular-season rivalry, the Jets beat Giants, 37-14, at the Yale Bowl in the first meeting between New York's pro football teams. Namath threw three TD passed and Mike Battle returned a punt 86 yards for a score.

September 21, What A Kick
Steve O'Neal launched a 98-yard punt in the mile-high air of Denver during the Jets' 21-19 loss to the Broncos. The kick still stands as an NFL record for longest punt.

December 6, Another Crown
The Jets defeated the Oilers, 34-26, in the Astrodome to improve to 9-4 and clinch their second consecutive Eastern Division title.

December 20, Winded
Kansas City took its next step toward the Super Bowl by beating the Jets, 13-6, in the gusts of Shea Stadium in an AFL interdivisional playoff game.

December 30, All-Time Best
Weeb Ewbank was named the all-time AFL coach and Namath, Don Maynard and Gerry Philbin were chosen to the league's all-time first team as selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.