1972 New York Jets season

The 1972 New York Jets season was the 13th season for the team and the third in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 6–8 record from 1971 under legendary head coach Weeb Ewbank. The Jets star quarterback Joe Namath was healthy for a full season for the first time in three years but the rest of the squad was decimated by injuries and, after a strong start, the Jets finished with a record of 7–7.

1972 New York Jets season
Head coachWeeb Ewbank
OwnerLeon Hess
Home fieldShea Stadium
Results
Record7–7
Division place2nd AFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersT Winston Hill
WR Jerome Barkum
QB Joe Namath

The 1972 Jets have the distinction of being the last NFL team to play a team from another league. During the 1972 preseason, a squad composed of the Jets’ rookies defeated the Long Island Chiefs of the Seaboard Football League 29–3.[1]

Namath threw for 496 yards and six touchdowns (on just 15 of 28 passes) in a 44–34 victory over the Baltimore Colts in Broadway Joe’s first appearance at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium in week two, but the next week, the Jets were humbled 26–20 by the Houston Oilers, the Oilers' only victory of 1972 and their last before embarking on an 18-game losing streak.

They Jets were eliminated from playoff contention in the season’s thirteenth week, a Monday Night Game with the Raiders in which a battered and bruised Namath threw for 403 yards and nearly pulled off the upset. After the game Raiders coach John Madden went into the Jets locker room and shook Namath’s hand out of respect; it was the only time in his coaching career Madden ever did that. Eliminated from postseason play, the Jets’ coaches decided Namath would sit out the final game of the season to make sure no serious injuries were incurred prior to the 1973 season.

Roster
1972 New York Jets final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad



Rookies in italics
 active, inactive, practice squad

Offseason

Schedule
WeekDateOpponentResultGame siteAttendance
1 September 17, 1972at Buffalo BillsW 41–24War Memorial Stadium
46,206
2 September 24, 1972at Baltimore ColtsW 44–34Memorial Stadium
56,626
3 October 1, 1972at Houston OilersL 26–20Astrodome
51,423
4 October 8, 1972Miami DolphinsL 27–17Shea Stadium
63,841
5 October 15, 1972at New England PatriotsW 41–13Schaefer Stadium
60,999
6 October 22, 1972Baltimore ColtsW 24–20Shea Stadium
62,948
7 October 29, 1972New England PatriotsW 34–10Shea Stadium
62,867
8 November 5, 1972Washington RedskinsL 35–17Shea Stadium
63,962
9 November, 12 1972Buffalo BillsW 41–3Shea Stadium
62,853
10 November 19, 1972at Miami DolphinsL 28–24Miami Orange Bowl
80,010
11 November 23, 1972at Detroit LionsL 37–20Tiger Stadium
54,418
12 December 3, 1972New Orleans SaintsW 18–17Shea Stadium
62,496
13 December 11, 1972at Oakland RaidersL 24–16Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
54,843
14 December 17, 1972Cleveland BrownsL 26–10Shea Stadium
62,614

Game summaries

Week 2: at Baltimore Colts
New York Jets at Baltimore Colts
1 234Total
• Jets 6 21314 44
Colts 7 13014 34
  • Date: September 24
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 63 °F (17.2 °C), wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
  • Referee: Ben Dreith

The rivalry between Joe Namath and Johnny Unitas had never resulted in both quarterbacks meeting for a full game until this meeting. Namath and Unitas exploded to a combined 872 passing yards. Namath threw for 496 yards and six touchdowns despite only 15 completions in 28 attempts. Unitas scored twice but was sacked six times. Don McCauley also scored twice for the Colts as the Jets won 44–34.

Standings
AFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Miami Dolphins 14 0 0 1.000 8–0 11–0 385 171 W14
New York Jets 7 7 0 .500 6–2 6–5 367 324 L2
Baltimore Colts 5 9 0 .357 4–4 5–6 235 252 L2
Buffalo Bills 4 9 1 .321 2–6 2–9 257 377 W1
New England Patriots 3 11 0 .214 0–8 0–11 192 446 L1

References
  1. ‘Hartford Gets Grid Franchise’, Reading Eagle – May 31, 1972, p58 The Chiefs played an exhibition game against the New York Jets rookies on July 29, 1972, losing 29-3, ‘Packer Excels at Quarterback As Jets Top L.I. Chiefs, 29-3’, New York Times, July 30, 1972, pS-3; "Rookie QB Fires Jets", Pittsburgh Press, July 30, 1972, pD-8
  2. Pro Football Reference; New York Jets at Baltimore Colts – September 24th, 1972
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