1970 New York Jets season

The 1970 New York Jets season was the 11th season for the team and the first in the National Football League, following the AFL–NFL merger. It began with the team trying to maintain or improve upon its 10–4 record from 1969 under head coach Weeb Ewbank. The Jets finished with a record of 4–10. One of the highlights of the season was the Jets' first game when they appeared on the first ever Monday Night Football game vs. the Cleveland Browns. The Jets lost the game 31–21. In the fifth game of the season, quarterback Joe Namath was lost for the season when he broke his wrist vs. the Baltimore Colts in Shea Stadium, the first meeting between the teams since Namath guaranteed victory in Super Bowl III. Namath's injury occurred when he hit his hand on the helmet of Colts defensive tackle Fred Miller. With Namath on the sidelines, the Jets were forced to play untested Al Woodall, who guided New York to upsets of NFC powerhouses Los Angeles and Minnesota, but only one other victory, over the lowly Boston Patriots.

1970 New York Jets season
Head coach	Weeb Ewbank
Owner	Leon Hess
Home field	Shea Stadium
Results
Record	4–10
Division place	3rd AFC East
Playoff finish	Did not qualify

Offseason

Roster

1970 New York Jets final roster

	Quarterbacks 12 Joe Namath 15 Bob Davis 18 Al Woodall Running backs 32 Emerson Boozer 30 Chuck Mercein 42 Cliff McClain 37 George Nock 34 Lee White Wide receivers 7 Eddie Bell 88 Rich Caster 13 Don Maynard 83 George Sauer, Jr. Tight ends 82 Gary Arthur 87 Pete Lammons 89 Wayne Stewart		Offensive linemen 70 Dave Foley T 67 Dave Herman G 75 Winston Hill T 68 Dave Middendorf G 64 Pete Perreault T 66 Randy Rasmussen G 52 John Schmitt C Defensive linemen 77 Tom Bayless DT 86 Verlon Biggs DE 80 John Elliott DT 57 John Little DT 84 Mark Lomas DE 81 Gerry Philbin DE 85 Steve Thompson		Linebackers 62 Al Atkinson 51 Ralph Baker 56 Paul Crane 55 John Ebersole 60 Larry Grantham 35 Dennis Onkotz Defensive backs 40 Mike Battle 43 John Dockery 33 W. K. Hicks FS 48 Gus Hollomon SS 22 Jim Hudson 28 Cecil Leonard 21 Steve Tannen CB 45 Earlie Thomas CB Special teams 20 Steve O'Neal P 11 Jim Turner K		Reserve lists 61 Roger Finnie T (IR) 12 Joe Namath QB (IR) 41 Matt Snell RB (IR) Practice squad Currently vacant Rookies in italics active, inactive, practice squad

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Game site	Attendance
1	September 21, 1970	at Cleveland Browns	L 31–21	Cleveland Stadium	85,703
2	September 27, 1970	at Boston Patriots	W 31–21	Harvard Stadium	36,040
3	October 4, 1970	at Buffalo Bills	L 34–31	War Memorial Stadium	46,206
4	October 10, 1970	Miami Dolphins	L 20–6	Shea Stadium	62,712
5	October 18, 1970	Baltimore Colts	L 29–22	Shea Stadium	63,301
6	October 25, 1970	Buffalo Bills	L 10–6	Shea Stadium	62,712
7	November 1, 1970	New York Giants	L 22–10	Shea Stadium	63,903
8	November 8, 1970	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 21–17	Three Rivers Stadium	50,028
9	November 15, 1970	at Los Angeles Rams	W 31–20	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	76,378
10	November 22, 1970	Boston Patriots	W 17–3	Shea Stadium	61,822
11	November 29, 1970	Minnesota Vikings	W 20–10	Shea Stadium	62,333
12	December 6, 1970	Oakland Raiders	L 14–13	Shea Stadium	62,905
13	December 13, 1970	at Miami Dolphins	L 16–10	Miami Orange Bowl	75,099
14	December 19, 1970	at Baltimore Colts	L 35–20	Memorial Stadium	60,240

Standings

AFC East
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Baltimore Colts	11	2	1	.846	6–1–1	8–2–1	321	234	W4
Miami Dolphins	10	4	0	.714	6–2	8–3	297	228	W6
New York Jets	4	10	0	.286	2–6	2–9	255	286	L3
Buffalo Bills	3	10	1	.231	3–4–1	3–7–1	204	337	L5
Boston Patriots	2	12	0	.143	2–6	2–9	149	361	L3

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

External links

• 1970 statistics