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1979 New York Jets
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Record: 8-8-0, Finished 3rd in AFC East Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 337 points (21.1/g), 13th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 383 points (23.9/g), 25th.
Differential of -46 points (-2.9/g), 19th.
Expected W-L: 6.8-9.2.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +2 (0.1/g), 11th.
Coached by Walt Michaels (8-8-0)
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1979 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Richard Todd | 26 | 3 | 15 | 171 for 334, 2,660 yards, 16 td, 22 int, & 36 rushes for 93 yards and 5 td | New York Jets / 1st / 6th pick / 1976 |
| RB | Scott Dierking | 24 | 2 | 14 | 186 rushes for 767 yards, 3 td, & 10 catches for 121 yards and 0 td | New York Jets / 4th / 90th pick / 1977 |
| FB | Clark Gaines | 25 | 3 | 9 | 186 rushes for 905 yards, 0 td, & 29 catches for 219 yards and 0 td | |
| FB | Kevin Long | 24 | 2 | 6 | 116 rushes for 442 yards, 7 td, & 10 catches for 115 yards and 0 td | New York Jets / 7th / 195th pick / 1977 |
| WR | Derrick Gaffney | 24 | 1 | 16 | 32 catches for 534 yards, 1 td | New York Jets / 8th / 197th pick / 1978 |
| WR | Wesley Walker | 24 | 2 | 9 | 23 catches for 569 yards, 5 td | New York Jets / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1977 |
| WR | Bobby Jones | 24 | 1 | 7 | 19 catches for 379 yards, 1 td, & 1 rush for 4 yards and 0 td | |
| TE | Jerome Barkum | 29 | 7 | 13 | 27 catches for 401 yards, 4 td | New York Jets / 1st / 9th pick / 1972 |
| TE | Mickey Shuler | 23 | 1 | 6 | 16 catches for 225 yards, 3 td | New York Jets / 3rd / 61st pick / 1978 |
| LT | Chris Ward | 24 | 1 | 16 | New York Jets / 1st / 4th pick / 1978 |
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| LG | Randy Rasmussen | 34 | 12 | 16 | New York Jets / 12th / 302nd pick / 1967 |
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| C | Joe Fields | 26 | 4 | 15 | New York Jets / 14th / 349th pick / 1975 |
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| RG | Dan Alexander | 24 | 2 | 15 | New York Jets / 8th / 200th pick / 1977 |
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| RT | Marvin Powell*+ | 24 | 2 | 16 | New York Jets / 1st / 4th pick / 1977 |
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| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Lawrence Pillers | 27 | 3 | 15 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | New York Jets / 11th / 296th pick / 1976 |
| LDT | Abdul Salaam | 26 | 3 | 12 | New York Jets / 7th / 188th pick / 1976 |
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| RDT | Joe Klecko | 26 | 2 | 16 | New York Jets / 6th / 144th pick / 1977 |
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| RDE | Marty Lyons | 22 | Rook | 16 | 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | New York Jets / 1st / 14th pick / 1979 |
| LLB | Greg Buttle | 25 | 3 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | New York Jets / 3rd / 67th pick / 1976 |
| MLB | Stan Blinka | 22 | Rook | 16 | 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | New York Jets / 5th / 125th pick / 1979 |
| RLB | Mike McKibben | 23 | Rook | 10 | 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| LCB | Bobby Jackson | 23 | 1 | 16 | 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | New York Jets / 6th / 140th pick / 1978 |
| RCB | Johnny Lynn | 23 | Rook | 14 | 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | New York Jets / 4th / 98th pick / 1979 |
| SS | Shafer Suggs | 26 | 3 | 15 | 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | New York Jets / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1976 |
| FS | Burgess Owens | 28 | 6 | 0 | 6 interceptions, 4 fumbles recovered | New York Jets / 1st / 13th pick / 1973 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Pat Leahy | 28 | 5 | 0 | 8 of 13 field goals & 12 of 15 extra points | |
| P | Chuck Ramsey | 27 | 2 | 0 | 73 punts for a 40.8 average, 0 blocked | New England Patriots / 6th / 141st pick / 1974 |
| PR | Bruce Harper | 24 | 2 | 0 | 33 punt returns for a 8.8 average and 0 td | |
| KR | Bruce Harper | 24 | 2 | 0 | 55 kick returns for a 21.1 average and 0 td |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Alexander | 24 | G-T | 16 | 15 | 260 | 6-4 | LSU | 6/17/1955 | 2 | New York Jets / 8th / 200th pick / 1977 |
| Jerome Barkum | 29 | TE-WR | 13 | 13 | 218 | 6-3 | Jackson State | 7/18/1950 | 7 | New York Jets / 1st / 9th pick / 1972 |
| Woody Bennett | 24 | RB | 15 | 0 | 227 | 6-2 | Miami (FL) | 3/24/1955 | Rook | |
| Stan Blinka | 22 | LB | 16 | 16 | 230 | 6-2 | Sam Houston State | 4/29/1957 | Rook | New York Jets / 5th / 125th pick / 1979 |
| Greg Buttle | 25 | LB | 16 | 16 | 235 | 6-3 | Penn State | 6/20/1954 | 3 | New York Jets / 3rd / 67th pick / 1976 |
| Ron Crosby | 24 | LB | 12 | 0 | 224 | 6-3 | Penn State | 3/2/1955 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 5th / 114th pick / 1977 |
| Eric Cunningham | 22 | G | 11 | 1 | 257 | 6-3 | Penn State | 3/16/1957 | Rook | New York Jets / 4th / 96th pick / 1979 |
| Paul Darby | 23 | WR | 15 | 0 | 192 | 5-10 | Texas State | 10/22/1956 | Rook | New York Jets / 12th / 314th pick / 1979 |
| Scott Dierking | 24 | RB | 16 | 14 | 218 | 5-10 | Purdue | 5/24/1955 | 2 | New York Jets / 4th / 90th pick / 1977 |
| Donald Dykes | 24 | DB | 16 | 2 | 182 | 5-11 | Southeastern Louisiana | 8/24/1955 | Rook | New York Jets / 3rd / 68th pick / 1979 |
| Roger Farmer | 24 | WR | 4 | 0 | 195 | 6-3 | Baker | 11/10/1955 | Rook | |
| Joe Fields | 26 | C-G | 15 | 15 | 250 | 6-2 | Rutgers-Camden,Widener | 11/14/1953 | 4 | New York Jets / 14th / 349th pick / 1975 |
| Derrick Gaffney | 24 | WR | 16 | 16 | 181 | 6-1 | Florida | 5/24/1955 | 1 | New York Jets / 8th / 197th pick / 1978 |
| Clark Gaines | 25 | RB | 16 | 9 | 206 | 6-1 | Wake Forest | 2/1/1954 | 3 | |
| Mark Gastineau | 23 | DE | 16 | 1 | 266 | 6-5 | Arizona State,East Central (OK) | 11/20/1956 | Rook | New York Jets / 2nd / 41st pick / 1979 |
| Bruce Harper | 24 | RB-WR | 16 | 0 | 174 | 5-8 | Kutztown Pennsylvania | 6/20/1955 | 2 | |
| John Hennessy | 24 | LB-DE | 16 | 0 | 243 | 6-3 | Michigan | 3/12/1955 | 2 | New York Jets / 10th / 256th pick / 1977 |
| Bobby Jackson | 23 | DB | 16 | 16 | 178 | 5-9 | Florida State | 12/23/1956 | 1 | New York Jets / 6th / 140th pick / 1978 |
| Dave Jacobs | 22 | K | 4 | 0 | 151 | 5-7 | Syracuse | 7/1/1957 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 12th / 325th pick / 1979 |
| Bobby Jones | 24 | WR | 10 | 7 | 180 | 5-11 | Millikin,Youngstown State | 7/12/1955 | 1 | |
| Joe Klecko | 26 | DT-NT-DE | 16 | 16 | 263 | 6-3 | Temple | 10/15/1953 | 2 | New York Jets / 6th / 144th pick / 1977 |
| Pat Leahy | 28 | K | 6 | 0 | 194 | 6-0 | St. Louis | 3/19/1951 | 5 | |
| Toni Linhart | 37 | K | 5 | 0 | 178 | 6-0 | Austria Technical | 7/24/1942 | 7 | |
| Kevin Long | 24 | RB | 12 | 6 | 212 | 6-1 | South Carolina | 1/20/1955 | 2 | New York Jets / 7th / 195th pick / 1977 |
| Johnny Lynn | 23 | DB | 16 | 14 | 196 | 6-0 | UCLA | 12/19/1956 | Rook | New York Jets / 4th / 98th pick / 1979 |
| Marty Lyons | 22 | DE-DT-NT | 16 | 16 | 269 | 6-5 | Alabama | 1/5/1957 | Rook | New York Jets / 1st / 14th pick / 1979 |
| Bob Martin | 26 | LB | 2 | 0 | 217 | 6-1 | Nebraska | 11/14/1953 | 3 | New York Jets / 6th / 163rd pick / 1976 |
| Ed McGlasson | 23 | C | 7 | 0 | 248 | 6-4 | Maryland,Youngstown State | 7/11/1956 | Rook | New York Jets / 10th / 263rd pick / 1979 |
| Mike McKibben | 23 | LB | 16 | 10 | 228 | 6-3 | Kent State | 9/3/1956 | Rook | |
| Mark Merrill | 24 | LB | 6 | 4 | 237 | 6-4 | Minnesota | 5/5/1955 | 1 | New York Jets / 2nd / 31st pick / 1978 |
| Tim Moresco | 25 | DB | 16 | 0 | 176 | 5-11 | Syracuse | 10/3/1954 | 2 | Green Bay Packers / 6th / 149th pick / 1977 |
| Tom Newton | 25 | RB | 16 | 0 | 212 | 6-0 | California | 3/8/1954 | 2 | |
| Burgess Owens | 28 | DB | 16 | 0 | 200 | 6-2 | Miami (FL) | 8/2/1951 | 6 | New York Jets / 1st / 13th pick / 1973 |
| Joe Pellegrini | 23 | DT-NT | 4 | 0 | 270 | 6-2 | Idaho | 8/9/1956 | 1 | |
| Lawrence Pillers | 27 | DE-DT-NT | 16 | 15 | 255 | 6-4 | Alcorn State | 11/4/1952 | 3 | New York Jets / 11th / 296th pick / 1976 |
| Marvin Powell*+ | 24 | T | 16 | 16 | 268 | 6-5 | USC | 8/30/1955 | 2 | New York Jets / 1st / 4th pick / 1977 |
| Bob Raba | 24 | TE | 8 | 0 | 222 | 6-1 | Maryland | 4/23/1955 | 2 | |
| Chuck Ramsey | 27 | P | 16 | 0 | 191 | 6-2 | Wake Forest | 2/24/1952 | 2 | New England Patriots / 6th / 141st pick / 1974 |
| Randy Rasmussen | 34 | G | 16 | 16 | 255 | 6-2 | Nebraska-Kearney | 5/10/1945 | 12 | New York Jets / 12th / 302nd pick / 1967 |
| Matt Robinson | 24 | QB | 15 | 1 | 196 | 6-2 | Georgia | 6/28/1955 | 2 | New York Jets / 9th / 227th pick / 1977 |
| John Roman | 27 | T-G | 16 | 0 | 255 | 6-4 | Idaho State | 8/31/1952 | 3 | Baltimore Colts / 13th / 313th pick / 1975 |
| Pat Ryan | 24 | QB | 1 | 0 | 210 | 6-3 | Tennessee | 9/16/1955 | 1 | New York Jets / 11th / 281st pick / 1978 |
| Abdul Salaam | 26 | DT-NT-DE | 12 | 12 | 262 | 6-3 | Kent State | 2/12/1953 | 3 | New York Jets / 7th / 188th pick / 1976 |
| Ken Schroy | 27 | DB | 16 | 1 | 198 | 6-2 | Maryland | 9/22/1952 | 2 | Philadelphia Eagles / 10th / 248th pick / 1975 |
| Mickey Shuler | 23 | TE | 16 | 6 | 232 | 6-3 | Penn State | 8/21/1956 | 1 | New York Jets / 3rd / 61st pick / 1978 |
| Shafer Suggs | 26 | DB | 16 | 15 | 200 | 6-1 | Ball State | 4/28/1953 | 3 | New York Jets / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1976 |
| John Sullivan | 23 | LB | 12 | 0 | 221 | 6-1 | Illinois | 10/1/1956 | Rook | Chicago Bears / 6th / 147th pick / 1979 |
| Rich Szaro | 31 | K | 1 | 0 | 205 | 5-11 | Harvard | 3/7/1948 | 4 | |
| Ed Taylor | 26 | DB | 4 | 0 | 174 | 6-0 | Memphis | 5/13/1953 | 4 | New York Jets / 9th / 224th pick / 1975 |
| Richard Todd | 26 | QB | 15 | 15 | 207 | 6-2 | Alabama | 11/19/1953 | 3 | New York Jets / 1st / 6th pick / 1976 |
| Stan Waldemore | 24 | G-C-T | 16 | 1 | 263 | 6-4 | Nebraska | 2/20/1955 | 1 | Atlanta Falcons / 3rd / 70th pick / 1978 |
| Wesley Walker | 24 | WR | 9 | 9 | 179 | 6-0 | California | 5/26/1955 | 2 | New York Jets / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1977 |
| Chris Ward | 24 | T | 16 | 16 | 267 | 6-3 | Ohio State | 12/16/1955 | 1 | New York Jets / 1st / 4th pick / 1978 |
| Bob Winkel | 24 | DT-DE | 15 | 0 | 253 | 6-4 | Kentucky | 10/23/1955 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 181st pick / 1979 |
| Team Total | 25.0 | 16 | 220.0 | 6-1.6 | 2.1 |