... Jet to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl: Matt Snell
THE TIME
Jan 12, 1969
THE BACKGROUND The game is technically Super Bowl III, but it was the first championship that was named the Super Bowl at the time. It pitted the 18-point-favorite Colts of the National Football League against the Jets of the American Football League, in an upset that helped cement the AFL-NFL merger.
THE SKINNY Joe Namath still draws all the headlines because of his victory guarantee, and he was named the MVP, but Snell was the best player on the field that day. He scored the Jets’ lone touchdown and ran for 121 yards on 30 carries in the 16-7 win keyed by a ball-control attack. His 4-yard scoring run in the second quarter produced the game’s first points, a lead the Jets never relinquished.
THE OTHERS WHO CAME CLOSEST
The Jets never have been back to the Super Bowl. They have reached the AFC title game four more times — losing in 1982, 1998, 2009 and 2010. THE QUOTE “Watching Snell power his way into the end zone was beautiful, just beautiful. They all laughed at me once I said he would be a complete football player. But he has it all now. And I don’t hear anyone laughing, or saying he couldn’t cut it in the other league. Not now.” — Jets coach Weeb Ewbank THE AFTERMATH Snell was the Jets’ leading rusher in 1969, when they went 10-4 before losing a first-round playoff game to the Chiefs. His 64 carries in 1970 were the last of his career. THE LEGACY Snell chose to sign with the Jets of the AFL rather than play for the Giants, who picked him in the fourth round of the NFL draft. He was the AFL Rookie of the Year in 1964 and is the Jets’ fourth all-time leading rusher (4,285 yards). But he hasn’t returned for any team reunions because of a vow that wasn’t kept. Part-owner Sonny Werblin promised him if the Jets won a championship, he would have a place with the team for life. However, others in the organization didn’t follow through when Werblin was bought out of his stake in the team.