How the "Butt Fumble" came to define the Jets

ESPN is trying to find the most memorable play in NFL history. They have taken one play from each team, ranked them, thrown them into a bracket and are now asking YOU to vote here. The number one seeds are obvious, for the 49ers “The Catch”, the Steelers “The Immaculate Reception”, the Giants “The Helmet Catch” (that one hurts) and the Packers “The Ice Bowl”. Some teams have plays that are huge negatives the Bills “Wide Right” in the Super Bowl, the Browns “Byner Fumble” in the AFC title game and that leads us to the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets and “The Butt Fumble." For a team that won Super Bowl III, on the back of Joe Namath’s guarantee, to be represented by “The Butt Fumble” is evidence that their reputation has officially become a comedy of errors, led by owner Woody Johnson and head coach Rex Ryan.

Starting at the top, Woody Johnson has a long history of quotes and actions that have left Jets fans wondering if Johnson is interested in winning. Sam Quinn from Bleacher Report completely eviscerated Johnson in December of 2012. Calling him out, not only the Tim Tebow situation, but even for losing Bill Belichick to the Patriots 13 days before he took over as owner in 2000. Its a bit of a rant by a staunch Jets supporter, but the underlying truths are still relevant. Johnson has allowed Jets football in the Big Apple to turn into the Big Top Circus.

Which brings us to the Big Top's clown prince, Rex Ryan. He is a good football coach when it comes to the on field defense and special teams parts of the game, but as a head coach who is charged with addressing the media he just can’t help himself sometimes. A simple Google search of “Rex Ryan Quotes” returns this beauty from March 6, 2012.

"Each game we might also designate an opposing player with a dot. Players don't want to be dotted by the New York Jets, because that means we want that dude knocked out of the game. Of course, it has to be legal and by the book. We don't play dirty, and no way will we intentionally hurt a player with an illegal, cheap shot. We dot players fair and square."

"There are players out there who think they are bad a****, and you just might see two of our players knock the hell out of him. Pow! Pow! That's our mentality. Everything we do is aggressive and, hey, we may make a mistake, but we will go one hundred miles per hour and we will knock the hell out of you. Big hits create turnovers. You haven't been Punked—you've been Dotted!"

I don’t mind the idea of targeting players and trying to prevent them from playing well against you, but openly admitting to trying to knock players out the game injured is taking it a step too far. To “knock the hell out of him," him meaning another team’s player, could lead to a concussion. Concussions are the greatest threat to the continued success of the NFL, and I don’t think Roger Goodell and the rest of the NFL brass want it known that NFL coaches are still encouraging “bounties”, after the Saints “BountyGate”, regardless of if a reward given or not. But that is Rex being Rex.

Because of Woody and Rex at the top, the Jets winning Super Bowl III is ancient history. They have a new brand highlighted by “The Butt Fumble”. So let's watch it again and enjoy what is also likely Stephen Gregory's best Patriots highlight!




-Sully
@HookingFoul