1976 New York Jets season

{{short description|1976 season of NFL team New York Jets}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = New York Jets

| year = 1976

| record = 3–11

| division_place = 4th AFC East

| coach = Lou Holtz (resigned following Week 13, 3–10 record
Mike Holovak (interim, 0–1 record)

| owner = Leon Hess

| stadium = Shea Stadium

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| pro_bowlers = None

| shortnavlink = Jets seasons

}}

The 1976 New York Jets season was the seventeenth season for the team and the seventh in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 3–11 record from 1975 under new head coach Lou Holtz. The Jets again finished with a record of 3–11, which combined with the resignation of Holtz with one game left in the season to become coach at the University of Arkansas, prompted John Facenda to say about the Jets during the NFL Films highlight film for that season “Perhaps the best thing to say about the 1976 New York Jets season is that it’s over”.

The only teams that the Jets defeated in 1976 were the 2–12 Buffalo Bills (twice) and the 0–14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Jets were 0–9 vs. teams with a winning record.

The 1976 season was also the twelfth and final year with the Jets for quarterback Joe Namath.Namath would play one final season with the 1977 L.A. Rams

Offseason

= 1976 Expansion Draft =

{{main article|1976 NFL expansion draft}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ New York Jets selected during the Expansion Draft

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets 63thru77|border=2}}" | Round

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets 63thru77|border=2}}" | Overall

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets 63thru77|border=2}}" | Name

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets 63thru77|border=2}}" | Position

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets 63thru77|border=2}}" | Expansion Team

00Anthony DavisRunning backTampa Bay Buccaneers
00Jerry DavisDefensive backSeattle Seahawks
00Larry WoodsDefensive tackleSeattle Seahawks

= Draft =

{{main article|1976 NFL draft}}

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 1976

| teamname = New York Jets

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 6

| player = Richard Todd

| position = Quarterback

| college = Alabama

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 2

| pick = 33

| player = Shafer Suggs

| position = Safety

| college = Ball State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 3

| pick = 67

| player = Greg Buttle

| position = Linebacker

| college = Penn State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 5

| pick = 129

| player = Steve King

| position = Offensive tackle

| college = Michigan

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 6

| pick = 163

| player = Bob Martin

| position = Linebacker

| college = Nebraska

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 7

| pick = 188

| player = Abdul Salaam

| position = Defensive end

| college = Kent State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 7

| pick = 199

| player = James Richards

| position = Running back

| college = Florida

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 8

| pick = 211

| player = Joe Davis

| position = Guard

| college = USC

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 8

| pick = 214

| player = Louie Giammona

| position = Running back

| college = Utah State

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 9

| pick = 244

| player = Ronnie Moore

| position = Wide receiver

| college = VMI

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 11

| pick = 296

| player = Lawrence Pillers

| position = Defensive end

| college = Alcorn State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 12

| pick = 326

| player = Don Buckey

| position = Wide receiver

| college = North Carolina State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 12

| pick = 327

| player = Dave Buckey

| position = Quarterback

| college = North Carolina State

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 14

| pick = 380

| player = Al Gluchoski

| position = Center

| college = West Virginia

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 15

| pick = 410

| player = Rick Faulk

| position = Punter

| college = San Francisco State

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 16

| pick = 437

| player = James Godwin

| position = Running back

| college = Fayetteville

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 17

| pick = 464

| player = Darwin Willie

| position = Tight end

| college = Tulane

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft end}}

Personnel

= Staff =

{{NFL final staff

| year = 1976

| team = New York Jets

| front_office =

| head_coach =

| offensive =

| defensive =

| strength =

}}

= Roster =

{{NFL final roster

| year = 1976

| team = New York Jets

| prefix =

| active =

| inactive =

| PS =

| quarterbacks =

{{NFLplayer|11|Steve Joachim}}

{{NFLplayer|12|Joe Namath}}

{{NFLplayer|14|Richard Todd|d=American football|rookie=y}}

| running_backs =

{{NFLplayer|35|Steve Davis|d=running back}}

{{NFLplayer|21|Clark Gaines|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|45|Louie Giammona|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|38|Bob Gresham}}

| wide_receivers =

{{NFLplayer|83|Jerome Barkum}}

{{NFLplayer|84|Clint Haslerig}}

{{NFLplayer|82|David Knight|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|89|Lou Piccone}}

{{NFLplayer|80|Howard Satterwhite}}

|Tight Ends=

{{NFLplayer|88|Rich Caster}}

{{NFLplayer|86|Richard Osborne|d=American football|rookie=y}}

| offensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|67|Darrell Austin|G/C}}

{{NFLplayer|65|Joe Fields|C}}

{{NFLplayer|75|Winston Hill|T}}

{{NFLplayer|71|Al Krevis|T}}

{{NFLplayer|78|Garry Puetz|G/T}}

{{NFLplayer|66|Randy Rasmussen|d=American football, born 1945|G}}

{{NFLplayer|61|John Roman|rookie=y|T}}

{{NFLplayer|72|Robert Woods|d=offensive tackle|T}}

|Defensive Linemen=

{{NFLplayer|77|Carl Barzilauskas|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|85|Ed Galigher|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|81|Richard Neal|d=American football|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|76|Lawrence Pillers|DE}}

| linebackers =

{{NFLplayer|51|Greg Buttle|rookie=y|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|55|John Ebersole|d=American football|MLB}}

{{NFLplayer|52|Mike Hennigan|d=American football|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|59|Bob Martin|d=American football|rookie=y|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|56|Larry Keller|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|54|Steve Poole|rookie=y|MLB}}

| defensive_backs =

{{NFLplayer|47|Tommy Marvaso|rookie=y|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|22|Burgess Owens|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|46|Rich Sowells|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|23|Shafer Suggs|rookie=y|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|38|Ed Taylor|d=American football|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|27|Phil Wise|d=American football|SS}}

|Special Teams =

{{NFLplayer| 3|Duane Carrell|P}}

{{NFLplayer| 5|Pat Leahy|d=American football|K}}

|Reserve Lists =

{{NFLplayer|--|Don Coleman|d=linebacker|LB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|--|Joe Davis|d=offensive lineman|rookie=y|G|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|--|Steve King|d=American football|rookie=y|T|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|--|Mark Lomas|DE|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|49|Ed Marinaro|RB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|50|Wayne Mulligan|C|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|87|Billy Newsome|DE|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|53|Carl Russ|LB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|--|Clarence Sanders|rookie=y|LB|PUP}}

{{NFLplayer|48|Ken Schroy|rookie=y|S|IR}}

|Practice Squad =

}}

Schedule

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets|year=1976|border=2}}"| Week

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets|year=1976|border=2}}"| Date

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets|year=1976|border=2}}"| Opponent

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets|year=1976|border=2}}"| Result

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets|year=1976|border=2}}"| Record

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets|year=1976|border=2}}"| Venue

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets|year=1976|border=2}}"| Attendance

style="background:#fcc"

! 1

| September 12

| at Cleveland Browns

| L 17–38

| 0–1

| Cleveland Stadium

| 67,496

style="background:#fcc"

! 2

| September 19

| at Denver Broncos

| L 3–46

| 0–2

| Mile High Stadium

| 62,669

style="background:#fcc"

! 3

| September 29

| at Miami Dolphins

| L 0–16

| 0–3

| Miami Orange Bowl

| 49,754

style="background:#fcc"

! 4

| October 3

| at San Francisco 49ers

| L 6–17

| 0–4

| Candlestick Park

| 42,961

style="background:#cfc"

! 5

| October 10

| Buffalo Bills

| W 17–14

| 1–4

| Shea Stadium

| 59,110

style="background:#fcc"

! 6

| October 18

| at New England Patriots

| L 7–41

| 1–5

| Schaefer Stadium

| 50,883

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

| October 24

| Baltimore Colts

| L 0–20

| 1–6

| Shea Stadium

| 59,576

style="background:#cfc"

! 8

| October 31

| at Buffalo Bills

| W 19–14

| 2–6

| Rich Stadium

| 41,285

style="background:#fcc"

! 9

| November 7

| Miami Dolphins

| L 7–27

| 2–7

| Shea Stadium

| 53,344

style="background:#cfc"

! 10

| November 14

| Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| W 34–0

| 3–7

| Shea Stadium

| 46,426

style="background:#fcc"

! 11

| November 21

| New England Patriots

| L 24–38

| 3–8

| Shea Stadium

| 49,983

style="background:#fcc"

! 12

| November 28

| at Baltimore Colts

| L 16–33

| 3–9

| Memorial Stadium

| 44,023

style="background:#fcc"

! 13

| December 5

| Washington Redskins

| L 16–37

| 3–10

| Shea Stadium

| 46,638

style="background:#fcc"

! 14

| December 12

| Cincinnati Bengals

| L 3–42

| 3–11

| Shea Stadium

| 31,067

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New York Jets|year=1976|border=2}}"

|colspan="8"| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

= Standings =

{{1976 AFC East standings}}

Notes

{{reflist|group=note}}

References

{{reflist}}