Super Bowl III

New York Jets: Multi-position player Paul Crane passes away at 76

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Crane played all seven seasons of his professional career with the New York Jets, playing both center and linebacker.

Former New York Jet Paul Crane passed away this week at the age of 76. His death was first reported by Creg Stephenson of AL.com, who confirmed it through Bill Griffin, the athletic director at McGill-Toolen Catholic School, where Crane served as the head coach of the football team for eight seasons.

Crane’s impact on the Jets began before he ever set foot in New York, originally serving as Joe Namath’s center at the University of Alabama. Despite earning All-American honors twice and helping the Crimson Tide earn consecutive national championships, Crane went undrafted in both the NFL and AFL Drafts. He was signed by the Jets in 1966 and played 88 games over seven seasons.

The Jets used Crane as a linebacker during his professional career. He partook in the Jets’ victory in Super Bowl III, earning a tackle in the Jets’ 16-7 win over the Baltimore Colts. At circa 210 pounds, Crane was considered undersized, leading the Jets to also use him as a defensive back. He would earn five interceptions over the course of his career, including three during the 1969 season. One of those was taken back for a touchdown in the Jets’ season-opening win in Buffalo. A year prior, Crane earned AFL Defensive Player of the Week honors for blocking a punt that led to a safety in the Jets’ 20-14 win over Houston.

In a nod to his college roots, Crane also served as the Jets’ long snapper on special teams. Crane would assist and deter kicks on each side of the ball. His five blocks are a Jets record, tied with Joe Klecko.

Namath praised Crane for his contributions when the Jets’ Super Bowl squad reunited for the 50th anniversary of their historic win.

“When I look around the room, I see Paul, I see Carl (MacAdams), I see Rocky [Paul Rochester], teammates that didn’t get the spotlight on them all the time,” Namath said, per team reporter Randy Lange. “And when we get together, it’s just like yesteryear. This is like 1968, 1969, this group of guys, these teammates. We’re together. We do bust some chops now and then, too, but we had a unity. And to this day, when we look at each other, man, it’s like we’ve been together all these years. We won it and I’m thankful.”

Crane is survived by his wife Heike.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

New York Jets news: Super Bowl III champion Paul Rochester dies at 81

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New York Jets

The Lansing-born Rochester was a starting defensive tackle for the New York Jets’ victorious squad in Super Bowl III.

The New York Jets’ official website has confirmed that former defensive tackle Paul Rochester has passed away at 81. Terms of his death were not disclosed.

“Paul was an underrated defensive tackle who played a major role on the Jets’ Super Bowl championship team,” former Jets public relations director and Rochester’s Sewanhaka High School classmate Frank Ramos said in a statement written by Randy Lange on the team’s site. “He was a great run stopper who enabled defensive ends Gerry Philbin and Verlon Biggs to rush from the outside and John Elliott, the quick defensive tackle, to rush up the middle. Walt Michaels came up with a scheme to use undersized linebacker Carl McAdams at DT on passing downs, leading the 1968 Jets to have the number one defense in the AFL.”

Rochester played ten professional seasons, beginning with the American Football League’s Dallas Texans (who later became the Kansas City Chiefs). He was released by the team in 1963 and signed with the Jets days later. The Lansing, Michigan native became one of the biggest leaders in green and earned co-captaincy duties en route to the 1968 AFL Championship Game. Rochester had a sack as the Jets topped the Oakland Raiders 27-23.

Two weeks later, Rochester was on the Jets’ starting defensive line as they topped the Baltimore Colts 16-7 in Super Bowl III. It marked the first time an AFL squad defeated an NFL team and indirectly led to the leagues’ eventual merger at the turn of the decade. Rochester is one of only 20 players who partook in each of the AFL’s ten seasons of play. He also partook in the 1961 AFL All-Star Game and helped push Dallas to the league’s title a year later, topping Houston in double overtime.

Rochester was born in Lansing and attended Sewanhaka in Floral Park on Long Island. He is survived by Nancy, his wife of 60 years, and Laurel and Don, his two children.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMagsÂ