1972 New York Jets team Signed official NFL – Rozelle Football

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/14/2015

The 1972 NY Jets finished with a 7-7 record for 2nd place in the AFC West. Jets QB Joe Namath was healthy for a full season for the first time in three years. Unfortunately, the rest of the team couldn’t stay healthy.

Namath threw for 496 yards and six touchdowns (on just 15 of 28 passes) in a 44–34 victory over the Baltimore Colts in Broadway Joe's first appearance at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium in week two, but the next week, the Jets were humbled 26–20 by the Houston Oilers, the Oilers' only victory of 1972 and their last before embarking on an 18-game losing streak. .

They were eliminated from the play-offs in the season's thirteenth week, a Monday Night Game with the Raiders in which a battered and bruised Namath threw for 403 yards and nearly pulled off the upset. After the game Raiders coach John Madden went into the Jets locker room and shook Namath's hand out of respect; it was the only time in his coaching career Madden ever did that. Eliminated from post season play, the Jets coaches decided Namath would sit out the final game of the season to make sure no serious injuries were incurred prior to the 1973 season. .

Offered is an official NFL Pete Rozelle game football signed by approximately 35 members of the 1972 New York Jets in dark black marker. Includes signatures of the following: Head Coach Weeb Ewbank, Joe Namath, Don Maynard, John Riggins, W.K. Hicks, Rocky Turner, John Schmitt, Rich Caster, Bobby Howfield, Randy Rasmussen, Al Atkinson, John Elliott, Phil Wise, Larry Grantham, Ralph Baker, Roy Kirksey, and Eddie Bell.

What makes this a 1972 team ball is that Hicks was with the Jets from 1970-72 and Rocky Turner was a member of the Jets in 1972-73. Hence the one year they were on the same team was in 1972. This ball is loaded with pretty much all the key players on this team. The contrast is not spectacular, but the signatures rate 8 – 10s and the ball is a solid 8.

Letter of Authenticity from Richard Albersheim.