Jets to honor Super Bowl III champions at halftime of October game vs. Colts
Joe Namath gets a pass away under pressure from a Colts defender in Super Bowl III on Jan. 12, 1969. Credit: AP
The Jets still are waiting for their Super sequel after beating the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III on Jan. 12, 1969. A happy 50th anniversary celebration is coming for the franchise’s one and only title team.
The players from the 1968 championship season will be honored with a halftime ceremony at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 14. There will be a perfect opponent for the occasion: the Indianapolis Colts.
It will be a “White Out” game, so the 2018 Jets will wear white uniforms and cleats, and the fans will get a commemorative white rally towel.
The Jets even partnered with Napa Valley winemaker Joe Wagner to craft a California red wine in honor of the 50th anniversary. “Jets Uncorked Championship Reserve” goes on sale Thursday.
”They’re our history,” team president Neil Glat said Tuesday during the Jets’ Gameday Upfront event at MetLife Stadium. “It's not only an amazing moment in Jets history but also in football history in terms of the AFL’s first Super Bowl win over an NFL team.
“So for us, it's a celebration, but it's also a bit of a reunion; have as many guys as possible come back and make a fun weekend out of it, including during the game itself.”
The Jets also announced three new partnerships to enhance the season’s gameday experience: Def Jam Recordings, WWE and Marvel.
Def Jam Recordings will provide a Jets anthem for team entrance music as part of its deal.
WrestleMania 35 will be held at the stadium on April 7, so some WWE stars will appear at the Kids Day game against Denver on Oct. 7.
Marvel will especially be highlighted at a “Green Out” game against Minnesota on Oct. 21. The first 15,000 fans will receive an Incredible Hulk bobblehead. A Hulk versus Thor comic book and a poster of its cover will be distributed more broadly there.
“Our challenge is to make sure that every home game here is a special and unique experience for people,” said Seth Rabinowitz, the Jets’ senior vice president of marketing and fan engagement.
Glat said the security setup to keep fans safe will be about “continuing to do more of what we’ve done in the past.”
“That’s something that we want them to not focus on,” Glat said. “But we are exploring a lot of new technology at this point that at some stage will be fan visible.”
