Wow I didn't know that. Again, I didn't get to see the Jets very often during those years (living in the south and being a Jets fan was brutal until the internet came along), and we saw little or nothing in the newspapers about the Jets or northern teams. I just googled him and he did miss a lot of XPs in his career and considering that he was a soccer-style kicker, he wasn't very good from over 40 yards, either. Was his leg that weak, or just that inaccurate?
Yeah, Leahy missed some heartbreakers. I remember one against the Pats that cost us the game. But in later years he was money.
I was there. The Harper fumble definitely was not a good start but it was only 7-0 after the opening kickoff. Lets not forget the first 20 minutes the Bills built a 24-0. Ferguson to Lewis was killing the Jets secondary. I think they hooked up for 2 long TD passes that game. I give the Jets credit for fighting back as I thought the Cribbs TD run that made it 31-13 with about 10 minutes left in the game was the final blow. That INT at the end was a heartbreaker.
Richard Todd really was a pretty good QB but he followed Namath and that sealed his fate before he even started. If I am not mistaken he had even better stats at Alabama than Namath did.
Todd,,,,,,not great not horrible,,,tough shoes for him to fill . He was much Better than Geno not better than Obrien
I remember fans burning his jersey in the stands at Shea...I also remember them holding signs " IN TODD WE TRUST.
That game when Leahy missed the FG against New England (1978?) KILLED me! I'll always remember when Patriots LB, Steve Nelson went over to Leahy after the miss and said something to him, Nelson seemed to be rubbing it in as Leahy was in agony on the ground at Shea Stadium.
Sat there and the crowd was nuts, 63,000 strong and when he missed you could here a pin drop, I wanted to run on the field and kill him
Both, surprised he survived for so long but after about 10 years, he became a Pro Bowl caliber kicker
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Leahy's 1982 meltdown in Miami . It was a late season Saturday game. In the middle of a slump, Leahy missed an early XP and a short FG in a one point loss. The Dolphins won on a last second FG after Bobby Jackson dropped a game saving INT. In that strike shortened year the Jets finished 6-3 while Miami finished 7-2. Has Leahy hit the FG their records would have been reversed and the Jets would have owned the higher seeding for the playoff tournament . In other words there would have been NO mud bowl ......LOL
Oh man, I was at that game. No excuses for the misses either, it was beautiful clear sunny day. Late December, no wind and no brutal heat. Bobby Jackson has a clear shot at a pick 6 and just dropped it. Jets lost 19-17. No Mud Bowl, it would've been a Snow Bowl.
Good QB sometimes, bad QB sometimes, never understood the black and white of his play, never so so just good or bad, New Orleans found out the same thing when they gave a No.1 for him. I think the Jets used the pick for Ron Faurot, another bust what else. Great throw to Lam Jones to beat Green Bay and make playoffs in 81. I had a front seat in the end zone that day. Great comeback against Buff in 81, horrible throw to be intercepted at end of game. 82- Two good playoff games, horrible QB performance against Miami AJ Duhie. Traded after that game, went with Ken O for years after the trade.
I was watching on TV in NY.....I remember the ball hit Jackson right between the 4 and the 0 and he couldn't hang on with :50 left. Then Von Schammon hit a 47 yard FG to win I was 11 years old and in tears lol...it would have greatly changed the playoff scenarios but one thing is positive there would have been no Jets matchup in Miami at any point ....no mud bowl .
Todd was traded the following off season after the 1983 season - Waltons first season as head coach. Todd had greatly improved when Walton became the OC but in 1983 the Jets - who were the AFC favorite for the Super Bowl - regressed due to injuries and inconsistent play from Todd. By the time the season was at its midway point Todd and Walton were no longer on speaking terms ....he was gone weeks after the season ended .
The thing I remember about Leahy is that he was very good, almost money, when there was no pressure. However, when the game was on the line, and the Jets had to have that kick.....forget it! Does anyone remember him making a clutch kick? I don't.
