No. 80
Texas
1968
As a rookie in 1967, John left little doubt that he is a cornerstone of the young and aggressive Jet defensive line. His ability to shut down opposing runners impressed opponents throughout the league.
1969
In New York's championship season of 1968, their defensive line proved as punishing as their renowned linebacking corps. One reason was the emergence of John Elliott as an AFL All-Star and both an AP and UPI second-team All-Pro. John proved extremely tough against running plays.
"In only his third pro season, John Elliott led the Jets' small but quick defensive line in getting to the quarterback (15 times). He was most everybody's All-AFL defensive tackle, and Weeb Ewbank and the other Jets were more than a little miffed that John wasn't selected to the combined AFL-NFL All-Pro squad.
Extremely fast, the 6-4, 250-pound Elliott has a knack of nearly always being where the ball is, whether the play is a pass or a run (he was a high school high jumper).
Out of the University of Texas, he was drafted seventh by the Jets in 1967. During his first season with New York he played at end, linebacker and tackle before settling down at tackle. The Jets expect that he and left tackle Steve Thompson could be an All-Conference pair for years to come."
-Brenda and Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1970
"John played offensive tackle and defensive middle guard for Texas and appeared in the 1965 Orange Bowl, the 1967 Bluebonnet Bowl and the Coaches' All-America Game. In high school, John set a school record for the high jump with a leap of 6'5".
He has blossomed into a stellar defensive lineman for the Jets. He has the necessary speed to play his position. John played at three positions as a rookie- end, linebacker and tackle. The coaches look for him to be named all-league this year.
John coaches a Pony League baseball team."
-1970 Topps No. 54
"Defensive tackle John Elliott was the only member of the Jets' regular front four to escape serious injury in 1970.
At 6-4 and 250 pounds, Elliott, who once high jumped six feet, five inches in high school, is one of the quickest, most mobile linemen in the game. Sacking the opposing quarterback is his specialty. He has led New York in that category for the past two seasons, getting to the quarterback 15 times in 1969 and 16 times last year.
For his great work, the Jets voted John the team's Most Valuable Player, only the second time in the club's 11-year history that the award has gone to a defensive player. A pro for only four years, Elliott already is acclaimed as one of the super tackles in pro ball."
-Brenda Zanger, Pro Football 1971
"Hero in defeat in 1970. Elliott is small in size [6-4, 244] but not in stature as All-AFC honors attest. He sacked opposing quarterbacks 16 times in a banner year. He was the unanimous MVP of the Jets in a poll by teammates and a Pro Bowl selection. Elliott is coming off his best season in all respects. He went almost 12 full games before missing a play in 1970.
He's known for a running feud with the Oakland Raiders, particularly offensive guard Gene Upshaw. The Colts showed respect for him by yanking Unitas from a game at the earliest moment because they didn't want Elliott to get to him with bone-crushing tackles. He's a rugged rusher but was called for roughing only once last season.
Elliott was a star of the University of Texas teams along with George Sauer and Pete Lammons. He played offensive tackle and middle guard in college. Drafted No. 7 by the Jets, he took a little time to find a position, then was All-AFL by 1969.
Extremely athletic- a 4.7 sprinter in the 40 and a former 6-foot-5 high jumper- Elliott loves the rodeo and has a desire to compete. He's an outdoorsman and rancher at heart and is married."
-John Devaney, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1971 Edition)
"John followed up an outstanding year in 1969 with his greatest ever in 1970. Named to numerous All-AFC squads including both AP and UPI, he was one of two Jets voted to the AFC's Pro Bowl squad. John was also named Most Valuable Jet as he led the team in dumping the quarterback for the second straight year with 16 sackings.
He has been praised by opposing coaches and players as among the quickest defensive linemen in the game. He had an outstanding game against Miami in the 1970 home opener, dumping Bob Griese twice. John followed with superb defensive games against the Bills and Giants and led a strong pass rush against Minnesota and Oakland before leaving the latter game with a knee injury.
John set a high school record with a high jump of 6' 5". He was an offensive tackle and a defensive middle guard for the Texas Longhorns and played in the 1965 Orange Bowl, the 1967 Bluebonnet Bowl and the Coaches' All-America Game. During his rookie year with the Jets he played end, linebacker and tackle."
-1971 Topps No. 153
"John followed an outstanding year in 1969 with his greatest ever in the pros in 1970. He he was named to numerous All-AFC squads, including both wire services, and was one of two Jets voted to the AFC's Pro Bowl squad. John also gathered in the NEA Third Down Trophy as the most valuable Jet by a vote of his teammates and was selected as the team's most valuable defensive player by the New York writers and broadcasters.
It's no coincidence that the Jets were the top defensive team in the AFL in 1968 and AFC in 1970 and that Elliott became a starter three years ago. He led the team in dumping the quarterback for the second straight year in 1970 with 16 sackings and was the only member of the Front Four to escape injury, though he was slowed by a sprained knee in the Oakland game on December 6.
The Jet coaching staff is unanimous in the opinion that Elliott is the best in the business. He has been praised by opposing coaches and players as among the quickest, most mobile defensive tackles in the game.
John had an outstanding game against Miami in the home opener, dumping Bob Griese twice. He followed up that one with superb games against Buffalo and the Giants at Shea. He led a strong pass rush against Minnesota and Oakland.
He was drafted 7th in 1967. During his rookie year, Elliott played end, linebacker and tackle.
Elliott set a high school record with a high jump record of 6-5. He enjoys hunting and fishing and works as a rancher in the off-season in Camp Wood, Texas. His hometown is Warren, Texas."
-The New York Jets Official 1971 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
"Elliott went a dozen games in 1970 without missing a play. He started all that year and was named MVP by his teammates.
He had played 50 games in a row. Then came 1971 and he was wiped out for almost the whole year. John played only four games but is expected to be back after rigorous off-season rehabilitation sessions. He's a fine athlete with a positive attitude.
A 4.7 man in the 40 and a former 6-5 high jumper, Elliott makes up in athletic ability what he lacks in size. He's one of the smallest tackles in years to earn all-star honors.
John is a rodeo buff, and is a rancher in Texas in the off-season."
-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Football, 1972 Edition
"Elliott was an offensive tackle and defensive guard for Texas. He played in the 1965 Orange Bowl, 1966 Bluebonnet Bowl and Coaches All-America Game. Elliott was drafted seventh in 1967.
He has been named to numerous All-A.F.C. squads and also to the Pro Bowl. In 1970 he was voted the most valuable Jet and the most valuable defensive player by the New York writers and broadcasters. He has led the team several times in dumping the quarterback."
-1972 Coca-Cola
"Acclaimed as one of the finest defensive tackles in all of football and certainly among the quickest, Elliott was on his way to repeating his outstanding year of 1970 when a knee injury cut him down for the season in the fourth game at New England. He suffered torn ligaments in his right knee and underwent surgery immediately, sidelining him for the year.
Elliott had a banner year in 1970 when he was named to numerous All-AFC squads (including both wire services), to the Pro Bowl and as the Jets' NEA Third Down winner, emblematic of the MVP as selected by his teammates. He was also tabbed as the Jets' most valuable defensive stalwart by New York writers and broadcasters.
It's no coincidence that the Jets led the AFL in defense for two of the three years after Elliott became a starter. He led the team in dumping the quarterback in 1970 with 16 sackings and was the only member of the Front Four to escape injury that year. He has drawn consistent praise from opponents and NFL coaches.
During his rookie year he played end, linebacker and tackle. He was drafted seventh in 1967.
Elliott set a high school high jump record with a jump of 6-5. He enjoys hunting and fishing, and works as a rancher in the off-season. His hometown is Warren, Texas."
-The New York Jets Official 1972 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
"A top-flight tackle who has been having his troubles in the past couple of seasons because of injuries. Elliott played in only four games in 1971 and missed another in 1972.
'The good lord gave me five good years in the pros,' he says. 'I figure now I've got to start paying for them. But I hope I can play another five or six years.' A tough guy from the Texas farm country who was earning money by carrying 100-pound sacks of feed at age 12, he returns to his ranch in the off-season.
Elliott was criticized for clobbering Houston's Dan Pastorini. But he says it wasn't intentional: 'I don't want to hurt anyone. I've had two or three operations myself so I know what they're like."
-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1973 Edition
"One of the premier defensive linemen in pro football, Elliott began to show his original form late last season. He spent the preseason and the early games of the regular season fighting his way back from knee surgery in 1971. He finally has regained his full mobility and his ability as a 'chaser' of quarterbacks. John had an outstanding year in 1970, but he suffered torn ligaments in his right knee in the fourth game of 1971 at New England and underwent surgery immediately.
In 1970 he was named to numerous All-AFC squads, to the Pro Bowl and was voted the NEA Third Down Award by his teammates as the Jets' most valuable player. It's no coincidence that the Jets led the AFL in defense for two of the three years after Elliott became a starter. He led the team in sacking quarterbacks in 1970 with 16 dumps.
Elliott draws consistent praise from his opponents and from coaches for his speed and 'active' nature on the line. He was drafted seventh in 1967.
John enjoys hunting and fishing, and works as a rancher during the off-season. His hometown is Warren, Texas."
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook
After that outstanding year, he was sidelined by torn ligaments in his right knee in October 1971 and underwent surgery immediately. He spent most of 1972 regaining his mobility and speed. Last year he was the original 'Big Bad John.'
Elliott was a Jet starter since his last three rookie season games. In two of the three years after he became a starter, the Jets led the league in defense. Elliott anchored the Jets' stingy defensive line in the 1968 Super Bowl season and led Jet rushers with 15 sacks the next year. Versatile, he played linebacker, defensive end and defensive tackle in his first year.
John was a 7th-round draft choice. He played in the 1965 Orange Bowl with Stars wide receiver George Sauer and in 1967 was in the Bluebonnet Bowl and the Coaches All-America Game. John was tri-captain of the Longhorns. In high school, he excelled in the high jump with a 6'5" record.
Elliott rejoins Jet Super Bowl teammates Sauer, Babe Parilli, Gerry Philbin, Randy Beverly and Joe Walton on the Stars.
John relaxes by hunting and fishing, and between seasons works his ranch. His birthplace is Warren, Texas."
-1974 New York Stars Press/Radio/TV Guide
No comments:
Post a Comment