TJB Hall of Fame: Matt Snell & Emerson Boozer
It’s with great pride that I get to close out our 2010 Class of TJB Hall of Fame inductees with a pair of running backs that were integral to the success of the Jets during the team’s golden age. While Joe Namath’s name shone brightest during that era, the team’s many accomplishments could not have been possible if not for the dedication of two men born in Georgia, Fullback Matt Snell and Halfback Emerson Boozer.
During their 19 years of service in New York, Boozer and Snell combined for 9,420 rushing yards, 95 rushing & receiving touchdowns, as well as 332 receptions for 2.863 yards totaling a whopping 12,283 line of scrimmage yards between 1966 and 1975. The two were one of the great backfield pairings of the Jets, not just because of power and speed, but because of their will and determination to win and the two are often mentioned together reverently among Jets fans, so we thought it appropriate to induct them together.
Forging the Trail
For the many trails blazed by Matt Snell during his time with the Jets, there’s no more symbolically appropriate position than the one actually played during his career. As a fullback of the 60s and 70s, Snell forged the way with powerful blocks for halfbacks like Boozer & Mathis, and drove for hard yards. In all his years Snell averaged over four yards per carry just four times, but that was the game of the era: bruising and physical and predicated on running the ball. For the Jets, Snell was the heart of the offense.
Even after his career ended, Snell continued his pioneering ways as the very first athlete to be featured in the Miller Lite retired athlete commercials of the 70s and 80s.
While the Jets fan base was being built during his early days as an AFL player, Matt Snell had two key roles in that development, not only did his choice of the Jets help strengthen the fans resolve, but he worked to build Shea Stadium during his summer vacations from college, helping to create the Jets fan base two times over during his career.
Snell was a three year starter at Ohio State and was considered the epitome of a team player during his time as a Buckeye. As a sophomore, Snell played right fullback (a role responsible for blocking for LFB Bob Ferguson and LHB Paul Warfield), then as defensive end the next year, and then finally as a senior Snell was the featured fullback in the offense. That year, Snell won the team’s MVP and was an object of the Giants draft affections, and was drafted by the Giants in the fourth round of the 1964 NFL Draft.
Never missing an opportunity to create headlines, new Jets owner Sonny Werblin sought to make his first big splash by drafting the powerful Ohio State fullback Matt Snell in the first round of the AFL Draft, thereby allowing the Jets to offer Snell a significantly better contract.
“Sonny Werblin thought enough of me, after drafting me number one to come out to Ohio State himself to try and convince me that the AFL was sound, it was solid,” said Snell in an interview for NFL Films. “I decided I wanted to play ball and I could play right away [with the Jets]. Everyone considered the AFL inferior … I didn’t think that.”
It was a strike by the upstart AFL over the more established NFL and it helped to energize the Jets fan base in New York. The Giants wanted Matt Snell for their team badly, and to see Snell choose the Jets over the more renowned Giants was a symbolic moment for the Jets and maybe just as important, for their fans. It was a win for the Jets, but it was also a move that only sought to embolden Werblin to get even more aggressive the next year, in which the team drafted Joe Namath.
As a rookie, the bruising 220 pound Snell proved Werblin’s gamble right, with a Jets record 180 yards against the Houston Oilers, and in running away with the AFL Rookie of the Year honors with over 1300 yards (945 on the ground) from scrimmage and six touchdowns. Of course, that honor was another preceding moment for the following year’s Rookie of the Year, Joe Namath.
Snell’s crowning moment of his career came in the third AFL-NFL World Championship (AKA Super Bowl III) game, when the Jets played the 1968 NFL Champion Baltimore Colts. While much of the nation firmly believed that the Colts were the superior team – and Joe Namath took the all the headlines with his guarantee talk and MVP honors – it was Snell who on badly injured knees, kept the Colts defense on the field as the heart of the Jets ball-control offense during the 16-7 upset of the Colts. Snell was a key element in winning, and on a larger scale, his presence allowed the Jets to become the first AFL team to win a Super Bowl, thereby solidifying the AFL’s place in the professional football landscape.
In addition to putting the ball in position to set up three Jim Turner field goals to put the game away in the second half, Snell carried the ball 30 times (a record in a Super Bowl record 121 yards at the time) and in the second quarter, went 4 yards around the left end to score the Jets’ first score and only touchdown in Super Bowl history. Like everything in Snell’s career, he was a pioneer finding the end zone for the Jets in the Super Bowl, now he’s just patiently waiting for someone else to follow his path …
No Second Fiddle
For all the ground and pound that Matt Snell showed during his career, the smaller Emerson Boozer was his elusive complement during the early days, but was just as gritty a player by the end. While he was a quick player, Boozer didn’t just get by on his speed alone. He was dedicated preparer, knowing that the hard work of football began long before the start of the season – a key to his longevity in the league. Boozer was also a bone-jarring blocker, known league wide for his ability to not only take, but to give a hit whether in pass protection or in the running game.
Boozer played collegiately at Maryland State College now UM Eastern Shore, one of the few schools that offered him a scholarship (and who just inducted him into their Hall of Fame) and when it came time to play in the pros it was the last year of separate drafts between the AFL & NFL. Boozer was drafted in the sixth round by the Jets over the Steelers seventh round selection and just like Snell, he joined the AFL and played his whole career with the Jets.
At the time the Jets drafted him, the team needed a halfback for coach Weeb Ewbank to pair with Matt Snell, the team’s entrenched fullback. While a rookie, Boozer played as a halfback, and he totaled five rushing touchdowns in platoon duty with veteran Bill Mathis.
Encouraged by his first year, Boozer worked even harder to become the starter in 1967, the year the Jets laid the foundation for their famous 1968 season. With Matt Snell injured, the Jets used Boozer as a focal point of the Jets rushing game. Boozer became a name in the larger football community, known for his ability to break and elude tackles as well as his “second-gear” to break long gains. Boozer’s slippery style drew comparisons to Gale Sayers – impressive company to keep.
Like Sayers, Boozer’s speed was fleeting, even for him to hold onto. During the first half of the 1967 season, Boozer stunned the world with 13 touchdowns from scrimmage in eight games, and with ten rushing touchdowns halfway through the season, it was assumed the halfback would break the league record. Sadly though, in a game against Kansas City, Boozer suffered a knee injury that completely changed the course of his career. Despite playing just half that year, Boozer still led the AFL in rushing touchdowns for the season, a testament to the type of year that could have been.
After the injury, Boozer was no longer the same speed merchant he was earlier, but Boozer’s work ethic proved what an asset he was to the team over the remainder of his career. Boozer re-invented himself and became a goal-line option for the Jets, and coach Chuck Knox guided Boozer into a new role, riding a new trend in football as a pass blocking back. As a blocker for Snell and Namath, Boozer was part of 1968 and 1969 teams that lost just seven games in two years and won the Super Bowl title.
During the famous game against the Colts, it was Boozer (along with Winston Hill) who cleared the way for Matt Snell’s touchdown run. Asked last year about that game, Boozer replied that it wasn’t the flash of the game he remembered. “I remember the grunt work,” Boozer told NBC Sports. “Very tough yardage we were grinding out the way we were very capable of doing. That team could hold the ball for long periods … we could hold the ball for a long time. And that’s what we needed to do against Baltimore – establish our dominance with the run.”
Boozer’s blocking and grunt work was a key element in the game plan that day for Snell’s domination of the Colts, and ultimately for the victory. That plan wouldn’t have worked without Boozer’s determination to make it work.
Later in his career, Namath used Boozer more as a third-down pass catcher in 1970, and in 1971, with Snell injured again, Boozer had a career high in carries. In 1972, the Jets rated the top offense in football and Boozer’s ability to block and score near the goal line was an invaluable part, Boozer led the NFL in rushing touchdowns (11) for most of the year before injuries ended his season after 11 games. Boozer also scored the first regular-season over-time touchdown in NFL history on a short pass from Joe Namath in 1974 to beat the rival Giants, sparking a 6 game winning streak after a dismal 1-7 start to that season.
While he was known initally for his speed, Boozer will be remembered as a determined player who made the most of the opportunities given to him, culminating in a remarkable career, beyond touchdown totals or stats. It was his efforts away from the ball, in acting unselfishly for his teammates. that Emerson Boozer helped the Jets to reach the ultimate prize and is why he is a true example of what we value for the TJB Hall of Fame.
20 Responses to TJB Hall of Fame: Matt Snell & Emerson Boozer
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rollercoaster says:
These guys were before my time, but I give them the respect they deserve as past Jets.
@ C Low
August 11th, which is the 2nd Wednesday of the month. -
WillMX says:
I worked at a retail store during college and had the luxury of speaking with “Mr. Boozer” during his weekly visits. He was always a courteous man and I he always took time to speak to us Jets fans about how he felt the team was doing and what players he liked in the upcoming draft. I remember one day when we were talking and he said he “really liked that kid from cal” (Maurice Jones-Drew). Super nice guy, couldnt be more deserving of a person.
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Bent says: Great article, Bassett.
A few years ago, I also had the pleasure of briefly meeting Emerson Boozer at Shea Stadium (which we learned from this article was quite literally “The House that Matt Snell Built”…who knew). Real nice guy.
My other abiding memory of Emerson Boozer was when Kevin Arnold and his friends were playing football in the street on “The Wonder Years”. His friend, Paul, was upset because they always made him be Emerson Boozer rather than the glory positions of Namath and Maynard. Once they started playing though, he was relishing pretending to throw punishing blocks up front. Somehow that summed up Boozer’s contribution (as well as having one of the best names in NFL history).
As for Snell, I couldn’t decide what number to wear on my first basketball team. Even though the Superbowl was way before my time, I had recently been reading about it and decided that since Snell was the only Jet to score a TD in the Superbowl, I would wear 41 and did for three seasons.
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Rich in Albany says:
Really nice article here! You mention that both guys were from Georgia. I don’t think Matt was because he lived in Locust Valley and attended Carle Place High School. He won the Newsday Thorpe Award as best player on Long Island, either in ’59 or ’60. Carle Place was a little school with a powerhouse football program in those days, coached by the legendary Joe Cody.
When I was a 4th grader at Carle Place I sat next to Matt in the bleachers and we watched a JV game together. He was a senior at the time. It was a great thrill!
My God I’m getting old!
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The real Super Bowl III MVP should have been have been the Frogman! His performance was the meat and potatoes behind Joe Willy’s dessert topping. Along with Greco and Velez, those were powerhouse football teams. I used to have to sit on my hands when Mike & the Mad Dog would ask those questions for Superbowl tickets. Who was the only Quaterback to win a Superbowl MVP and not throw a TD pass. I could never get through to remind them the real MVP should have been Mr. Snell. This would have also made him the only Frog to score a touchdown in a Superbowl.
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AGE says:
Does anyone know if rookie training camp is open to the public?
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Great article and great pick picks. I worked for the film company that shot the AFL games before NFL Films took over that chore in ’68. I saw Boozer at his best and hopefully, some day, when NFL Films does a feature length story of the Jets, we’ll all be able to see Boozer flash big time.
I interviewed Snell in the locker room after SB III and still think he was the MVP of the game. The Jets owner gave Snell the car that was supposed to go to the team’s MVP. Inside the locker room, Snell was the MVP of that game. However, Joe didn’t need to be terrific in the 2nd half because of Snell and the defensive backfield. Joe carried the PR better than anyone before or since.
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tish says:
For those of you too young to have seen Boozer play, you missed an excellent back. He had amazing moves going to the line and shifting in every possible direction. Snell was a terrific blend of power, determination and a special quickness rare for someone his size. I would submit that if the more notable Snell was not on that team, that Boozer would have been an absolute star, and not so overlooked.
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WW85 says:
Congrats to Snell & Boozer: 2 of the finest & unheralded Jets. Thank-you the TJB for inducting these guys. There are few guys more deserving.
I think we have to put Weeb in as well.
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miketaliaferro says:
Agree with WW85 on Weeb. And even Sonny W. as well, as the catalyst for the whole thing. They both should be in.
Thanks, Bassett, for a great article and for putting them in as a tandem (as they certainly were), just as you did with the Sack Exchange DL. In each case, both the components and the whole were worthy. But they’re sweeter as units, as that’s how we remember them.
Those of us on this board who were around in those early days will tell you that few things in the NFL nowadays can compare with the sheer and utter romance of that gunslinging Jets team (or of the AFL itself). Listening to “handoff to Snell, he breaks a tackle…” or “Boozer sweeps around to the right…” on radio since TV football was still in its infancy, was fantasy beyond belief. This was brand new, all of it yours, and not stodgy blue & red Giants colors, but spiffy white & green (I mean, what team wears green [other than the Celtics]???).
Great call.
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originalJetFan says:
i can remember the year Boozer got off to the best start of any running back in NFL history. he was fast, shifty and strong.
After his knee injury , he was a lot less fast, less shifty, but his strength and character and will to win made up for it.
Fitting that they go in together, there has never been another pair of Jet running backs like them, you can’t say Boozer without Snell and vice versa. In their day only one combo was better,Brown and Mitchell,no other tandem of RBs came close after that.
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Just read above about Snell being from Carle Place, a stones throw from Manhasset where Jim Brown came from . must have been something in the water around there.
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50 year Jet fan says:
That was when “Football” was football, not pass and run ball.
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Ben Nevis says:
Bassett—
I saw Matt Snell and Emerson Boozer play at Shea, and they were two of my favorite Jets players of all time. I loved watching them play almost as much as Don Maynard and Joe Willie, that’s how highly I regarded them.
This is a very solid choice. Actually, I’m surprised Boozer and Snell hadn’t each made it into the TOJ HOF a long time ago. Glad to see them finally in now.
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That should have been: TJB HOF.
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billvv says:
The game, SB III, will be rebroadcast on NFL channel this Wed night, if you’re interested.
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Joe Willie says:
I saw virtually every carry Em Boozer had in 1967 before the injury. At that point in time he might have been THE best running back ever. He was a touchdown machine, and it appeared as though he was playing on a different field than the other players. The record production to that point was unparalleled and remains so to this day. I saw Jim Brown, Sayers and OJ, and if you did too, you know the magic and clearly visible superiority they manifested. It’s not something that can be quantified, but it was certainly identifiable. Before the injury Boozer was BETTER than them, and I feel tremendous regret that luck and primitive surgical procedures robbed not only Jet fans, but all of football of a magical and possibly historic career. He was that good.
Sorry, off subject but when does Hard Knocks start on HBO….first show? what day of the week? (I haven’t had HBO in years)