July 19, 2015

Highlighted Year: Emerson Boozer, 1967

Halfback, New York Jets


Age: 24
2nd season in pro football & with Jets
College: Maryland State College (now Maryland Eastern Shore)
Height: 5’11” Weight: 207

Prelude:
Boozer rushed for 2537 yards and 22 touchdowns in college, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He was chosen by the Jets in the sixth round of the 1966 AFL draft (the Pittsburgh Steelers took him in the seventh round of the NFL draft) and, brought along slowly by Head Coach Weeb Ewbank and nagged early on by a foot injury, rushed for 455 yards on 97 carries (4.7 avg.). With his speed and outstanding balance, he proved to be a much-needed outside runner to complement FB Matt Snell and was chosen to the AFL All-Star Game. He got off to a sensational start in 1967 before being felled by a knee injury in the season’s eighth game.

1967 Season Summary
Appeared in 8 of 14 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing
Attempts – 119 [9]
Most attempts, game – 18 (for 44 yds.) at Denver 9/24, (for 98 yds.) vs. Oakland 10/7, (for 65 yds.) vs. Houston 10/15
Yards – 442 [11]
Most yards, game – 98 yards (on 18 carries) vs. Oakland 10/7
Average gain – 3.7 [12]
TDs – 10 [1]

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 12
Most receptions, game – 5 (for 109 yds.) vs. Miami 10/1
Yards – 205
Most yards, game – 109 (on 5 catches) vs. Miami 10/1
Average gain – 17.1
TDs – 3 [18, tied with seven others]
100-yard receiving games – 1

Kickoff Returns
Returns – 11 [17, tied with Bobby Leo]
Yards – 213 [19]
Most yards, game – 74 (on 4 ret.) vs. Houston 10/15
Average per return – 19.4
TDs – 0
Longest return – 28 yards

Scoring
TDs – 13 [1]
Points – 78 [6]

Awards & Honors:
2nd team All-AFL: Sporting News

Jets went 8-5-1 to finish second in the AFL Eastern Division while leading the league in total yards (5152) and passing yards (3845).

Aftermath:
Injuries would remain a chronic problem for Boozer. In 1968, after a slow start he came back to rush for 441 yards and gain AFL All-Star Game honors as the Jets won the AFL Championship. He played a total of ten seasons, all with the Jets, performing well when healthy and co-leading the NFL in touchdowns with 14 in 1972. Boozer, who became a capable blocker, had a high of 831 rushing yards in ’73 despite diminished speed. Overall, he rushed for a then-franchise record 5135 yards on 1291 carries (4.0 avg.) and caught 139 passes for 1488 yards (10.7 avg.), scoring a total of 65 TDs. Boozer was inducted into the Maryland Eastern Shore Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose: Total Yards
Defense: Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff Returns: Average
Punt Returns: Average
Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970