The New York Jets are one of the most storied franchises in the NFL thanks to their playing in such a big market. Hundreds of players of donned the white and green Jets uniforms in summers past hoping to make the team; only a select few have ever done so.
Not every player that makes the team, or any team in the NFL, has a long career. The average length of an NFL player’s career is just over three years, and it is even less for running backs.
One of the few people who overcame the odds to not only make the Jets roster, but also stay longer than the average player was running back Kevin Long, who unfortunately passed away on Tuesday.
Former New York Jets Running Back Kevin Long Passed Away
According to a report by Rich Cimini of ESPN, Kevin Long passed away on September 10, 2024 at the age of 69.
The cause of Long’s death has not been reported. According to Cimini, Long’s passing was first announced by the University South Carolina, where he played college football from 1974-1976. He was the first player in program history to rush for over 1,000 yards, running for 1,114 in 1975.
The Jets drafted Long in the seventh round of the 1977 NFL Draft. He played five seasons for New York, rushing for 2,190 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career.
His best season was in 1978 when he had 954 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns while playing in and starting all 16 games.
Long played three seasons in the USFL for the Chicago Blitz, Arizona Wranglers, and Arizona Outlaws after his five seasons with the Jets were over.
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