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Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

I recently received a email from our beloved New York Jets, it wanted us fans to nominate the new Ring of Honor inductees for this year. I started thinking who is deserving, I think these awards should be for the best of the best players. One name was deserving enough for me and the was longtime Jets C Joe Fields.


Joe was selected by the Jets in the 14th round of the 1975 NFL draft out of football powerhouse Widener College. He didn't see much action in 1975 but took over the starting role in 1976 where he became one of the most consistent players in the NFL during his 14 year career. in the late 1970s to early 80s Joe anchored a pretty good offensive line with Dan Alexander, Randy Rasmussen, Marvin Powell and Chris Ward. Bruce harper said once of Fields " he was like the QB on the field"( I wonder how Richard Todd felt about that). Fields wasnt the biggest of centers, playing between 250lbs and 270, but athletic and instinctive.

Joe was overshadowed in his career by legendary centers like Dwight Stephenson, Jim Langer, and Mike Webster but he was right up there with them in his importance to the team. Fields was voted to the Pro Bowl two times in 1981 and 1982, voted 3 times All Pro in 1981,1982 and 1985, voted team captain 8 times and he was the very first C selected to the All Madden team in 1984. Joe Fields was a wonderful player who is more than deserving to be in the New York Jets Ring of Honor.

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