Wayne Chrebet

Lore & Background

Chrebet grew up in Garfield, New Jersey, and played high school football at Garfield High School. He attended Hofstra University, where he set several school records, including single-game receiving yards (245), touchdowns in a game (five), season (16), and career (31). He was inducted into the Hofstra University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006 and his jersey #3 was retired. Despite his college success, he went undrafted in the 1995 NFL draft and was deemed too small. He walked on with the New York Jets and made the final 53-man roster, becoming the first Hofstra alumnus to make an NFL team in three decades. He earned the nickname 'Mr. Third Down' and also 'The Green Lantern' after a game-winning touchdown pass in 2000. He retired in 2006 after a serious concussion.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Giants Stadium was thick with humidity and tension as the fourth quarter ticked down. Wayne Chrebet limped onto the sideline, his knee wrapped tight, sweat stinging his eyes. The coach called him over, pointing to a spot on the field. "You're in," he said simply. Chrebet nodded, ignoring the sharp pain shooting up his leg. He ran onto the gridiron, helmet gleaming under the floodlights, and lined up against a defensive back twice his size. The snap came, the quarterback scrambled, and Chrebet broke free on a slant route. He didn't catch the ball; he fought for it, absorbing a hit that would knock most men out of the game, but he held on, dragging his feet toward the end zone as the crowd roared.

Reader's Guide

Chrebet wore #80 for his entire 11-season career. He was inducted into the New York Jets Ring of Honor on December 1, 2014. The Jets have not reissued #80 since he retired, and it is generally understood that no Jet will wear that number again in the foreseeable future. He caught passes from 13 different quarterbacks, played for four head coaches, and worked for two owners. At retirement, his 580 receptions were second-most in franchise history, and his 7,365 yards from scrimmage were fifth.

Did You Know?

• Chrebet was not drafted in the 1995 NFL draft and was cut after one day by the Baltimore Stallions of the CFL.
• He was named 'Mr. Third Down' because 379 of his 580 career receptions led to successful third-down conversions.
• He was featured on cereal boxes while still playing.
• After football, he worked as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley and later at Barclays Capital.
• He has owned standardbred racehorses since 2003.