NY Jets Sign QB Vinny Testaverde To Salvage Season

[THUNDER HANDS]

Newsday.com is reporting that 41-year-old quarterback Vinny Testaverde has signed with the New York Jets. Testaverde's signing will be announced at a 2 p.m. press conference today at Hofstra, the Jets training camp.

Testaverde, 41, played for the Jets for four seasons before moving to Dallas last year, where he passed for over 3,000 yards.

I think this is a good move by the Jets. Testaverde is old, but he still has one of the strongest arms in the league and can throw the ball down the field, which will be a better fit for our new offense.

Hey, it can't get much worse than with Chad 'couldn't throw a ball through 1-ply toilet paper' Pennington.

[trotsky]

1. An eternal optimist, aren't you?

Hehe... Vinny.

[sabbat hunter]

2. will vinny

start this week or will brooks bollinger still be #1. and if both pennington and Fielder are out, they still might be signing another QB to be the third QB.

welcome back vinny. i just hope the O-line can protect you as we all know mobility isnt your strong suit.

[sabbat hunter]

19. edwards said

bollinger is being prepped to start this week. doesnt mean he will start the following week or even finish the game. all depends i think on how quickly Vinnie picks up the system

[Ishoutandscream2]

3. Oh, boy. Good luck.

[soleft]

4. Well, I've been a Vinnie lover for a long time

So as bad as I felt this am at the news of Chad, and it is horrible, his career might be over, at least I get to see old # 16 back in green.

[underpants]

5. Chad has a torn rotator cuff

Even when Pennington redshirted a year at Marshall he was a better QB than Vinny ever has been.

[THUNDER HANDS]

8. oh please

Vinny isn't Elway, but he's been an above-average NFL quarterback over his career.

If he didn't start his career in Tampa Bay, he probably could have been one of the greatest QB's ever, since he had an arm that scouts called one of the top 5 of all time.

Plus, he's from my hometown of Elmont, NY. So I like the guy.

Chad, at his best, was no better than Testaverde on an average day.

[underpants]

10. Pffft

you have it reversed.

I saw Chad play at Marshall several times and friends of mine who have seen MANY games at all levels were open mouth shocked at what he did. Progressions that weren't there and throws that were outside anything you normally see and anticipation that was incredible to watch (at the Clemson game the home Clemson crowd started cheering an incompletion that ended up in a WR chest).

Vinny was the NFL's welfare mother.

[Ganja Ninja]

9. I saw Pennington play once against USF in Tampa.

I've never seen a quarterback put a team on his back and carry them through a game the way he did. You could tell he was going to be a good one. It's too bad his career will probably be cut short from this. I think a lot of Jets fans don't appreciate what they've lost. The guy probably played hurt long before he complained about it.

[THUNDER HANDS]

11. I've watched Pennington, IN THE NFL, for four years

Here's the deal with him.

20 yards and in, he's automatic, he could throw the ball and pick a flea off the receiver's chest if he wanted to.

From 25+, he's completely useless, because his arm loses accuracy and strength with deep throws, especially deep throws outside.

Now, defenses realized this. Play him by stacking the middle of the field and forcing him to throw outside. After the 2002 season where he came on like a house of fire, he's been 14-13 as a starter with the Jets.

The league figured him out. He just wasn't that great.

[Ganja Ninja]

14. So it would seem that ...

Pennington is all heart and no arm and Vinny is all arm and no heart.

[democracyindanger]

12. There's this thing called the Heisman... nt

[underpants]

15. That hardWARE?

[trotsky]

16. LOL

Let's look at the Heisman winners since Vinny in '86.

2004 Matt Leinart Southern California QB
* Not done with college yet.

2003 Jason White Oklahoma QB
* Is he even on a roster?

2002 Carson Palmer Southern California QB
* Looks legit this year, will have to wait and see.

2001 Eric Crouch Nebraska QB
* Couldn't even make a roster as a WR.

2000 Chris Weinke Florida State QB
* Hehe.

1999 Ron Dayne Wisconsin RB
* Flopped bigtime with the Giants, might survive as a situational back behind a line that would let ME get 100 yards a game.

1998 Ricky Williams Texas RB
* cough, cough, what's that smoke?

1997 Charles Woodson Michigan DB/WR
* Burst onto the scene but has since cooled off.

1996 Danny Wuerffel Florida QB
* Another hehe.

1995 Eddie George Ohio State RB
* Legit NFL back!

1994 Rashaan Salaam Colorado RB
* NOT a legit NFL back!

1993 Charlie Ward Florida State QB
* Who?

1992 Gino Torretta Miami QB
* Who two?

1991 Desmond Howard Michigan WR
* Got an MVP for a kick return in the Super Bowl, went on to... ah, well, nothing.

1990 Ty Detmer Brigham Young QB
* Um, yeah.

1989 Andre Ware Houston QB
* Thanks, underpants.

1988 Barry Sanders Oklahoma State RB
1987 Tim Brown Notre Dame WR
* Both certain Hall-of-Famers. Just goes to show even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[sabbat hunter]

18. heisman

while its true many heisman trophy winners dont do well in the NFL, Vinnie was a rare exception. you dont play that many years in the NFL, most as a starter without being good. not great. but good to very good.

despite ricky williams habit of smoking trees he is a legit NFL back.
Weinke and Wuerffel were definately products of the systems they played in.

jason white i dont think left college yet. ESPN.com has 2004 college stats for him but i believe he has suffered major knee injuries.


how about other heisman trophy winners like bo jackson (bo knows football) and marcus allen?

[democracyindanger]

17. Funny, but you're the one that brought college up

Get back to me when Pennington plays an entire NFL season.

[Politically_Wrong]

6. Anyone else...

smell a 4-12 season?

[devilgrrl]

13. The way the Bills have been playing I do.

Spikes out for the season, a porous defense, a shakey rookie at QB... :evilfrown:

[Robeson]

7. Don't do it, Vinny. You've still got your health....

...what happens when that offensive line does the same wonderful job for Vinny that they did yesterday when they got their first two QB's killed?

[soleft]

20. Could Jon Stewart be a Jets fan

Last night he made a joke about having a torn labrum, which is the same injury Jay Fielder has.

[Loge23]

21. HermHeim = 0 wins

It really doesn't matter who the Jets throw in there - without a smart coach they go nowhere.
I agree w/ MagicRat about Chad - he's strictly a West Coast offense guy. Too bad Hackett wasn't smart enough to make it work.
But now there's no more excuses for Herm. I gave him a pass the past three seasons figuring he just had to get his coaching staff right. After yesterdays debacle, it's clear to me that Herm is clueless.
What the *%^$ were they doing all last week??? I don't blame Bollinger a bit - he's green and if they coached him right, he would have done better. The guy is taking up a roster spot and can play - how come he wasn't ready? You can't pull this crap run-run-pass nonsense every freaking time out. Herm and Heiminglinger(whatever)are both freakin fools. The Jets cannot win with that level of coaching. I've had enough!!

[Robeson]

22. I admit, they're hurting. But, I'll trade you my Tice for your Herm....

...you'd then realize, it could actually be worse.

[soleft]

23. It's official: Vinny is starting against the Bucs

[Politically_Wrong]

24. M-E-S-S Mess Mess Mess!

Hopefully the J-E-T-S can pull off some kind of miracle and end the Bucs 4-0 start...Vinny might actually get the offense some TDs...unlike Bollinger (who is not quite ready...but he'll catch on..soon...i hope) Testaverde at least has experience and skill for a 40 something guy (I think 41...but i'm not positive)

[Loge23]

25. This proves that the Jets are clueless

So we'll throw Vinny in there and that will improve our offense. Huh?! This only proves that Bradway & Edwards haven't got a clue on how to run this team. You have a guy (Bollinger) who has apparently survived training camp as the #3. Yet, they are now telling us that the guy has no game. Nonsense.
So we sign a 41 year old that both Edwards and Parcell's have both given up on - and that's going to save us??! And what about the messgae this sends to Bollinger? Like, "hey, you stink"!
Yes, M-E-S-S!! Mess, Mess, Mess! Go Saints!

[Zech Marquis]

26. The Jets are now on the clock

Just get ready for the Matt Leinart sweeps and be happy. I just don't see Pennington ever being the same again, not after 2 rotator cup injuries AND being a quarterback. Vinny will do ok, but dont expect any miracles.

[Awsi Dooger]

27. I don't think the Jets will finish last

Too much defense with guys like Abraham and Vilma. They gave up 27 at Kansas City, but that was partially turnovers, 7 of them. Otherwise they have allowed 7, 13 and 20 in regulation. Jacksonville got to 26 via a TD in overtime.

Normally the team with the worst record displays year long vulnerability on defense, allowing 30+ frequently. As long as the Jets' defense stays healthy they'll eventually pull out enough games via scoring 13 to 20 points. That will dodge the first pick.

[volki]

28. The only choice but..

a pretty good one, though. I believe, he still has some power and experience.