“J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets!”
Ed Anzalone, who is commonly known as “Fireman Ed,” has been leading that chant at MetLife Stadium for nearly two decades. And for some reason, he believes that he’s now being phased out of the game day tradition.
“I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but they’re phasing us out,” Anzalone said in a video posted to his Instagram on Tuesday. “I’d like to know if somebody knows anything, please let me know, because it’s evident that it’s happening, and it needs to stop because we need home-field advantage.”
The Jets need some juice at home games, no doubt. But is that really the only thing providing it?
Anzalone will typically incite noise whenever New York takes the field before defensive possessions, and the in-stadium crew typically will show him and a group of fans on the video board to help out. The Jets apparently stopped lending a helping hand in Week 4 against the Denver Broncos, however, and the trend has continued recently.
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“Last night in particular — although on the Denver game also — last night in particular, we scored a touchdown and normally as a tradition, we’re always put on the screen,” Anzalone said. “(We) do the Jet chant to get the crowd going, which is a staple in JetLife Stadium.”
Anzalone famously quit on the team in 2012, leaving the butt fumble game — a rout by the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving –before halftime and stating that he would no longer lead cheers at games before eventually returning in 2015. The Jets might just be returning the favor.
Featured image via Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images