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New York Jets superfan “Fireman Ed” — who leads the famed “J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS” chants at MetLife Stadium — took to social media to claim that he believes the team is phasing him out of the stadium experience.
In a video posted to Instagram, “Fireman” Ed Anzalone claimed that he’s being put on the big screen less and less, and asked his followers to share any information they may have. Specifically, Anzalone said he’s being “phased out.”
“I’ve been getting a lot of emails and texts from fans about the Jet experience in the stadium with the big screens. Last night in particular — although on the Denver game also — last night in particular [the Jets] scored a touchdown and normally as a tradition we’re always put on the screen,” Anzalone says.
“I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but they’re phasing us out. 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. That’s what we have and we need to keep it going. Something is going on, so please let me know if you know something.”
Fireman Ed once famously phased himself out, as he renounced his Jets fandom after Mark Sanchez’s disastrous butt fumble against the New England Patriots in 2012. Three years later in 2015, however, Anzalone returned to the stands as Fireman Ed, where he leads the “J-E-T-S” chant from Section 134, where he’s had seats since 1986.
Anzalone might have the most difficult “superfan job” in sports as the Jets are the current owners of the longest playoff drought in American professional sports: if the Jets don’t make the playoffs this year (which is looking likely), it will mark 14 straight seasons of playoff-less football for Gang Green.
Fireman Ed will next have the chance to fire up the Jets’ crowd when the host CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans for Thursday Night Football on Halloween.