When Emerson Boozer arrived in 1966, the New York Jets already had Joe Namath, Don Maynard and Matt Snell -- a strong and young nucleus. What they lacked was a dynamic presence in the backfield.
"I was probably the last piece," Boozer said last week in a phone interview. "They needed a breakaway back and I provided that."
Yes, he did.
It finally came together in 1968 and they became the Jets' one and only forever team -- Super Bowl III champions.
On Sunday, Boozer will be inducted into the Jets' Ring of Honor, joining former '68 teammates Namath, Maynard, Winston Hill, Larry Grantham, Gerry Philbin and the late coach Weeb Ewbank in the franchise's elite fraternity.
Fittingly, Snell, Boozer's old backfield mate, will be inducted, too, but he's not expected to attend the halftime ceremony. Snell, embittered with the franchise for at least 30 years, told ESPN.com last week he won't show up.
That won't spoil Boozer's day.
In many ways, he's the anti-Snell. He's devoted to his old team, frequently participating in alumni events in the New York area. Boozer, 72, settled on Long Island after his playing days and he lives in Huntington Station. He retired 11 years ago after serving as his town's director of parks and recreation for 20 years.
His name might not be instantly recognizable to the younger generation of Jets fans, but the older crowd knows all about him. You hear the name "Boozer" and it's impossible not to think of the late 1960s and early 1970s teams.
"His hit-and-spin was unbelievable," said John Schmitt, who played center on the Super Bowl team. "He'd run full speed to the hole and, if there was no room, he'd spin out and keep his feet going. His spinning was amazing. He was great."
Boozer said he learned that move in high school, back in his native Georgia. His old high school coach taught him how to roll off a block and find the open area. It served him well.
"I helped me my entire football life," he said. "It was one of my patented moves, especially when there was no place to go."
Boozer is the third-leading rusher in team history (5,135 yards), behind Hall of Famer Curtis Martin and Freeman McNeil, both members of the Ring of Honor. Boozer had a nose for the end zone. Among non-kickers, he's the third leading scorer in team history (65 touchdowns), trailing only Hall of Famer Maynard and Wesley Walker, another Ring member.
Boozer, Snell and Bill Mathis formed a potent backfield in the Super Bowl season. In particular, Boozer and Snell became synonymous with the Jets' rushing attack. Snell was power, Boozer was speed.
"We were a headache for a lot of defensive coordinators," Boozer said. "They knew we could pound the ball. Those defensive linemen and linebackers, they had to buckle their chin straps. They knew we were coming full force. That's the way I played, that's the way Matt played."
They were a great tandem, Boozer and Snell. They should be side by side to hear the cheers one last time, but it will be a single-back formation on Sunday. The missing piece won't be missing.