The reason why New York Jets' D'Brickashaw Ferguson isn't known as the ironman of the NFL
Finally, D’Brickashaw Ferguson is getting the attention he deserves as one of the best and most consistent left tackles of his generation.
Ferguson played the entirety of his 10-year career with the New York Jets, who took him at No. 4 in the 2006 NFL Draft. And not only did he play every season for the Jets, he also played in every game. And not only that, he very nearly played every single snap of his career.
It was a point brought up by Kyle Brandt of ‘Good Morning Football’ on the NFL Network this week. Calling it ‘The curious case of D’Brickashaw Ferguson’ Brandt dove into why Ferguson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, isn’t given more credit for his career, his longevity and his status as an ironman. Brandt went into the numbers and found out that Ferguson is the holder of a very unique and often overlooked stat in the NFL.
“He was always there. What you might not know about D’Brickashaw is that he is one of the most underappreciated, unheralded ironmen in the history of sports,” Brandt said.
“D’Brickashaw did not miss snaps, ever…save for one. Look at this, the total snaps possible in his whole career, 10,708. The total snaps played? 10,707 which gives him a percentage of 99.991.”
Ferguson is an intriguing player and a person. He was an elite left tackle who combined a fiery personality on the field with a calm, almost meekness to him off of the field. He enjoyed reading and talking current events, especially global politics. He was a fitness fanatic who counted calories and avoided junk food. He held a black belt in martial arts. He hated to lose. He enjoyed making jokes and exchanging quips.
It was his attention to training, diet and treatment as part of his dedication to football and his craft that is a major reason why he only missed one snap for his the entirety of his career. But what was the reason for the missed snap? And when was it?
“Why does it not get talked about? Well, because there was no great streak, because it was broken,” Brandt said. “So you might ask, ‘What was the play? Did he turn his ankle? Just one play he missed.”
The play was in 2008, at the end of a Jets home loss to the Miami Dolphins. Ferguson was pulled from the game’s final snap when the Jets tried to run the famous Stanford lateral play. Not only did the play not work, it cut short Ferguson’s incredible run of snaps.
“This…is the only reason why he is not routinely talked about as one of the true great ironmen along with Joe Thomas and Cal Ripken,” Brandt said.
Ferguson likely will be selected to the Jets’ ‘Ring of Honor’ in the next several years. He retired in 2015.
