“Fireman Ed”is back, at least for the moment.
At the 2ndAnnual Strikes for Scholarships charity event hosted by New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson on Friday, Ed Anzalone, better known as “Fireman Ed,”led fans in the famous ‘J-E-T-S’ chant that was synonymous with his name for so many years. Anzalone retired from the role in 2012 following physical threats from fans who associated him with the struggling team even though he was only a fan and a season ticket holder. But at Wilkerson’s charity event, Anzalone reprised his role and led several hundred fans in the chant. The moment was captured by Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa:
https://twitter.com/QuincyEnunwa/status/606978658734080000
Recently, Anzalone hinted to Metro New York that he might make a return to the role, although he said that it wouldn’t be long-term and that he prefers a younger fan become the face of the chant. He remains wildly popular with much of the fanbase and a recent website BringBackEd.com was founded this winter to push for his return. He appears to be open and Friday night’s appearance is perhaps proof of that. But as if that wasn’t enough, Anzalone led another version of the chant later on that night but this one ended with him taking a shot of alcohol along with Jets linebacker David Harris. It’s obvious that the players want Anzalone back in the role, especially considering that since he’s left the atmosphere at MetLife Stadium has suffered.
Video: Fireman Ed leads J-E-T-S chant at charity event
