Walt Michaels, former head coach of the New York Jets and a native of Swoyersville, died Wednesday at the age of 89.

His daughter, Mary Ann, said her father never forgot his roots, growing up in the coal region of Northeastern Pennsylvania where he learned the value and importance of a solid work ethic.

”His work ethic did come from this area,” Mary Ann said. “My father understood what hard work was. He never missed work — no sick days and no personal days. He never forgot his roots.”

And those that knew Michaels and played for him never forgot him and they recalled the lessons they learned from their coach.

Michaels,who was living at Shickshinny Lake, died on July 10, Mary Ann said, six years to the day after his wife, the former Betty Yuhas, passed on July 10, 2013. Walt and Betty both attended Swoyersville High School, Mary Ann said, when they dated. They would later reconnect after Walt went off to college.

Michaels went to Washington and Lee University, where he was named All-American. In 1951, he was the second-round draft pick of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.

Michaels went on to coach the Jets from 1977 to 1982.

Ryan Kalil surprisingly joins Jets as Adam Gase lures latest Pro Bowler out of retirement

The Jets got a major boost at the center position

Before the 2019 NFL season, Ryan Kalil and Thomas Davis swore they were retiring. Only Kalil followed through, as Davis joined up with the Chargers this offseason, and now Kalil has even come back to the game he loves, signing on with the New York Jets to be their center, the team announced.

Kalil was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draftand spent his entire career playing for the Panthers. But when he walked away, Carolina went out and splurged on Matt Paradis, who had become a free agent after time with the Broncos.

It would have been logical for Kalil to return to Carolina, but with the center void filled, he was going to need another spot.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Continuing to address their offensive-line deficiencies, the New York Jets acquired guard Alex Lewis from the Baltimore Ravens for a 2020 conditional seventh-round pick Monday.

The teams announced the deal, which is pending a physical.

Lewis had announced Monday morning that he was being released by the Ravens, but they found a taker before placing him on waivers.

The Jets, who have the No. 3 waiver priority (based on last season's record), evidently felt there was a chance he'd be claimed by the Arizona Cardinals or San Francisco 49ers. Lewis, who has one year remaining on his contract, is due to make $2 million in 2019. He projects as a backup for the Jets.

This was the second offensive-line move in four days by the Jets, who lured former Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil out of retirement.

Jets kicker Chandler Catanzaro surprisingly retires after missing two extra points in preseason opener

The Jets sign Taylor Bertolet after the retirement of Catanzaro

Jets starter Avery Williamson reportedly will miss the 2019 season after tearing his ACL

Williamson sustained the injury during New York's second preseason game against the Falcons

Eleven-year NFL veteran Barry Bennett and his wife, Carol, were found dead Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

Bennett, 63, and his wife were found in their home in Long Prairie, Minnesota. Foul play is suspected. Authorities are seeking Bennett’s son, 22-year-old Dylan John Bennett, who is considered a suspect.

The bodies of Carol and Barry Bennett were discovered by a friend who was doing a welfare check after Barry failed to reply to text messages and calls.

He is believed to be driving a blue 2018 Hyundai Sante Fe from Minnesota, license plate number BCK-487, according to the Pioneer Press.

The Minnesota Vikings expressed sadness over the loss, and said their thoughts were with Bennett’s friends and family.

Drafted out of Concordia College, Bennett played for the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Vikings during his 11-year career in the NFL. He was also a three-time wrestling champion in college. Up until retiring “a few years ago,” Bennett coached football and wrestling in Long Prairie.

Jets' Nate Hairston: Traded to Jets
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Hairston is being traded from the Colts to the Jets in exchange for a 2020 sixth-round pick.

Hairston will provide the Jets with much-needed depth in the secondary, and could play an immediate role on defense if Trumaine Johnson (hamstring) misses regular-season time. The 25-year-old cornerback suited up for 27 games (11 starts) in Indianapolis across two seasons, racking up 65 tackles (51 solo), two sacks, six defended passes and one interception.

How does Ty Montgomery factor into the team's plans?

The New York Jets signed Le’Veon Bell, with the presumption he’ll step in and be the kind of workhorse he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But head coach Adam Gase suggested

Bell’s touches might be limited, and Jets’ ESPN beat writer Rich Cimini has further suggested Bell will share the load with Ty Montgomery
early in the season.

After spending most of his first four NFL seasons with the Green Bay Packers,

Montgomery signed a one-year deal with the Jets this offseason. He moved between running back and wide receiver with the Packers, with baseball-esque dual position eligibility on some fantasy league hosts. In 2016 he had 1,171 all-purpose yards, with 457 rushing yards and 44 catches for 358 yards as he finished as RB33 in full-point PPR leagues.

Montgomery is a running back on the depth chart, but he’s still wearing a wide receiver number (88) for the Jets. He’s being used all over the field, with a touchdown in each of the last two preseason games.

Allen, Bills overcome 16-point deficit, stun Jets 17-16

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills had more turnovers than points while scuffling through much of the first three quarters against the New York Jets.

None of those early struggles mattered in the end.

Allen threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to John Brown with 3 minutes left, and the Bills overcame four early turnovers to rally from a 16-point second-half deficit and stun Le'Veon Bell and the Jets 17-16 in the season opener Sunday.

''We continued to fight,'' Brown said. ''We didn't point any fingers. We just kept fighting until the time was up.''

After struggling to get much going on offense, the Bills finally were able to move the ball after Jets middle linebacker C.J. Mosley, who had two takeaways including an interception for a touchdown, left with a groin injury late in the third quarter.

''When he went out, it was kind of a game changer,'' Allen said, ''as far as they didn't have somebody that vocal in the middle of the field that was able to make all their calls and all their checks.''

Buffalo also took advantage of kicking woes by the Jets as Kaare Vedvik, claimed last week off waivers from Minnesota, missed an extra point and a 45-yard attempt.

''We've just got to get better,'' said Adam Gase, coaching his first game for the Jets. ''We have to make extra points. We have to make field goals. We can't be losing out on points in those areas of the field.''

Bell caught a touchdown pass and had a 2-point conversion in his Jets debut, and Jamison Crowder had 14 catches for 99 yards in his first game with his new team - but Gase's offense otherwise sputtered behind a line that gave Sam Darnold little time to throw.

''We were inept on offense,'' Gase said flatly.

Allen finished 24 of 37 for 254 yards and a touchdown, and had one of his two interceptions returned 17 yards for a touchdown by Mosley. Brown caught seven passes for 123 yards. The Bills' defense limited the Jets to 223 total yards.

''I don't think many teams can turn the ball over four times in the first half and only be down 6-0,'' Allen said. ''It speaks volumes about who they are, the character they have and how they're coached.''

Darnold was 28 of 41 for 175 yards and the TD to Bell, who ran for 60 yards on 17 carries. The running back, who sat out all last season in a contract dispute with Pittsburgh, also caught six passes for 32 yards.

Leading 8-0 in the third quarter, it appeared the Jets scored on a 5-yard throw from Darnold to Ryan Griffin, but the play was overturned as Quincy Enunwa was called for offensive pass interference.

Two plays later, New York got into the end zone again - and it counted - as Bell reached down for a low throw and stepped into the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown.

Gase then opted for the 2-point conversion and Bell leaped in the back of the end zone and came down with Darnold's desperate heave to put New York up 16-0 with 7:01 left in the third quarter.

Buffalo got onto the scoreboard on its next possession on Stephen Hauschka's 43-yard field goal. The drive was kept alive when Henry Anderson was called for roughing the passer on third-and-10 from the Jets 49. A diving Marcus Maye also dropped an interception on the play right before Hauschka's field goal.

Mosley injured his groin during the drive while breaking up a pass into the end zone. Rookie Blake Cashman replaced him, but the loss of New York's middle linebacker made a difference on Buffalo's next drive.

Rookie Devin Singletary gouged the defense on runs of 23, 12 and 15 yards, and Allen capped the impressive drive by pump faking, taking off to his right and stepping inside the right-front pylon to make it 16-10 with 10:21 remaining.

''I felt like our energy died, man,'' Jets safety Jamal Adams said. ''We weren't playing team ball. Any time you do that, a team's going to take advantage of it.''

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Mosley, making his Jets debut after five years with Baltimore, snatched a tipped pass from Allen and took it 17 yards into the end zone for a touchdown less than five minutes into the game.

But Vedvik clanked the extra point off the left upright.

Vedvik is the third kicker with the team since training camp began, with Chandler Catanzaro retiring after struggling in the preseason opener and Taylor Bertolet missing three field goals in the preseason finale.

SAFETY DANCE

Brian Poole and Jordan Jenkins combined to stuff Frank Gore before he could get out of the end zone for a safety, giving the Jets an 8-0 lead 3:08 into the second half.

MAKING HISTORY

Bell became the fastest player in NFL history to get 8,000 yards from scrimmage for his career. He reached the milestone with a 5-yard run, his first carry for New York in the first quarter of his 63rd career game. The 27-year-old Bell entered the game with 7,996 yards from scrimmage.

The previous fastest was Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson, who accomplished the feat in 64 games.

''It's definitely overshadowed by losing,'' Bell said. ''Obviously, it's a nice accolade, I guess, but right now it don't really matter. I'm just trying to get a `W.'''

INJURIES

Bills: S Taron Johnson left with a hamstring injury.

Jets: Rookie DL Quinnen Williams, the No. 3 overall pick, left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury and was seen leaving the stadium in a walking boot.

UP NEXT

Bills: Play at MetLife Stadium for the second straight week when they face the New York Giants next Sunday.

Jets: At home against Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns next Monday night.

Why would the league subject us to the pathetic winless J-E-T-S on MNF???

The Browns need a victory?

Valid point.

J-E-T-S sign Packer training camp kicker Ficken!!!! Green Bay East developing out in New Yawk!!!

Patriots reportedly trade Demaryius Thomas to the Jets for 2021 sixth-round pick after signing Antonio Brown

The Patriots are sending Thomas to one of their AFC East rivals

In the aftermath of their bold, but predictable decision to sign Antonio Brown following his release from the Oakland Raiders, the New England Patriots are remaking their wide receiver room on the fly -- a process that now involves a rare intra-division trade. Brown is in. Veteran receiver and newcomer Demaryius Thomas is out and en route to New York to join the Jets.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Patriots are trading Thomas to the Jets in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick in a move that reunites Thomas with Adam Gase -- Thomas' offensive coordinator in Denver

Bill Belichick has now made at least one trade with every team in the NFL. The NYJ were the only ones with whom he hadn't dealt since taking over as #Patriots HC in 2000.