In 2021, the New York Jets lost pass game specialist Greg Knapp, who died at 58 after being struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle in California. Following the tragedy, the Jets started an annual tradition of running the stairs at MetLife Stadium to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, and raise money for The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund.
The tradition started because coach Knapp would run the same stairs before every home game. This week, in the rain, Jets staff members completed their run, and were joined by staff members of the Atlanta Falcons as well.
“Greg had such an inner peace about him that people always seemed to gravitate towards,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said of Knapp when he passed. “He lived life in a loving way that helped him connect with people from all walks of life in a unique way. In his short time here, I believe the people in this organization had a chance to experience that connection.”
During his two-and-a-half decades in the league, Knapp served as an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers, Falcons, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, whom he won a Super Bowl ring with in 2016.
