The Jets have released K Nick Folk, who ranks No. 2 on the franchise’s all-time points list with 729.
"It's a sad day, but that's the business side of things," Folk said as he finished cleaning out his locker at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center this afternoon. "I had a great seven years here. I think the only thing that would've topped it off would'e been a couple of Super Bowl wins.
"There's been a great group of guys in this locker room from 2010 till now. I can't thank Mike Tannenbaum, Rex [Ryan], John Idzik, Todd [Bowles] and Mike Maccagnan enough for keeping me around for seven years. This was our second home. It's been a lot of fun and my wife and I have enjoyed every minute of it."
After spending 2007-09 with the Dallas Cowboys, Folk joined the Jets as a free agent on Feb. 23, 2010. Over the course of the next seven seasons, Folk connected on 175 field goals and his field goal percentage of (81.3) ranks highest of any Jets kicker with a minimum of 100 attempts.
Only Pat Leahy (304) hit more three-pointers for the Jets, but Folk was more than a volume kicker. He connected on seven game-winning field goals for the Green & White including three in 2013. He tied Leahy for the most game-winning/trying field goals in the last minute of the fourth quarter or overtime with eight.
In 2013, Folk established franchise and personal bests in field goal percentage (91.7) as he made the second-most field goals in club history (33) and scored the fourth-most points in team history (126). Folk began that season 23-for-23 en route to establishing a new Jets mark for consecutive field goals made at home with 20. His 56-yard field goal at DEN on Oct. 10, 2010 was the longest field goal of his career and the longest in Jets history.
Appearing in three playoff contests with New York’s AFC representative in 2010, Folk made two of his three field goal attempts and was perfect on eight extra point attempts. Folk’s 32-yarder as time expired gave the visiting Jets a 17-16 Wild Card win over the Colts on Jan. 8, 2010.
Last season, Folk was good on 27 of 31 field goal attempts and his 87.1% was the fourth-highest by a Jets kicker in a single season. The 32-year-old Folk was an active participant in the Jets community programs, frequently appearing at local schools to promote the team’s Eat Right Move More program.
