by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 11, 2026

Meta Sued Over AI Glasses Privacy Concerns After Reports Find Kenya-Based Workers Review User Footage

Meta is being sued over privacy concerns related to its popular AI smart glasses.

Meta is facing a class-action lawsuit over its AI-powered smart glasses after an investigation found that user footage, including sensitive content such as nudity, sexual activity, and bathroom use, was reviewed by workers in Kenya.

The tech giant is named in a newly filed complaint by plaintiffs Gina Bartone of New Jersey and Mateo Canu of California, who are represented by the public-interest-focused Clarkson Law Firm. They allege that Meta violated privacy laws and engaged in false advertising, TechCrunch reported.

According to the complaint, Meta markets its AI smart glasses with promises such as “designed for privacy, controlled by you” and “built for your privacy.” However, an investigation by Swedish newspapers found that workers at a subcontractor based in Kenya were reviewing user footage.

Meta has said it blurs faces in captured images, but sources cited in reports disputed that the feature works consistently. The plaintiffs say they relied on Meta’s marketing and saw no disclaimers or information that contradicted the company’s advertised privacy protections. The lawsuit accuses both Meta and its glasses manufacturing partner, Luxottica of America, of violating consumer protection laws.

Following reports of the investigation, the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office launched a probe into the issue. More than seven million people purchased Meta’s smart glasses in 2025, and footage captured by the devices is reportedly routed into a review pipeline that users cannot opt out of.

Meta told the BBC that contractors review content shared with Meta AI to help improve the product, noting the practice is referenced in its privacy policy and supplemental terms of service. However, the outlet reported that the mention of human review appears only in Meta’s U.K. AI terms.

The complaint largely focuses on how the glasses were marketed, highlighting advertisements that promoted their privacy features, including customizable settings and an “added layer of security.”

One ad stated, “You’re in control of your data and content,” suggesting that users could decide what information was shared. In response, a Meta spokesperson issued a statement explaining why the company uses subcontractors to review footage captured by the smart glasses.

“Ray-Ban Meta glasses help you use AI, hands-free, to answer questions about the world around you. Unless users choose to share media they’ve captured with Meta or others, that media stays on the user’s device,” spokesperson Christopher Sgro said. “When people share content with Meta AI, we sometimes use contractors to review this data for the purpose of improving people’s experience, as many other companies do. We take steps to filter this data to protect people’s privacy and to help.”

Gov. Wes Moore,Commencement Speech ,Battleground States

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 11, 2026

Gov. Wes Moore Takes Commencement Speech Tour To Midterm Battleground States

Speaking at Johnson C. Smith is right on time as research shows Black voters make up the largest share of registered Democrats in the state.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, the sole Black governor in the United States, is booked, busy, and scheduled to make commencement speeches at colleges and universities in battleground states ahead of key midterm elections, CBS News reported.

During the 2026 college graduation season, Moore will be making stops to encourage graduates at Maryland’s Frostburg State University, his alma mater of Valley Forge Military and College in Pennsylvania, and Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU), a Charlotte, North Carolina-based HBCU. Already known for his record breaking policies, speaking engagements for the Democratic leader in the identified states come at a time of an anticipated switch of power on Capitol Hill.

In a statement, spokesperson Ryhan Lake labeled the commencements as a “moment to the dedication, service, and promise of the next generation of leaders committed to uplifting communities in our state and across the country” and how “Governor Moore is honored to be invited to celebrate the Class of 2026—including graduates from Maryland, one of our nation’s historic HBCUs, and his own alma mater.”

The increase of his national profile is likely to heighten speculation that Moore is making a run for the White House after the midterm elections, something that he has avidly denied. Continuing a focus on Maryland as he recently entered a bid for reelection, he told CBS’ Norah O’Donnell that he “not running for president,” stressing that his priority is the unfinished work of the state’s economic growth and public safety.

But that isn’t stopping him from speaking with the future leaders of tomorrow. Speaking at Johnson C. Smith, home of the Golden Bulls, is right on time as research shows Black voters make up the largest share of registered Democrats in the Tar Heel state, making up roughly 46%. All eyes are on North Carolina after former governor Roy Cooper secured the primary vote in what is being described as a high-profile Senate race in the midterm election.

As a history maker, being elected as the first Black governor in Maryland’s 246-year history and only the third African American elected governor in this nation’s history, JCSU leadership is ecstatic to have him “inspire” the HBCU graduates. “Johnson C. Smith University looks forward to welcoming Moore to campus to inspire the Class of 2026 as the JCSU scholars prepare to lead in a rapidly changing world,” the school said in a statement, according to WCNC.

President Valerie Kinloch announced commencement exercises are scheduled for May 17 in the Queen City.

Moore follows in the footsteps of several other elected officials who spoke at graduations as a way to expand their reach. Then-Sen. Barack Obama gave the commencement address at Northwestern University in 2006, just less than one year before launching his historic 2008 presidential bid and shortly after the midterms.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 11, 2026

Misty Copeland Says Timothée Chalamet ‘Wouldn’t Be An Actor’ If Not For Ballet And Opera

Misty Copeland responds after actor Timothée Chalamet appears to downplay the significance of ballet and opera.

Misty Copeland is speaking out against actor Timothée Chalamet after he enlisted her to help promote his film Marty Supreme, only to later appear to downplay the significance of ballet and opera in the arts community.

The retired American Ballet Theatre dancer addressed the actor while speaking at the launch of Aveeno and TOGETHXR’s The Strength Issue in New York on March 8, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter. Chalamet has faced criticism since participating in a Variety town hall last month, where he appeared to dismiss opera and ballet, saying they aren’t art forms he wants to engage with because “no one cares about this anymore.”

Many have taken issue with Chalamet’s remark, including Copeland, whom he enlisted to collaborate on an Instagram post in November 2025 to help promote Marty Supreme, which recently earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor.

“First, I have to say that it’s very interesting that he invited me to be a part of promoting Marty Supreme with respect to my art form,” Copeland said in a video shared online. “But I think that it’s important that we acknowledge that, yes, this is an art form that’s not ‘popular’ and a part of pop culture as movies are. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have enduring relevance in culture.”

@campaignus
“All of these mediums have a space and we shouldn’t be comparing them.” – World-renowned ballerina, Misty Copeland 🎙️ When asked about a recent controversial comment actor Timothée Chalamet made about ballet and opera that sparked a firestorm of backlash from fans and even inspired one institution to use his name as a discount code for tickets, history-making ballerina Misty Copeland — who was featured in promotional material for Chalamet’s film Marty Supreme — had a response as graceful as her artform.
♬ original sound – Campaign

Copeland, who made history a decade ago as the first Black principal ballerina in ABT’s history, believes that ballet and opera are “often mistaken for something that is popular, that it’s meaningful or more impactful.”

“There’s a reason that the opera and ballet have been around for over 400 years,” she said, adding that “access and opportunity” can “change your life.”

“That’s the work that I’ve been doing my whole career is to bring more people into it. So that people do understand the importance and the relevance of it in our communities and our culture, and you see it reflected everywhere.”

As for Chalamet, Copeland suggested the New York native — who has previously spoken about growing up watching his mother, grandmother, and older sister perform with the New York City Ballet — “wouldn’t be an actor and have the opportunities he has as a movie star if it weren’t for opera and ballet and their relevance in that medium,” she said.

“So all of these mediums have a space, and we shouldn’t be comparing them,” Copeland said.

Copeland’s remarks on the panel come after she recently reacted to a video criticizing Chalamet and accusing him of using Black culture to promote Marty Supreme, including the collaborative post he shared with the ballet star.

Misty Copeland (one of the best ballerinas of all time) liked and commented on this video about timothee chalamet using Black culture to promote marty supreme, he also used Misty’s image to promote marty supreme as well. pic.twitter.com/Ng1Jaw6DJ2
— Jan Fine (@xointhehearts) March 6, 2026

Restorative Justice,Long Delays, Kidney Transplants, Black Patients

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 11, 2026

Restorative Justice Effort Addresses Long Delays In Kidney Transplants For Black Patients

New research suggests that restorative justice efforts aimed at correcting the impact of a racially biased medical test that blocked or delayed Black patients from receiving kidney transplants are beginning to show results.

On March 9, researchers reported that thousands of Black transplant candidates have been credited with additional time on the kidney transplant waiting list to account for delays caused by the flawed test, effectively moving them up in priority as part of a restorative justice effort, the Associated Press reports.

Among the more than 21,000 Black candidates who received adjustments, the median increase was 1.7 years, according to findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The added time is significant, as the wait for a kidney transplant typically ranges from three to five years and can be even longer in some regions of the country. The flawed test relied on a race-based formula to estimate kidney function, making Black patients’ kidneys appear healthier than they actually were. As a result, diagnoses of worsening kidney failure and referrals for transplants were often delayed.

After the U.S. transplant system eliminated the race-based calculation, hospitals were directed to review their records to identify Black patients who may have qualified for a transplant sooner. Facilities then began crediting those patients with the lost time on the waiting list to help correct the earlier bias.

Researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Boston Medical Center analyzed a national database of kidney transplants performed between January 2022 and June 2025, comparing transplant rates before and after the January 2023 policy change. Following the policy change, the transplant rate for Black patients rose immediately by 5.3 transplants per 1,000 listings before later leveling off.

Overall, kidney transplant rates increased during the study period, while the rate for non-Black patients remained largely unchanged under the new policy and continued to be highest among white patients, researchers reported.

The policy “hopefully helps move the needle toward equity,” said Dr. Rohan Khazanchi of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center, who led the study.

The findings “suggest that improving transplant care for Black individuals did not harm individuals of other races,” said Dr. L. Ebony Boulware of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, who wasn’t involved in the study but supports similar efforts aimed at addressing harm caused by other outdated, race-based medical tests.

The former race-based kidney test was just one example of a broader issue within health care. Many formulas and algorithms used in medical decision-making, from treatment guidelines and diagnostic tools to risk calculators, factor in race or ethnicity in ways that can disadvantage patients of color.

Because these equations are deeply embedded in medical software and electronic health records, many physicians may not even realize how frequently they influence care decisions.

“Health equity scholars have been raising alarm bells about the way race has been misused in clinical algorithms for decades,” Dr. Michelle Morse, New York City’s chief medical officer, said in 2024 when the testing was made public.

Although the mandated review to adjust waiting times took place in 2023, Khazanchi advises Black patients who were added to the transplant list more recently to ask whether they may also qualify for a wait-time adjustment.

Malik Willis Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 11, 2026

Former Green Bay Packers QB Malik Willis Signs 3-Year Contract With Miami Dolphins

Willis signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract.

The Miami Dolphins have reached an agreement with former Green Bay back-up quarterback Malik Willis on a three-year, $67.5 million contract.

According to NFL.com, the agreement was made possible after the Dolphins released Tua Tagovailoa on March 9. The deal, which becomes official when the new league year starts on March 11, reportedly includes $45 million fully guaranteed (which has a $22.5 million signing bonus), $1.25 million for 2026, and $21.5 million for 2027.

Dolphins signing QB Malik Willis to a 3-year, $67.5M deal with $45M fully guaranteed. (via @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/zQ4a4AKVml
— NFL (@NFL) March 9, 2026

The Dolphins’ new starting quarterback is leaving the Green Bay Packers after two seasons. He previously played for the Tennessee Titans, who drafted him in the third round in 2022.

ESPN reported that the Dolphins signing Willis is a reunion of sorts. First-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new coach Jeff Hafley were with the Packers when Willis played there. Wills started three games in Green Bay throwing for 612 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 174 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns, showing his potential.

“Well, obviously, he was our scout team quarterback,” Hafley said. “So a lot of times he really couldn’t do what he does best because I was sitting there telling him, if we were playing a dropback guy and he started scrambling, I’d tell him, ‘Hey, you got to stay in the pocket, man. Like, stop scrambling. That’s not what we’re doing today.’ And then if we were playing a scrambler, he could play his game and do his thing.

“Obviously, him and I have a really good relationship, and he always did a really good job and gave us everything that he had.”

Willis played at Auburn University before transferring to Liberty University and getting drafted by the Titans.

by Kandiss Edwards

March 11, 2026

This Pastor Wants Flock To Stop ‘Playing In My Face’ And Hand Over Taxes And Tithes

The unidentified pastor said he wanted to verify whether members were giving the proper amount in tithes based on their income.

In a moment captured on video, and widely circulated on social media, a pastor told church members they should produce their tax documents for a formal review.

The unidentified pastor said he wanted to verify whether members were giving the proper amount in tithes based on their income.

“I’m gonna put a stop to some of y’all playing in my face during tithes and offerings,” he explained.

During the sermon, the pastor expressed that reviewing tax returns would help him determine whether some members were “playing” with their financial contributions to the church. The video quickly got attention. Critics argued that such a blatant request to access personal finances crosses boundaries between clergy and congregants.

But supporters of the pastor said the comments should be viewed in the context of traditional church teachings. Often, churches use biblical passages to justify giving 10% of all income to the church. The tithe is intended to support the institution’s mission and upkeep. Social media users responding to the video argued that financial accountability within churches should remain voluntary.

Pastor told his congregation to bring copies of their tax returns so he can review them:

"I’m gonna put a stop to some of y’all playing in my face during tithes and offerings"

https://t.co/d6MEzJIGcX
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) March 10, 2026

This kind of approach, however one defines it, is not new. In 2025, Pastor Marvin Sapp was criticized after a viral clip showed him instructing ushers to “close the doors” during a service. In an attempt to raise $40,000 in offerings, he verbally barred members from leaving the sanctuary.

In the clip, Sapp told worshippers that “giving is worship,” urging both in-person and online participants to contribute during the service.

Sapp later addressed the controversy, saying the directive to close the doors was misunderstood. He simply intended to maintain order while offerings were collected. He said conferences and churches often operate with budgets and described the request as part of stewardship rather than coercion.

by Black Enterprise

March 11, 2026

Op-Ed: HBCUs Must Treat Land Like Power

Land values around many campuses are climbing faster than HBCUs can capitalize on them.

By Derek Fleming

My first visit to a Historically Black College or University was to Howard University during its famous homecoming celebrations. I was visiting as a student from UC Berkeley, newly initiated into my fraternity, and I was immediately embraced by my brothers at Howard.

What stayed with me wasn’t just the warmth of that welcome. It was the feeling of intellectual power. The ambition, pride, and collective confidence on the yard were undeniable. At 20 years old, I realized HBCUs offered much more than education; they were places where culture became capital. That understanding has only deepened with time.

Today, those same institutions are under pressure from every direction. Public funding remains uncertain. Enrollment costs are rising. Land values around many campuses are climbing faster than HBCUs can capitalize on them. In cities across the country, the neighborhoods HBCUs helped stabilize and shape are now targets of speculative development. That presents both financial and cultural uncertainty. Without intention, we risk watching history repeat itself as Black institutions are surrounded, displaced, or disconnected from the communities they were built to serve.

I have seen that risk firsthand. I’ve worked on real estate planning with Clark Atlanta University, which has seen a wave of corporate and large-scale development interest moving into the neighborhood around its campus. From Walmart’s reinvestment in nearby Vine City to destination-scale projects like Centennial Yards, capital is now flowing into places that were disinvested in because they were predominantly Black. That shift raises the stakes for whether the neighborhoods Clark Atlanta has historically buffered and protected will remain intact, recognizable, and rooted in the community that sustained them, or transform in ways that sever growth from cultural continuity and Black ownership.

HBCUs have always been more than centers of education. They are cultural anchors, land stewards, and economic engines for Black communities. Long before “cultural districts” became a planning concept, HBCUs were already playing that role, creating ecosystems of housing, business, art, music, and civic leadership in the cities where they grew.

Real estate strategy is how institutions safeguard their role as places where culture becomes capital. This is the difference between being a presence in a neighborhood and being the power that shapes it.

We are already seeing what happens when that power is exercised under crisis instead of strategy. At Saint Augustine’s University, one of the nation’s oldest HBCUs, financial distress and accreditation pressures have pushed the institution into conversations about leasing large portions of its campus as a lifeline. The situation is painful, but instructive. It shows how, without long-term stewardship in place, land becomes a last resort rather than a strategic asset.

When HBCUs sell property to meet short-term needs, they risk surrendering long-term control on holdings that shape the cultural makeup of the surrounding area. However, when they lease land, form joint ventures, or establish cultural trusts, they preserve ownership while unlocking capital. This stewardship allows schools to protect the cultural capital they’ve built over time, ensuring these community pillars are aligned with institutional goals.

We can see what institutional land stewardship looks like at predominantly white institutions, such as Columbia, NYU, and Vanderbilt. These schools do not treat real estate as a facilities function. They are treated as strategic assets. Their campuses operate as living portfolios, where development decisions reinforce institutional power as much as educational mission.

HBCUs were founded through land in much the same way. Many of the most well-known HBCUs were originally established as land-grant institutions. The value and control of these land holdings have been critical to the stability and growth of those institutions throughout their history. We must continue to build on this legacy.

One practical way forward is to resource HBCUs to take the first and most critical step in the development process: understanding the true potential of their land. Before any partnership can form, universities need rigorous feasibility and highest-and-best-use studies that clarify what their land can support, how it can advance institutional mission, and what forms of development would protect long-term community and cultural interests. These studies allow HBCUs to come to the table as informed principals rather than reactive landholders.

This is where philanthropy can play a catalytic role. If foundations and mission-driven institutions underwrote these feasibility studies through targeted grants, they could unlock a national pipeline of HBCU-led development. A relatively modest investment in planning would reduce risk for future projects, attracting aligned development partners and positioning universities to negotiate from a stronger position.

HBCUs are among the last major Black-controlled landowners in many American cities. When developed intentionally, campus real estate can strengthen financial sustainability, protect surrounding Black communities from displacement, and create pathways for Black ownership, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation. When it is not, it risks becoming another extraction point in a long history of inequitable development.

Derek Fleming is a senior advisor at HR&A Advisors, a practitioner working nationally at the intersection of real estate, culture, and economic development, helping institutions translate cultural and community assets into long-term opportunity and equitable growth.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 11, 2026

Former NFL Player Reportedly Asked ChatGPT For Help After Allegedly Killing Girlfriend

A judge described the alleged killing as "beyond that necessary to produce death."

A former NFL player charged for allegedly killing his girlfriend reportedly had a AI confidante in ChatGPT.

NBC News reports that Darron Lee, 31, asked the AI chatbot for advice after his girlfriend “stabbed herself.” Prosecutors revealed the messages during a preliminary hearing at a courtroom in Hamilton County, Tennessee.

Prosecutors explained how Lee reportedly sent the messages Feb. 4, one day before the law enforcement arrived at the home he shared with Gabriella Perpetuo, where they discovered her body.

A judge over the case called her death “especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel.” Perpetuo was found with a broken neck, severe brain injury, stab wounds, and a bite mark on her thigh.

Lee also asked ChatGPT on what to do. He faces charges of first-degree murder and tampering with or fabricating evidence.

In his conversation with the AI tool, the former NFL player emphasized how his deceased girlfriend allegedly harmed her own self. He noted how she did “her crazy thing again and now she’s messed up,” seemingly trying to omit himself as a suspect in the crime.

“She has two swollen eyes (I didn’t do anything, self inflicted) she stabbed herself, slit her eye?” he said, according to the message. “Idk but she isn’t waking up or responding, what do I do?”

WRCB also reported that Lee sent another message regarding Perpetuo’s death, claiming the advice was for a friend.

“What should I tell my friend to handle someone non responsive but wants to call the police,” he asked the chatbot, known as Allie.

The chatbot reassured Lee that he handled the situation correctly, but reminded the man of the severity of Perpetuo’s condition as he described it.

“Okay—this is **serious, but you can handle it clearly and protect everyone**. Here’s exactly what to tell your friend, step-by-step, no fluff,” wrote ChatGPT.

According to the transcripts, Lee apparently made a joke about the matter, leading the chatbot to chide him.

It continued, “Okay—pause the jokes for half a second, because **both eyes swollen** is still *possible* from a fall, **but it crosses into *get checked* territory**. not meh, ice it.*”

Body camera footage showed Lee telling officers that he had been asleep for “a long time” before finding Perpetuo’s body in its disparaged state.

The former first-round draft pick remains held without bond.

by Mitti Hicks

March 11, 2026

First-Of-Its-Kind Boston Study Finds Black Men Have The Lowest Life Expectancy Of Any Racial Or Ethnic Group

The city is taking action.

Black men have the lowest life expectancy of any other racial or ethnic group in Boston, according to the first-ever report that analyzes the life expectancy among Black Bostonians.

The report, “Closing the Gap: An Examination of Life Expectancy Among Black Residents in Boston,” is part of the Boston Public Health Commission’s (BPHC) Live Long and Well Agenda. It’s the first in a series of reports addressing the health needs of Boston’s diverse populations, the mayor’s office said in a news release.

Alarming data in the report shows Black residents have the lowest life expectancy of any racial or ethnic group in the city. Even though life expectancy for Black residents and their neighbors doubled between 2013 and 2024, Black women only had an average life expectancy of 80.1 years in 2024, which is 6.4 years fewer than their counterparts.

During that same period, the life expectancy for Black men was lower, at about 71.8 years. Black men’s life expectancy is 9.3 years less than that of all other men in Boston, and is the lowest life expectancy of all groups in the city of Boston’s report.

“Projections for the next ten years show that if no additional and meaningful action is taken to address the inequities Boston’s Black communities face, the life expectancy gap will remain the same through 2035,” the report said.

Key Findings

For Black men, the three leading causes of death are unintentional overdose, heart disease, and cancer. These three leading causes of death account for 42% of the life expectancy gap between Black men and other men in Boston.

HEALTH OF BOSTON DATA BRIEF — Source: **Photo Credit: Boston Public Health Commission**

As for Black women, the three leading causes for early death in Boston are cancer, heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease. These three causes account for 40% of the life expectancy gap for Black women.

Boston’s Black population is diverse, with roots representing the Caribbean, West Indies, and Africa. When compared to the rest of Boston, researchers found Haitian residents experience the highest mortality rates among the groups analyzed. Cabo Verdean residents have lower overall mortality but face elevated risks from unintentional overdose.

Diabetes is a major contributor to mortality among Haitian and Jamaican residents.

Addressing The Health Disparities For Black Men In Boston

City leaders are getting right to work to address the health disparities outlined in the report. There will be a $1 million investment from BPHC’s annual operating budget to fund organizations working to improve Black men’s health.

There will also be a new partnership with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to invest $1 million in cancer prevention, treatment, and other community-based initiatives that tackle the key drivers of premature mortality.

In addition, the Black Men’s Health Activation Summit will assemble local leaders to discuss the challenges facing Black men and recommend priorities for BPHC’s $1 million investment.

“Every Boston resident deserves the opportunity to thrive in their city. This report makes clear that we have more work to do, and we’re acting with urgency … on improving Black men’s health and strengthening prevention efforts across our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Through our Live Long and Well Agenda, we’re bringing together residents, advocates, and institutions to confront these inequities head-on and build a healthier future for everyone in our city.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 11, 2026

Super Bowl Champion Matt Snell Dead At 84

The 1964 AFL Rookie of the Year helped the New York Jets win their first (and only) Super Bowl in 1969.

Matt Snell, who won AFL (American Football League) Rookie of the Year and helped the New York Jets win their first Super Bowl in 1969, has died. He was 84.

The New York Jets announced that Snell, who scored the only touchdown in the franchise’s only Super Bowl victory, had died. The franchise gave no details on the cause of death.

https://twitter.com/nyjets/status/2031490723300675651

“Matt Snell will forever hold a special place in the history of the New York Jets,” said Jets Chairman Woody Johnson in a written statement. “He was the embodiment of toughness, selflessness, and belief—traits that defined our organization’s proudest moments. His performance in Super Bowl III was nothing short of legendary. Against the odds, Matt set the tone with his physical running, delivering the Jets’ lone touchdown and helping secure one of the most important victories in sports history.”

When the Jets took home the championship trophy in 1969 against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, he ran 121 yards on 30 carries. Snell helped the upstart AFL team upset the NFL’s might Colts, 16-7, in a game no one expected the Jets to win.

The Jets have yet to return to the Super Bowl in 56 years.

Snell, who grew up on Long Island and attended Ohio State on a football scholarship, played at OU from 1961 to 1963. For the Buckeyes, he rushed for 688 yards and 6 touchdowns and was named the team’s most valuable player in 1963. The Jets drafted him with the No. 3 pick in the 1964 AFL Draft. The other hometown team, the NFL Giants, drafted him at No. 49.

In his first year, Snell won the AFL Rookie of the Year award. During his career, he led the team in rushing for five of the six seasons he played. When he retired from the franchise, he had 4,285 rushing yards (4.4 yards per carry) and 24 touchdowns while pulling in 193 receptions for 1,375 and 7 touchdowns in 84 games.

In two AFL title games and Super Bowl III, Snell rushed 61 times for 253 yards and caught 6 passes for 64 yards. Snell was also a first-team All-AFL player in 1969 and made second-team All-AFL in 1964, 1965, and 1968. Snell ranks fourth on the Jets’ all-time rushing list.