Another member of the Jets’ Super Bowl III team has left us with word that safety Jim Hudson, 70, died Tuesday.
Hudson was the starting left safety for the Jets in the game against the Baltimore Colts at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 12, 1969. He came up with one of the many key plays for the Jets defense on the last play of the first half.
The Colts, trailing, 7-0, tried to get on the board with a trick play from the Jets 41, a fleaflicker from Earl Morrall to Tom Matte back to Morrall, who was trying to find RB Jerry Hill near the Jets 10. Instead, he found Hudson, who returned the pick to the Jets 21 for the middle of five takeaways for the D on the day. No. 22 for the Green & White also had six tackles in the historic 16-7 triumph.
The INT was one of 15 pro interceptions for Hudson, who played in the AFL from 1965-69 and in the NFL in 1970, all six seasons with the Jets.
Hudson (6’2″, 210) came to the Jets as the result of one of the most productive scouting trips in franchise history. Jets scouts were in attendance at the 1965 Orange Bowl to watch QB Joe Namath direct Alabama. But they left the game with favorable impressions of a passing connection that lifted the Texas Longhorns over the Crimson Tide, 21-17 — a 69-yard catch-and-run from Hudson to WR George Sauer. Sauer, who passed away in May, was selected in the ’65 AFL Redshirt Draft, played that same span of 1965-70 with the Jets, and also had a starring role in SBIII. Hudson arrived as a free agent.
Although Hudson was born in Steubenville, Ohio, he made Texas his home. He played both DB and QB for the Longhorns and was inducted into the Texas Men’s Hall of Honor last year. After football, he and QB John Hadl went into real estate together in the Austin, Texas, area, and that led to his long career training quarter horses and thoroughbreds in Texas and Louisiana.
Hudson died Tuesday in Austin. He is survived by his wife, Lise. We extend our condolences to the Hudson family.
