Jim Jensen (American football)
Encyclopedia
James Christopher Jensen (born November 14, 1958 in Abington, Pennsylvania
) is a former professional American football
wide receiver
, running back
, tight end
and quarterback
who played for the Miami Dolphins
from 1981 to 1992 of the National Football League
and for the Miami Hooters
of the Arena Football League. He played quarterback
for the Boston University Terriers
where he compiled a 17-3-1 record as a starter and was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the Yankee Conference
as well as All-Conference.
Nicknamed "Crash", he played 12 seasons in Miami where his best years came while teamed with quarterback Dan Marino
and legendary coach Don Shula
. He was reportedly nicknamed "Crash" by Howard Cosell
. As a rookie Jensen, a quarterback was on the kickoff team and obviously caught Cosells eye to be tagged Crash Jensen.
Jensen wore jersey # 11 because he entered the league as a quarterback
. After Marino was selected in the 1983 NFL Draft
, it became evident that Jensen would need to find another way to survive on the Dolphins roster. He became a human Swiss army knife
, with a knack for making tackles on punt and kickoff coverages and converting third down opportunities as a running back or wide receiver in the offensive set with Marino. In the Mexican TV he was known as The Thousand Uses or El mil usos in Spanish
.
His best season statistically was in 1989 with 61 receptions for 557 yards and 6 TDs receiving, with 8 rushing attempts for 50 yards, and 1 passing attempt and completion for a 19 yard touchdown.
He was named the Dolphins special teams MVP in 1988. Jensen finished his 12 NFL seasons with 229 receptions for 2,171 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also passed for two TD's. In 1989, he caught Dan Marino's 200th career touchdown pass. Jim was also the 1988 NFL Special teams player of the year and recently elected the 2006 Miami Dolphins "Unsung Hero"
Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Abington Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 55,310 in as of the 2010 census.Abington Township is one of Montgomery County's oldest communities dating back to before 1700 and being incorporated in 1704. It is home to some of the county's...
) is a former professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who played for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1981 to 1992 of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and for the Miami Hooters
Florida Bobcats
The Florida Bobcats are a defunct Arena Football League team. They had been previously known as the Sacramento Attack and the Miami Hooters.-Sacramento Attack :...
of the Arena Football League. He played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Boston University Terriers
Boston University Terriers
The Boston University Terriers are the nine men's and twelve women's varsity athletic teams representing Boston University in NCAA Division I competition. The men compete in basketball, cross country, ice hockey, rowing, soccer, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, and wrestling...
where he compiled a 17-3-1 record as a starter and was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the Yankee Conference
Yankee Conference
The Yankee Conference was a collegiate sports conference in the eastern United States. It once sponsored competition in many sports, but eventually became a football-only league...
as well as All-Conference.
Nicknamed "Crash", he played 12 seasons in Miami where his best years came while teamed with quarterback Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
and legendary coach Don Shula
Don Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
. He was reportedly nicknamed "Crash" by Howard Cosell
Howard Cosell
Howard William Cosell was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these...
. As a rookie Jensen, a quarterback was on the kickoff team and obviously caught Cosells eye to be tagged Crash Jensen.
Jensen wore jersey # 11 because he entered the league as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. After Marino was selected in the 1983 NFL Draft
1983 NFL Draft
The 1983 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1983...
, it became evident that Jensen would need to find another way to survive on the Dolphins roster. He became a human Swiss army knife
Swiss Army knife
The Swiss Army knife is a brand of pocket knife or multi-tool manufactured by Victorinox AG and Wenger SA. The term "Swiss Army knife" was coined by US soldiers after World War II due to the difficulty they had in pronouncing the German name....
, with a knack for making tackles on punt and kickoff coverages and converting third down opportunities as a running back or wide receiver in the offensive set with Marino. In the Mexican TV he was known as The Thousand Uses or El mil usos in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
His best season statistically was in 1989 with 61 receptions for 557 yards and 6 TDs receiving, with 8 rushing attempts for 50 yards, and 1 passing attempt and completion for a 19 yard touchdown.
He was named the Dolphins special teams MVP in 1988. Jensen finished his 12 NFL seasons with 229 receptions for 2,171 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also passed for two TD's. In 1989, he caught Dan Marino's 200th career touchdown pass. Jim was also the 1988 NFL Special teams player of the year and recently elected the 2006 Miami Dolphins "Unsung Hero"