2 key Jets offensive linemen dead, team says

New York Jets great Marvin Powell and longtime offensive lineman Jim Sweeney, known for his versatility and durability, died this week at 67 and 60 years old, respectively, the team announced Sunday.

Hours before the Jets took the field at Acrisure Stadium against the Steelers in Pittsburgh, Jets owner Woody Johnson took to social media to announce the passing of Powell and Sweeney, whom he called “outstanding” members of the organization.

“Our entire Jets family is saddened to learn of the passing of longtime and outstanding Jets, Marvin Powell and Jim Sweeney. We’re thinking of their families today,” Johnson said in a tweet.

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A five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Powell was drafted by the Jets fourth overall in the 1977 draft. He was the first and only right tackle in Jets’ history to be voted MVP in 1979 and served as president of the NFL Players Association for two years during his 11-year NFL career, according to the team’s website.

Powell passed away on Friday from heart failure, his son told ESPN.

“Marvin was smart, he was intelligent,” former teammate and current team radio analyst Marty Lyons told the team’s website. “He was the players’ rep for us. He cared about the team, he cared about society. He wanted to make a difference.”

Sweeney, a Pittsburgh native who spent the majority of his 16-year NFL career with the Jets before retiring with the Steelers, passed away on Saturday. His cause of death was not immediately known.

A second-round draft pick, he played 158 consecutive games for the Jets. He was lauded for his versatility, starting at left guard in his rookie year, then outside left tackle and, finally, center from 1988 to 1994.

“Jim was a typical Pittsburgh guy,” Lyons said of Sweeney. “He was tough — he was tough to practice against every day. You could count on him every single Sunday.”

“He had a different personality as soon as he crossed over the lines, though. Hard-nosed, tough football player, a loving, caring friend off the field.”

Sweeney is survived by his wife, Julie, and their five children: Shannon, Liam, Aislinn, Kilian and Teagan.

Powell is survived by four children, including Marvin Powell III who played nine games as a fullback for New Orleans in 1999, and three grandchildren, according to ESPN.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.