The Chad.

As a die-hard lifelong New York Jets fan, it’s no surprise that the recent trade of Brett Favre to the Jets was some of the best news I’ve had in years. Not only will Favre, one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game of football, help bolster the image of the green and white, but will also give the Jets a realistic chance to make it to (and succeed in) the playoffs this season.

What’s being lost in the whole kerfuffle is that the Jets have now released former quarterback Chad Pennington.

Let’s be honest. I’m more than just a fan of The Chad: he’s also one of my heroes.

Sure Pennington owns the highest career and single-season passer ratings in Jets history. That’s great. But numbers can’t adequately describe the impact that the veteran quarterback has had on my favorite pro sports team.

In an age where sports is more business than play and athletes are more concerned about fattening their paychecks than playing hard, Chad Pennington stands out as a football player that plays with heart. Through the injuries, the slumps, and the unending criticism by some of the most vicious media (it’s hard to play in New York, in any sport) in the world, Chad has shown nothing but resilience, dedication, sportsmanship, and the desire to do the best that he can do.

Say what you want about his physical limitations (and there were many). Pennington was able to overcome those limitations because of his willingness to play as a team, because of his drive to make everyone else around him a better player, and most of all, because of his astute knowledge of the sport of football.

I’m glad that we have Brett Favre on the Jets, and I truly believe that the green and white will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this season under Favre’s leadership. I am sad however that Chad Pennington, one of the greatest team players the Jets have ever had, won’t be there to enjoy the spoils of the work he’s been putting in, year after year, to make all of us in the Jets nation proud.

I’m going to take a page out of Fireman Ed’s book here and give it up to one of my favorite Jets — heck, favorite football players — to ever step on the field:

C! H! A! D! Chad! Chad! Chad!