In 2021, the New York Jets lost pass game specialist Greg Knapp, who died at 58 after being struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle in California. Following the tragedy, the Jets started an annual tradition of running the stairs at MetLife Stadium to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, and raise money for The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund.
The tradition started because coach Knapp would run the same stairs before every home game. This week, in the rain, Jets staff members completed their run, and were joined by staff members of the Atlanta Falcons as well.
50 people die each day in America due to distracted driving incidents.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 3, 2023
That must stop.
Thank you to members of @AtlantaFalcons for joining us to run the stadium stairs today in honor of the late Greg Knapp 🙏 pic.twitter.com/BCwYPTwN9D
Staff members from Jets, Falcons and league office in a joint stair climb at MetLife Stadium to honor the legacy of the late Greg Knapp, who was killed by a distracted driver in 2021. The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund is raising money for distracted driving initiatives. #Jets pic.twitter.com/0kvGAgfvVl
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) December 3, 2023
The Jets and Falcons are honoring the late Greg Knapp by climbing the stairs for the The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund, which educates drivers on the dangers of distracted driving pic.twitter.com/93HDa13xHC
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) December 3, 2023
"Greg had such an inner peace about him that people always seemed to gravitate towards," Jets head coach Robert Saleh said of Knapp when he passed. "He lived life in a loving way that helped him connect with people from all walks of life in a unique way. In his short time here, I believe the people in this organization had a chance to experience that connection."
During his two-and-a-half decades in the league, Knapp served as an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers, Falcons, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, whom he won a Super Bowl ring with in 2016.
