The New York Jets inducted Method Man, Michael "Hulk Hands" Gutradt, Raymond Londa and Michael Shannon into the Jets Fan Hall of Fame presented by Ticketmaster on Sunday at MetLife Stadium before the Green & White's Week 18 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.
The four men were selected from thousands of entries, and on New Year's Eve they each received a video call from the Jets former LB Bart Scott, who delivered the news.
"I just felt like crying when I found out," Shannon said. "I have been in love with the Jets since they were formed as the Titans, and this honor is like them saying we love you back."
The Jets Fan Hall of Fame was established in 2017 to honor and celebrate fans who have made a significant impact in the community and supporting the team.
Each of this year's winner joins an exclusive club that, with the addition of this year's class, currently has 30 members. Before Sunday's season finale, each received a Fan Hall of Fame letterman jacket, a $500 Jets flagship store gift card and a gift box, courtesy of Ticketmaster.
"It was just an honor to be considered," Gutradt said. "Being a part of the Jets community and the fans has been one of the greatest parts of my life, so to be recognized for being a part of that, words really can't describe it."
Method Man
Grammy award winning rapper, music producer and actor, Method Man has been a dedicated fan of the Jets since he was 8 years old. Raised in Hempstead, Long Island, he says the grit and toughness are what led to him being a fan.
Method Man became a season ticket holder in 2012 and rarely misses a game. In 2023, he was featured in the team's preseason hype video, broke down the huddle at a training camp practice and introduced the team for their season-opener against the Bills on Sept. 11.
Despite having been a member of the world-famous hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan, Method Man always found time to root on the Green & White.
Michael 'Hulk Hands' Gutradt
Gutradt's devotion to the team began in 1976 when he was a youngster living in Flushing, Queens, and was invited by his neighbor to attend a game at Shea Stadium.
At the time, Gutradt was more of a baseball fan -- the New York Mets were his first love. But he was hooked after that first gameday experience more than 48 years ago.
"I just fell in love with the atmosphere almost immediately," Gutradt said. "It is funny because I remember bits and pieces of elementary school and middle school, but I vividly remember how we were sitting at that game and the players running out of the tunnel and just fell in love with it all."
Gutradt's love grew from there. He purchased seasons tickets and built lasting relationships with fans that sat near him and began hosting a gameday tailgate in lot D10 at MetLife Stadium.
With a larger-than-life presence, Gutradt sports Hulk gloves that helped him stand out among the thousands of fans at the stadium on gamedays. He is the embodiment of the Jets spirit — rain or shine, win or lose, he's been at games, bringing energy and joy.
"The people are great, the tailgate is great and genuinely it is always a great time, win or lose," Gutradt said. "There are 40-to-50 people at my tailgates that I get to see a minimum 10 times a year, so we just try to take advantage of the awesome experience every time."
A leader of the Jets' fanbase, Gutradt is not only a devoted supporter but also a generous member of the community. The last few years, he has donated to the foundations of Jets players and has helped support fellow fans who travel to away games
"I was raised by a single mother in an apartment in Queens with six siblings," Gutradt said. "We weren't hurting but when I see kids that need help, it really makes me want to reach out and help, whether it's through The Marty Lyons Foundation or through the other players' foundations, there are so many great ways to give back."
Raymond Londa
Londa is a unique Jets fan who has been loyal to the franchise for nearly 60 years. He became a fan in the team's first season, 1960, and after graduating from law school in 1965 used his first paycheck to buy a season ticket.
Londa has attended games at Shea Stadium, Giants Stadium and MetLife Stadium, sharing the experience with his entire family — children, grandchildren; and friends. He wears a 40-year-old beaver fur coat in honor of Hall of Fame QB Joe Namath and listens to games on his vintage RadioShack headset.
"Every game is a new opportunity for me," Londa said. "It is an opportunity for me to get fresh air, feel the excitement of the game and of the day ,and share it all with my family and friends. It is amazing and I am honored to be a part of their history."
Londa, 86, has built lasting relationships with the Jets community and particularly with the fans that sit in the same section as he does. He still travels to away games and loves to share his decades worth of stories about the Green & White with fans he meets.
"Every fan I meet has such a thirst for knowledge," Londa said. "I am so lucky to have gotten to meet so many incredible fans and I know how many of them have really impressive résumés. So, to be honored, I am so incredibly humbled."
Michael Shannon
A fan since the team's inception as the Titans, Shannon, a 75-year-old lawyer, is an icon among Jets fans — he has missed only a handful of games, home and away, since becoming a season-ticket holder in 1987.
"I was representing a woman who had been a victim of a terrible crime," Shannon said. "And the Jets reached out to see if they could do anything to help. The woman told them, 'Well, my lawyer is a crazy Jets fan,' and they went on to give me a season ticket."
Shannon has traveled to more than a dozen stadiums to support the Jets. At his home he is surrounded by memorabilia and Jets décor in a tribute to the team.
Shannon passed this passion on to his four daughters, seven grandchildren and great-grandson, as well as hundreds of friends, coworkers and the first responders who helped save his life after a series of heart attacks.
"I have had four heart attacks, not because of the Jets, and I have come close to not making it," Shannon said. "The EMS crews that have saved me have done an absolutely fantastic job and I credit them for saving my life. So after each one I have looked up their names and brought them to the first responders night and thanked them."
Shannon's love for and loyalty to the Jets spans more than six decades and knows no bounds. His commitment is unwavering, and his loyalty, intensity, longevity and uniqueness make him deserving of induction to the Jets Fan Hall of Fame.
