What: New York Jets and American Heart Association present the “NFL Play 60 Challenge” sponsored by American Dairy Association & Dairy Council, Inc.’s Fuel Up to Play 60 campaign

• The Play 60 Challenge is a six-week program created by the NFL and American Heart Association that encourages students to participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity everyday. This program has students track their exercise each day.

When: Tuesday, November 17, 2009

9:30am - 11:30pm at St. Vincent Martyr School

1:00pm – 2:30pm at Madison Junior School (w/ Harding Elementary)

Where: St. Vincent Martyr School

26 Green Village Rd, Madison, NJ 07940-2599 (973) 377-1104

Madison Junior School

160 Main St, Madison, NJ 07940, (973) 593-3149

Who: Participants in the NFL Play 60 Challenge include:

· Middle school students and teachers

· New York Jets Players Brad Smith and Wallace Wright

Why: New York Jets players Brad Smith and Wallace Wright will wrap up the Play 60 Challenge at St. Vincent Martyr School and Madison Junior School. Students from Harding Elementary will attend the wrap up at Madison Junior School as well. Smith and Wright will congratulate the students on completing the challenge and talk about healthy eating and exercise.  Students will then participate in activities with Smith and Wright illustrating the importance of getting 60 minutes of activity each day.  One boy and one girl student from each school who successfully completed the Play 60 Challenge will be drawn at random attend and be on field at the November 29th New York Jets vs. Carolina Panthers game.  The other participating schools, Ridgedale Middle School and Holy Family School in Florham Park, NJ will receive their wrap up visits on December 8. The Jets Play 60 Challenge is presented by the American Dairy Association & Dairy Council, Inc.’s Fuel Up to Play 60 campaign.  The initiative is part of a larger nationwide effort to tackle the sedentary lifestyles and poor nutrition that have helped spur the current health crisis among America’s youth.

The Jets begin the Rex Ryan Era on the road at Houston, open their final season at the Meadowlands by hosting the Patriots, and play the Bills in Toronto, Thursday night Dec. 3, highlighting the Jets schedule as the NFL unveiled the 2009 regular season slate Tuesday night on NFL Network.

“We got the schedule today and I am fired up about the upcoming season,” said Coach Ryan. “This will be my first season as a head coach and the schedule is filled with challenges, but our coaching staff and players have been working hard and I know that we will be ready.”

For the first time since 1977, when the Jets defeated the Houston Oilers, 20-0, at the Astrodome, the Jets open the season in Texas, facing the Texans, Sept. 13.

Following the opener, the Jets return home to host New England, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m., marking the fourth consecutive year that the Jets-Patriots contest at the Meadowlands opens the Jets home schedule.  After 26 seasons at the Meadowlands, their home since 1984, the team moves into New Jets Stadium beginning in 2010.

The Jets homestand continues with the AFC South Champion Tennessee Titans on Sept. 27, before two consecutive road games at New Orleans, Oct. 4, and on Monday Night at the defending AFC East Champion Miami Dolphins, Oct. 12. The Jets and Dolphins play twice in four games with the return matchup at the Meadowlands, Nov. 1, sandwiched around a home game against Buffalo, Oct. 18, and a contest at Oakland, Oct. 25. Following the Miami home game is a bye on Week Nine, after which the Jets host Jacksonville, Nov. 15, before going to Foxborough to play the Patriots, Nov. 22.

After hosting the 2008 NFC South Champion Carolina Panthers on Nov. 29, the Jets travel to Toronto to face the Bills on the Thursday Night NFL Network contest, Dec. 3 at 8:20 p.m. The Jets last traveled to Canada 21 years ago during the preseason, where they defeated the Browns, 11-7, in Montreal, Aug. 18, 1988.

The Jets return to the United States and then head to Tampa Bay, Dec. 13, before returning home to host Atlanta, Dec. 20.  The Falcons, a Wild Card Playoff team in 2008, visit the Jets at the Meadowlands for the first time since 1998.

The Jets road schedule wraps up with a trip to Indianapolis, Dec. 27, marking the Jets first game in Lucas Oil Stadium. The Jets last regular-season game, and the last scheduled NFL regular season game at the Meadowlands will be vs. Cincinnati on Jan. 3, 2009.

Since 2006, the NFL has implemented flexible scheduling for the last seven weeks of the regular season. The Jets Week 13 game vs. Buffalo at Toronto will not change but Jets games in Weeks 11, 12 and 14-17 are currently listed as TBA (to be announced), and may be played at 1 p.m., 4:05 p.m., 4:15 p.m. or at 8:15 p.m. on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Game times will be confirmed a minimum of 12 days in advance (except in Week 17 when it may be confirmed six days in advance).

The Jets preseason schedule was also finalized. The preseason opener vs. St. Louis is set for Friday, Aug. 14, at 8 p.m. Following the Jets Monday night game at Baltimore, Aug. 24, the Jets play the Giants Saturday, Aug. 29 in the final Jets-Giants game at the Meadowlands. The preseason ends with the traditional Thursday night contest vs. the Eagles.

2009 New York Jets Schedule

Preseason

8/14    Friday  vs. St. Louis   7 p.m.  WCBS

8/24    Monday  at Baltimore    8 p.m.  ESPN

8/29    Saturday        at Giants       8 p.m.  WNBC

9/3     Thursday        vs. Philadelphia        7 p.m.  WCBS

Regular Season

9/13    Sunday  at Houston      1 p.m.  CBS

9/20    Sunday  vs. New England 1 p.m.  CBS

9/27    Sunday  vs. Tennessee   4:15 p.m.       CBS

10/4    Sunday  at New Orleans  4:05 p.m.       CBS

10/12   Monday  at Miami        8:30 p.m.       ESPN

10/18   Sunday  vs. Buffalo     4:15 p.m.       CBS

10/25   Sunday  at Oakland      4:05 p.m.       CBS

11/1    Sunday  vs. Miami       1 p.m.  CBS

11/8            BYE            

11/15   Sunday  vs. Jacksonville        1 p.m.  CBS

11/22   Sunday  at New England  TBA*    TBA*

11/29   Sunday  vs. Carolina    TBA*    TBA*

12/3    Thursday        at Buffalo (Toronto)    8:20 p.m.       NFLN

12/13   Sunday  at Tampa Bay    TBA*    TBA*

12/20   Sunday  vs. Atlanta     TBA*    TBA*

12/27   Sunday  at Indianapolis TBA*    TBA*

1/3     Sunday  vs. Cincinnati  TBA*    TBA*

*Subject to NFL Flex Schedule

The New York Jets have placed DB Artrell Hawkins on the Reserve/Retired List.

Hawkins (5-10/195/Cincinnati/Johnstown, PA), in his nine-year career, appeared in 122 games and recorded 482 tackles (415 solo), 11 interceptions, 70 passes defensed and six fumble recoveries. He was originally selected in the second round (43rd overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. After six seasons with the Bengals, he had stints with both the Carolina Panthers (2004) and the New England Patriots (2005-06). He had signed as a free agent with the Jets, Feb.19, 2008.