Bruce Harper - #42 - RB-KR - Kutztown St. - Profile

PRO: "Considering the number of games Bruce was available last year, he had a very productive season," Walton said. "He's one of the most outstanding 3rd down receivers in the NFL and not having him in the lineup affected our ball control and 3rd down production." ...had excellent stats for 1983 despite playing in only 9 games and starting 2 due to injuries ...finished season as Jets' 3rd leading rusher with 51-354-1 TO and 2nd leading receiver with 48-413-2 TOs ...missed the first 3 games of season with knee injury suffered in 2nd preseason game and final 4 games with rib injury suffered at New Orleans ...came back just in time from knee injury to replace the injured Freeman McNeil vs. Rams to catch 7-58 ...voted game ball the next week at Buffalo when he rushed for a career high 118 yards (the 1st time over 100 yards) on just 9 carries in addition to 3-26-1 TO receivirjg ...had 78-yard TO run vs. Atlanta, 2nd longest in Jet history ...set career high of 10 catches (102 yards) vs. Buffalo ...was 8-83 receiving vs. Miami, 7-58 at Cleveland ...was taken off PR and KOR teams in 1983 to concentrate more on his offensive production ... played 9 games in 1982 and was 20-125-0 TO rushing and 14-177-1 TO receiving ...was 2-35 receiving in playoff game at Cincinnati before suffering sore hamstring which caused him to miss Raider game and limit him at AFC Championship game at Miami ...was Jets' leading receiver in 1981 with career high 52 receptions for 459 yards and 2nd leading rusher with 81-393 ... played in 16 games that season and started 7 with McNeil out with a sprained foot...was among NFL leaders with 1,597 in combined yardage (rushing, receiving, returns) in 1981...came back in 1981 after being hospitalized for 5 weeks during April-May after a bout with pneumonia resulted in an inflamatory condition in the areaof the heart and lungs ...was team MVP in 1980 ...topped the NFL and led the AFC for the 4th straight year in 1980 with 2,072 combined yards became only the 5th NFL player to reach 2,000 twice in a career the others are O.J. Simpson, Gale Sayers, Terry Metcalf and Timmy Brown ...was Jets' leading receiver in 1980 with 50- 634 ... is ranked high in several categories for NFL career marks ... his 7,191 combined return career yardage is 2nd best in NFL history; 5,407 yards career KOR is ranked 3rd; 426 combined PR and KOR IS also ranked 3rd ... led league in KOR yardage in 1979 with 1,158 ... holds 9 Jets' records ...most KOR yardage in a game (204 ~n 1979), season (1,280 in 1978) and career (5,407) ... most KOR In a game (8, tWice), season (55 in 1978 and 1979) and career (243).:.most PR yardage In a season (425 in 1977) ...led NFL in comb.lned yardage in 1978 (2,157) when he set NFL record for combined PR and KOR yardage (1,658), breaking Chuck Latourette's 1968 mark of 1,582 ..:his 82-yard punt return for a TO vs. Buffalo was the 3rd longest In Jets' history and tied for longest in NFL in 1978 ... led AFC combined yardage with 1,867 as a FA in 1977 when he was named pro rookie of the year by NJ Sportswriters.

COLLEGE: Honorable mention Little All-America at Kutztown (PA) State In 1976 when he was first back in school's history to rush for over 1,000 yards (1,132) ...3-year rushing total of 2169 yards. '

PERSONAL: Single ...majored in social welfare ...did work in real estate In New Jersey during offseason ...hometown and birthplace, Englewood, NJ, which gave him the key to the city in 1980 ...football and track standout at Dwight Morrow High where he was a friend of John Travolta.

From 1984 Jets yearbook.