The New York/New Jersey Hitmen (later shortened simply to the New Jersey Hitmen) were a short-lived American football team based in Giants Stadium of the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
This team was part of the failed XFL begun by Vince McMahon of the World Wrestling Federation and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. Its general manager was former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, and New Jersey native, Drew Pearson.
They were part of the Eastern Division with the Birmingham Thunderbolts, Orlando Rage and Chicago Enforcers. They finished in 3rd place with a 4-6 record. The head coach was former NFL assistant Rusty Tillman, who was not a fan of the league's gimmicks or personalities - specifically commentator Jesse Ventura, who called him "Gutless Rusty" on a regular basis, as he felt that Tilman's coaching style was too timid. Tillman, ever the professional, brushed off the jabs by Ventura and refused to respond. In the end, Ventura's attempts to goad him failed, and perhaps contributed to overall decline in viewers for NBC's XFL broadcasts.
NBC dropped the XFL concept after the first season 2001 due to dismal ratings, and the league folded shortly afterwards.
The name "Hitmen," which implies a hired criminal, was one of the icons of the XFL's short life and the butt of many jokes about the league (quips of teams such as the fictional "Kansas City Shoplifters" coined by Saturday Night Live, for instance). The teams secondary logo features the head of a football player wearing an old style leather football helmet. The name "New Jersey Hitmen" was later used for a junior ice hockey team.
Read more about New York/New Jersey Hitmen: Season-by-season, Standings, NY-NJ Hitmen Players, Team Leaders
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