Green Smoke

By Nic (and Ant Cook)

It was a warm, mild spring evening in London’s Soho as I sat with Ant in Swift. The bartender served us an Irish coffee each, and it immediately took us back to The Dead Rabbit, when Ant took a group of us over to the Big Apple.

“This takes us back,” I said, taking a sip. The lightly whipped cream settled on my top lip as Ant replied, “Yeah… look how far we’ve come.”

That comment sent us down memory lane, a road that began in 2023 when I wrote a rather scathing article, berating the Jets for what I perceived as a lack of involvement on their part. That has changed dramatically for the better, and we spoke about why.

The Las Vegas Raiders have made Kimmi extremely happy by recently announcing that they too will now utilise the UK to build their fan base, with it becoming the first English-speaking country in their portfolio. Why is she being mentioned? Well, she’s often referred to as my NFL ‘sidekick’, and if you’ve met me, there’s an excellent chance you’ve met her too.

Anyway, I digress. It was this initiative that sparked the original blog, as the Jets entered the International Home Marketing Areas Initiative to expand into the UK market and, more recently, quite rightly, into Ireland. The scheme has gone through various names and is now referred to as the Global Markets Programme. Following the publication of my blog, it created a lot of traction. So much so that the legendary Nick Mangold reached out via social media to assure us that the Jets were working diligently to engage fans and promised to get it right. And they did.

I’m not sure if the Irish coffee on an empty stomach was having an effect, but the mood suddenly shifted, becoming a little more sombre, then celebratory in flashes. Ant regaled us with the tale of Mr Mangold’s trip to London, when he came over to promote his Mangold’s 74 barbecue sauces, the original and the spicy. Both were excellent, it has to be said, even if there were the odd quiet murmurs at the time about whether every ingredient would quite pass muster in the UK. That aside, the day itself was something special.

The event, organised by Gang Green UK, brought fans together in a way that felt genuinely authentic, and at the heart of it all was Mangold. We had all been waiting, expecting the usual sort of arrival, maybe a bit of noise, a small entourage, something that separates player from fan. Instead, he simply turned up. A cab pulled in, he stepped out, and with a simple greeting, walked straight in like he was one of us.

And in truth, that’s exactly how he carried himself. As a Jets Legend Ambassador, he didn’t just hold the title, he embodied it. He took time with everyone, proper time. He spoke to fans, posed for photos, shared stories, and made sure no one felt overlooked. There was no rush, no sense of obligation, just genuine warmth.

At one point, he stepped behind the bar and started pouring drinks. Then, in a gesture that summed him up perfectly, he bought a round for the entire place. And if you were there that morning, you’ll know that was no small gesture. The bar was packed.

It would have been easy for him to do the minimum, show up, smile, and move on, but that’s not who he was. He understood what this game means to people, especially those supporting from thousands of miles away. He bridged that gap between team and fan without ever making it feel like an effort.

And it feels important to say this now. He wasn’t just a great player, he was a genuinely good man. The kind who gave his time, his energy, and his attention without ever making it about himself. The kind who made people feel valued, even in a crowded room. The kind you don’t forget.

He will be deeply missed, not just for what he did on the field, but for who he was off it. And for those of us who were lucky enough to be in that room in London, we didn’t just meet a Jets legend. We met someone who lived up to every bit of it.

Okay, okay… who’s cutting onions? Yet again, I digress, but it was important for me to show my appreciation for a man who was one of my favourite players, and someone whose name and number I have been proud to wear at JetLife.

Now, where were we? Ah yes, the Jets in the UK. I wrote a blog, Nick Mangold replied, and then I attended the first flag football event in Ealing, where I met Diana Berkovits, a New York Jets executive working in strategy and international markets. She took the time to speak with me about my article and was very receptive and engaging regarding the ‘feedback’ I had given.

It was wonderful to be reassured by a member of the Jets organisation, especially here on UK soil. Truth be told, I felt incredibly sheepish as she explained what they would do and how. I was shortly joined by Ben from Sportfive, the media team who have since brilliantly spearheaded the resurgence of Jets fans in the UK, and who reiterated her points.

We now have multiple social media platforms to enjoy, along with a website for all news and information relating to Gang Green in the UK and Ireland. There has also been a membership scheme in the past, which included the benefit of watching the team on Game Pass.

“Watching the Jets is a benefit?” Ant quipped.
“I suppose it builds character,” I replied, laughing.

We’ve had official watch parties hosted by the Jets, with players in attendance, Q&A sessions, and meet-ups, like the recent one in London with Marcelino McCrary-Ball, where fans could chat and enjoy a pint or two. There have also been competitions over the years, with some excellent prizes.

“I’m International Fan of the Year,” said Ant.
“Yeah, you’ve told me two, three, maybe fourteen times,” I replied, laughing.

With that, I ordered another round, wishing it could have been number 74 serving it up like that morning in 2021.

But let’s talk about the International Player of the Year (IFOY), which is an NFL initiative that has been fully embraced by the Jets.

“Back in 2021,” he told me, “this whole thing was just one of those ‘imagine if…’ conversations. You know the ones that usually start with a pint, end with someone saying, ‘that would be unreal,’ and then nothing happens. The idea of each NFL team selecting an international fan to represent them at the Draft? Brilliant. It also felt about as realistic as me running a 4.4 forty.

Fast forward, and here we are.”

By now, I noticed a couple of others next to us at the bar paying attention. One had a Houston Oilers vintage tee on, remember them? He politely apologised for “eavesdropping” and introduced himself as Chris from Nueces County. He asked what we were drinking and promptly ordered another round. He had not heard of the IFOY programme and was fascinated by it. He was in Europe on vacation and was surprised how massive American football is over here. He had heard of Graeme Henderson, the Kilted Texan, and asked Ant how it all came about.

“I think my route to International Fan of the Year is a bit different to most,” Ant said. “I’ve been lucky enough to have contact with the team for a while, and with Sportfive on the UK side. So I’ve had a front-row seat to how these organisations actually operate, how they communicate, how decisions get made, and importantly, how much red tape there is. Honestly, that insight has been a bit of a cheat code.

Now we’re a few weeks out from heading to Pittsburgh for the Draft, and if I’m being honest, it still does not feel real. There’s definitely a bit of imposter syndrome kicking about. Like, do I actually deserve this? Because to me, this genuinely is an honour.”

I interjected and fawned over Ant’s contributions to UK Jets fans. This was now essentially turning into three blokes getting a bit merry in a London bar, talking NFL, and I was loving it. I showed Chris the blog on Green Smoke about how Ant organised Nick Mangold’s attendance in London, probably embarrassing him with further tales of everything he has done for the fanbase.

Ant, being Ant, waved it off.

“I remember a call back in early 2021 with Fred and Tim ahead of the London game against the Atlanta Falcons, who will forever be known, at least in my head, as the Atlanta Pigeons. They wanted to understand the UK fanbase, how we built Gang Green UK, what we wanted from the NFL over here. Proper conversation, not just lip service.

Then came the question: if we give you a date, time, and place, can you get Jets fans there?

No pressure.

That moment ended up being the spark. What followed was one of those days where you realise something bigger is happening. Fans from all over, different countries, different backgrounds, all showing up for the same reason. And suddenly, NFL and Jets execs are seeing, first-hand, what international fandom actually looks like. That was before Sportfive came fully into the picture, and credit where it is due, the structure, planning, and content since then has taken things to another level.

Every year, the game grows here in the UK, and I genuinely believe we have played a small part in getting that engine started. Not the whole thing, but definitely a few important cogs.

That is why this award does not feel like a solo win. It is not mine. It is a reflection of the wider fanbase. The questions and criteria change every year, but the core of it stays the same: your story, how you found your team, what fandom looks like to you. Because there is no one way to be a fan, and that is the magic of it.

For me, it has always been about building something inclusive. A space where any fan, of any team, can come together and just enjoy the game. Because I remember what it was like before that, watching games on my own, trying to explain a ridiculous fourth-quarter interception to someone who hits you with ‘yeah… I don’t care.’ That stuff chips away at you.

Then you take a leap, build or join a community, and suddenly look what happens.

Nic, you have met players you grew up watching. You have travelled across the States. You have built friendships all over the world. And all of that came from backing a team that, let’s be honest, tests your patience like nothing else. It almost, almost makes up for the caffeine addiction required to survive a season.

So yeah, I do not quite know where this all ends up, especially with a Super Bowl on the horizon, we are manifesting that one heavily.

But if the last few years are anything to go by, it is going to be one hell of a ride.”

Some stories start in stadiums. This one started over an Irish coffee in Soho.

It’s a strange thing, being a New York Jets fan in London. You’re thousands of miles away, yet somehow more invested than ever. If you had told me a few years ago that the Jets would get it right in the UK, I would not have believed you. And yet, here we are.

And with that, I say thank you.

Thank you to everybody from the New York Jets organisation for what they have built over the years. To the fans in the USA who, week in, week out during the season, welcome us into JetLife and host us at their gatherings and tailgates. To the fans on these shores, whether it be Alasdair and Jon at the Hippodrome, the legendary fans up north like Gus, the lads from Wales, or “Scottish John” across the border.

Supporting the Jets from the UK is not always easy, but then again, no one ever said it was supposed to be.

But the New York Jets and Sportfive have made it a hell of a lot easier.

Thank you.