Frank Ramos, a cornerstone of the New York Jets organization for nearly four decades, passed away Tuesday in South Florida at the age of 87 after a battle with pneumonia. For those who know the Jets' history, Ramos wasn’t just part of the franchise-he was the franchise’s memory bank, its voice, and often, its heart.
From 1963 to 2002, Ramos served as the Jets’ public relations director, a role that saw him span eras, ownerships, and coaching regimes. Seven owners, seven team presidents, five general managers, 11 full-time head coaches, and two interim coaches came and went during his 39-year tenure. Through it all, Ramos remained a constant presence-steadfast, sharp, and deeply respected.
And when we say he was always there, we mean it. Ramos never missed a game.
Not one. He logged 681 straight Jets contests-181 in the preseason, 486 in the regular season, and 14 in the postseason.
That includes the crown jewel in franchise history: Super Bowl III, when Joe Namath and the Jets shocked the football world by toppling the heavily favored Baltimore Colts.
Ramos wasn’t just a man behind the scenes. He was a trusted confidant, a sounding board, and a guiding hand for players, coaches, executives, and even league officials.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who got his start as an intern under Ramos, remembered him as “a trusted confidant of the players, coaches and executives-and he never missed a game. Frank was the consummate communications professional, always dispensing sound counsel with a kind touch.”
Goodell added, “Frank was a terrific friend and influence to those of us fortunate enough to be in his orbit and he will be greatly missed.”
Jets owner Woody Johnson echoed that sentiment, calling Ramos “the glue that held this place together.” Johnson recalled Ramos’ uncanny ability to recall every detail about the organization-big or small, player or staffer.
“He remembered everything, big and small, about every player and every employee who came through the building. Whenever you talked to Frank, you felt like you were getting the true pulse of the Jets,” Johnson said.
“He even gave me the Jets' Super Bowl III playbook, which I still treasure.”
Ramos wasn’t just a historian of the team-he was part of its defining moments. He stood beside Namath the night the quarterback famously guaranteed a Super Bowl win at the Miami Touchdown Club, and he was the one who broke the news of that bold promise to head coach Weeb Ewbank. He was also the man at the podium in 2000 when Bill Belichick was introduced as head coach-only for Belichick to resign on the spot in a now-legendary twist of NFL history.
And if you’ve ever referred to the Jets’ fearsome 1980s defensive line as the “New York Sack Exchange,” you’ve got Ramos to thank. He helped popularize the nickname, adding yet another layer to his legacy of shaping the public identity of the team.
Outside of his work with the Jets, Ramos also contributed to the NFL’s public relations efforts during Super Bowl weeks, further cementing his reputation as one of the league’s most respected communications professionals.
Born on Long Island and raised in Miami, Ramos graduated from Florida State in 1960. He cut his teeth in journalism with the Miami News and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution before enlisting in the U.S.
Army, where he worked in the sports information office at West Point. Two years later, he joined the Jets-and the rest is history.
Frank Ramos didn’t just witness Jets history-he lived it, shaped it, and preserved it. His legacy isn’t just in the press releases or the media guides, but in the relationships he built and the impact he left on an organization that, for nearly four decades, leaned on his voice and vision.