FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- For three seasons, Ben Ijalana backed up a player who never needed a backup. Ijalana showed up for work every day, ready and eager to show what he could do, but never got a chance to play with the starters in practice, much less a game.
He was the New York Jets’ version of Juan Bell and Manny Alexander.
Who?
That's precisely the point. They were two of Cal Ripken's backups during his incredible streak of 2,632 consecutive games played.
Ijalana was the loyal understudy to recently-retired left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, who never took off a practice and never missed a regular-season snap due to injury over his 10-year career.