The MVP for the Jets this Sunday might not make a tackle or a catch. It just might be a 64-year-old former taxi driver from East Stroudsburg, Pa.
Ted Monica spent several weeks over the past month designing the protective gear quarterback Sam Darnold will be wearing underneath his jersey this week. As the co-founder and lead designer for XTech, Monica is the Picasso of pads. He has spent more than 30 years designing and perfecting shoulder pads.
When Darnold was diagnosed with mononucleosis in September, the Jets called Monica to design padding to protect Darnold for his return to the field.