Phil Wise obit

Former Jets Safety, Longtime Media Personality, Dies at 76

A 9-year NFL veteran with the Jets and Vikings who made a name for himself in local radio after retiring has died.

 He was not on the list.

Phil Wise was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and rose to fame in the NFL playing for the New York Jets.

But the defensive back who rose to unlikely gridiron fame from an NAIA program (the University of Nebraska-Omaha) made a more lasting name in Minnesota after retiring following his final NFL season with the Vikings in 1979.

Wise, who recently died per a March 13 family announcement on social media, became a fixture on KQRS‑FM in Minneapolis.

Wise's frequent broadcast partner, on the KQRS morning show, Tom Barnard, mourned Wise's death in a post on his Facebook account March 22.

"I am sorry to report that, while I was hoping it wasn’t true, it turns out Phillip Wise has indeed died," Barnard wrote. "I worshipped him! He was a very loyal friend and a wonderful person to everyone. The world has lost a great man! I remember the time, after the media went after me, Phillip called me, he was crying and said, '“'they are lying about you and it breaks my heart!'

"At this point I am the one who is crying. Call me from Heaven Philly!!”

In three seasons (1968-70) at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Wise rushed for 1,146 yards in a season and topped out at 231 yards in a single game. As a junior, he was ninth in the nation in the NAIA in scoring with 15 touchdowns, and recorded three 200-yard games.

Wise still holds the UNO record for longest run from the line of scrimmage, a 95-yard dash against Fort Hays State in 1969. He was an all-conference selection twice, once at defensive back and once at running back.

A sixth-round pick by the Jets in 1971, Wise spent six years in New York and three years in Minnesota. He led the NFL in fumble return yards (80) in 1973, including one he returned for a touchdown.

Wise retired with six interceptions, nine fumble recoveries, and eight kickoff returns on special teams in his career. Though never a star — and never a champion in the wake of the Jets' lone Super Bowl victory in 1969 — Wise reflected fondly on his football career in a 2020 interview with the Jets' official website.

"Hey, I got to practice with Joe Willie (Namath)," he said. "I got to question him as a defensive back about what he looked for, what he read. To be able to play with these great athletes, the two best tight ends you could ever practice with: (Jerome) Barkum and (Rich) Caster. And a Hall of Fame receiver [Don Maynard]. It was a privilege. In New York, it was a different bonding of players and we tried to look out for each other. The older players were just fantastic."