"Florham Park Jets" to keep training camp in Jersey

Mark Taylor wasn't the mayor of Florham Park when the New York Jets moved to town. But his son, Christopher, is a fan so the elder Taylor followed suit once the NFL team relocated.

The Jets made a major move toward establishing Florham Park as their permanent residence, announcing on Tuesday that training camp would be held at the Morris County facility this year. Taylor was already making plans to ease anxious football fans' travels — and help Florham Park businesses at the same time.

Taylor will put up signage to direct visitors from the training facility to Rt. 24, which runs right to downtown Florham Park. He also expected to work with the Jets on public safety.

"We are very elated to have them finally back training in Florham Park, where they should be," Taylor said. "It'll be a great mechanism to help our businesses be more widely known. ... I think it's awesome. It will be a substantial help to the region, the towns that surround (the facility), particularly Florham Park."

Training camp traditionally starts in late July and continues almost daily for about a month.

The Jets held five of their last six training camps at SUNY Cortland in central New York State, where they opened almost all their practices to the public. The team then returned to Florham Park and held a couple of open sessions in New Jersey, and usually one evening practice at Hofstra, their former home. The Jets also had more than 6,000 fans for a pep rally prior to the AFC Championship game in 2011.

Whippany Park football coach Todd Callaghan is going to reach out to the Jets to see if the NFL and local high school teams can collaborate during preseason. He hopes the Wildcats will attend Jets practices, and hopes to see them himself as well.

However, 21 of the 32 NFL teams now conduct camp at their regular practice facility.

"I would encourage them to see what an NFL practice is like, and see how large and skilled these NFL players really are," Callaghan said. "If you can be on field level and watch them do their drills, you might be able to pick up some stuff. ... I'm sure we'd be able to pick up a drill or two. Even if you pick up one thing, it's worth it."

Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@dailyrecord.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/