Football fans woke up to the news Friday morning that agent Eugene Parker had succumbed to cancer Thursday at the age of 60. Many probably thought to themselves, "Who?" Even though he was prominent in NFL circles, Parker wasn't a household name -- few agents are.

But New York Jets' fans owe him a debt of gratitude. On Feb. 13, 1998 -- Friday the 13th -- Parker made a phone call that changed the course of the Jets' franchise.

Parker represented Curtis Martin and he cold-called Jets executive Mike Tannenbaum, offering his client on a silver platter. Martin was a restricted free agent, meaning his team -- the New England Patriots -- had matching rights. Tannenbaum almost dismissed the call because they weren't looking for a running back, but he promised Parker he'd discuss it with his boss, Bill Parcells.

And so it began.

After a month of clandestine negotiations, the Jets swiped Martin from their bitter rivals with an unconventional offer sheet that chafes the Patriots to this day. It included a poison pill that was later outlawed by the NFL. The Jets were required to compensate the Patriots with first- and third-round draft picks -- a massively steep price -- but it turned out to be worth it. Martin became one of the best players in Jets history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

From silver platter to gold jacket.

Parker and Tannenbaum worked together for about 60 hours in various locations, crafting the landmark contract. In a 2012 interview with Parker, I happened to mention the words "diabolical" and "genius" when discussing the offer sheet.

"Diabolical would mean something was wrong, but it was 100 percent according to the rules," Parker said. "I don't know if I'd call it genius, either, but we didn't circumvent any rules."

Parker hatched the idea and was instrumental in the ensuing negotiations. For that, he has a well-deserved place in Jets lore.