Pennington will start Jets' season opener

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Chad Pennington will be the New York Jets' starting quarterback for the team's Sept. 10 season opener, Coach Eric Mangini announced Tuesday.

Mangini also said that Pennington will not play in the team's last preseason game Friday against Philadelphia, so that he can be rested for the season opener against Tennessee.

Pennington won a four-man competition for the starting job against Patrick Ramsey, Brooks Bollinger and rookie Kellen Clemens.

Ramsey was acquired from the Washington Redskins in the offseason, Bollinger started nine games for the Jets last year when Pennington was out with various injuries, and Clemens was the teams' second-round draft pick in April.

The Jets are coming off a 4-12 finish in 2005, when Pennington, running back Curtis Martin and center Kevin Mawae all missed significant time for injuries.

Mangini, New England's former defensive coordinator, is in his first year as head coach.