One of the most storied franchises in NFL history, the New York Jets have fallen on hard times when it comes to Super Bowls. Besides, the franchise has had some amazing talent take the field.
Throughout New York’s franchise history, the Jets have seen 20 players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with some all-time honorees passing through a short time with the team.
Of those greats, there were a few that stood out as a cut above the rest. So, let’s take a look at the 10 best players in Jets history.
10. WR Wesley Walker (1977-1989)
Walker managed to become one of the league’s best receivers in the late 1970s and early 1980s despite being legally blind in his left eye. He was named a two-time Pro Bowler during his career, while only playing for the Jets, and led the NFL in receiving yards in his second season with 1,169. He finished his career second in franchise history in receptions (438), receiving yards (8,306) and receiving touchdowns (71).
9. C Nick Mangold (2006-2016)
Mangold was a Pro Bowl mainstay during the early part of his career, earning seven Pro Bowl nods between the 2008-15 seasons. But he again impressed as a rookie, allowing half a sack in 2006. That helped earn him a nod for Offensive Rookie of the Year. More importantly, Mangold’s popularity coincided with one of the best seasons the Jets have had in recent memory. He played a key role in protecting Mark Sanchez and blocking the Jets’ running backs en route to back-to-back AFC Championship games in 2009 and 2010.
8. DE Mark Gastineau (1979-1988)
One of the key pieces of the “New York Sack Exchange,” Gastineau struck fear into opposing quarterbacks in the 1980s. He recorded at least 19 sacks three times in a four-year span between 1981-84, setting a record 22 sacks in the 1984 season. That helped him become the first player in NFL history to lead the league in sacks in consecutive seasons. He was named a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in each season from 1981-85. When he suddenly retired from the NFL in the 1988 season, Gastineau’s 107.5 sacks were the most in NFL history.
7. C Kevin Mawae (1998-2005)
The Jets had another good center ahead of Mangold. Mawae spent the majority of his Hall of Fame career with the Jets, earning six Pro Bowls and five All-Pro honors (two first teams) in his eight seasons with the team. His streak of 177 straight games played spanned the majority of his Jets career as he was a key stopper in Curtis Martin’s Hall of Fame career.
6. CB Darrelle Revis (2007-2012, 2015-16)
Arguably the best defender of the 21st century spent the majority of his career at the Meadowlands. Revis quickly emerged as one of the game’s best quarterbacks, but also one of the best defensive players shortly after the Jets drafted him in 2007. He was a Pro Bowler in his sophomore season and finished second for Defensive Player of the Year in 2009. Some have argued that that season was the linebacker’s best. Revis had six interceptions that year and held Hall of Fame receivers Andre Johnson and Randy Moss to less than 40 receiving yards in his matchups against them. Revis’ performance that year helped the Jets reach the AFC Championship Game. He helped the Jets reach that stage again in 2010, recording his third of five Pro Bowl seasons with the team that year.
5. OT Winston Hill (1963-1976)
Finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, Hill spent 14 of his 15 NFL seasons with the Jets. Known as one of the best pass protectors of his era, Hill was the driving force that allowed QB Joe Namath to become the first QB to pass for 4,000 yards in a season. He also helped the team to back-to-back division titles in 1968 and 1969, starting at left tackle in both seasons. At the time of his retirement, Hill held the Jets record, starting 174 straight games during his time with the team.
4. WR Don Maynard (1963-1972)
Maynard was a star receiver during his time in the league, but he was also the first player to sign with the AFL’s New York Titans – later the Jets. The most notable performance of his career came in Super Bowl III, when he posted a streak of six catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, with his second touchdown proving to be the game-winner in the fourth quarter. At the time of his retirement, Maynard was one of only five players to record more than 50 receptions and more than 1,000 receiving yards in five different seasons. Ultimately, Maynard was selected to four Pro Bowls and four different All-Pro teams.
3. DL Joe Klecko (1977-1988)
One of the most underrated players of his era, Joe Klecko is notable for being the only player in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl at each position across the defensive line. The former sixth-round pick was brought to the team early, racking up a team record, at the time, eight sacks in his first season. In fact, from 1977-1978, Klecko had at least one sack in 10 straight games. But his most impressive season came in 1981. During that time he put up an absurd 20.5 sacks, earning him Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors, while missing out on Defensive Player of the Year. In his career, he would be selected to the Pro Bowl four times and finish his tenure with the Jets with 78 sacks.
2. RB Curtis Martin (1998-2005)
One of the greatest running backs of all time in the NFL, Martin is the only Jets player to amass 10,000 or more rushing yards during his career in New York, posting 10,302. He also has the top three single-season yardage totals in Jets history. The five-time Pro Bowler compiled 1,000-yard seasons in each of his first seven years with the team and his first 10 years in the NFL. Despite all that success, the best season of his career came in 2004, Martin’s second-to-last season in the NFL, in which he won the rushing touchdown with 1,697 yards.
1. QB Joe Namath (1965-1977)
Broadway Joe, as he was popularly known, brought the Jets their only Super Bowl title, leading the team to a victory in Super Bowl III against the Baltimore Colts and collecting the Super Bowl MVP. Namath had several notable accomplishments during his career, including becoming the first QB to pass for over 4,000 yards in a single season. It would be 12 years before anyone did so, with Dan Fouts surpassing that mark. In all, over his career, the confident righty was selected to five Pro Bowls, won an AFL championship, and was selected as a First Team All-Pro in 1968, while leading the league in passing yards on three separate occasions.
RESPECTED SPEECHES
- Al Toon
- Wayne Chrebet
- Freeman McNeil
- Gerry Philbin
- Larry Grantham
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