Who are the 10 greatest Jets players ever?

One of the vital well-known franchises in NFL historical past, the New York Jets have stumbled into arduous occasions relating to Tremendous Bowls. Regardless of that, the franchise has had some exceptional expertise take the sphere.

All through New York’s franchise historical past, the Jets have seen 20 gamers inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame, with numerous different all-time greats passing by way of for brief stints with the crew.

Of these greats, there have been a couple of that established themselves as a minimize above the remaining. So, let’s check out the ten greatest gamers in Jets historical past.

10. WR Wesley Walker (1977-1989)

Walker was in a position to change into one of many league’s greatest receivers within the late Nineteen Seventies by way of the Eighties regardless of being legally blind in his left eye. He was named a Professional Bowler twice over the course of his profession, whereas taking part in completely for the Jets, and led the NFL in receiving yards in his second season with 1,169. He completed his profession second in franchise historical past in receptions (438), receiving yards (8,306) and receiving touchdowns (71).

9. C Nick Mangold (2006-2016)

Mangold was a Professional Bowl mainstay all through the prime of his profession, incomes seven Professional Bowl nods between the 2008-15 seasons. However he was additionally spectacular as a rookie, permitting only a half-sack in 2006. That helped him garner some buzz for Offensive Rookie of the Yr. Extra importantly, Mangold’s prime aligned with the most effective seasons the Jets have had in latest reminiscence. He performed a key position in defending Mark Sanchez and blocking for the Jets’ working backs en path to their back-to-back AFC Championship Recreation appearances in 2009 and 2010.

8. DE Mark Gastineau (1979-1988)

One of many key items of the “New York Sack Trade,” Gastineau instilled worry in opposing quarterbacks within the Eighties. He recorded not less than 19 sacks thrice over a four-year stretch between 1981-84, recording a then-record 22 sacks within the 1984 season. That helped him change into the primary participant in NFL historical past to guide the league in sacks in back-to-back seasons. He was named a Professional Bowler and an All-Professional in every season from 1981-85. When he retired from the NFL abruptly through the 1988 season, Gastineau’s 107.5 sacks had been essentially the most in NFL historical past.

7. C Kevin Mawae (1998-2005)

The Jets had one other nice heart previous Mangold. Mawae spent the vast majority of his Corridor of Fame profession with the Jets, incomes six Professional Bowl nods and 5 All-Professional (two first-team) honors over his eight seasons with the crew. His streak of 177 straight video games performed in lasted for many of his Jets profession as he was a key blocker for Curtis Martin’s Corridor of Fame profession.

6. CB Darrelle Revis (2007-2012, 2015-16)

Arguably the most effective cornerback of the twenty first century spent the vast majority of his profession within the Meadowlands. Revis rapidly emerged as not simply one of many sport’s greatest cornerbacks, but additionally among the best defensive gamers not lengthy after the Jets drafted him in 2007. He was a Professional Bowler by his second season and completed second in Defensive Participant of the Yr in 2009. Some have argued that season as the most effective ever for a cornerback. Revis had six interceptions that yr and held Corridor of Fame receivers Andre Johnson and Randy Moss to fewer than 40 receiving yards in his matchups towards them. Revis’ efficiency that yr helped the Jets attain the AFC Championship Recreation. He helped the Jets get to that stage once more in 2010, recording his third of 5 Professional Bowl seasons with the crew that yr.

5. OT Winston Hill (1963-1976)

Lastly inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2020, Hill spent 14 of his 15 NFL seasons with the Jets. Referred to as among the best go protectors of his period, Hill was a driving drive that allowed QB Joe Namath to change into the primary QB to go for 4,000 yards in a season. He additionally helped the crew earn back-to-back division titles in 1968 and 1969, beginning at left deal with in each seasons. On the time of his retirement, Hill held the Jets’ document, beginning 174 straight video games throughout his time with the crew.

4. WR Don Maynard (1963-1972)

Maynard was a star receiver in his time within the league, however was additionally the primary participant to signal with the AFL’s New York Titans — who would later change into the Jets. Essentially the most notable efficiency of his profession got here in Tremendous Bowl III, when he posted an eye-popping line of six catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, along with his second landing proving to be the game-winner within the fourth quarter. On the time of his retirement, Maynard was one in every of simply 5 gamers to document greater than 50 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards in 5 completely different seasons. Ultimately, Maynard was chosen to 4 Professional Bowls and 4 separate All-Professional groups.

3. DL Joe Klecko (1977-1988)

One of the vital underrated gamers of his period, Joe Klecko is most notable for being the one participant in NFL historical past to be chosen to the Professional Bowl at every of the positions throughout the defensive position. The previous sixth-round decide delivered early for the crew, amassing a team-rookie document, on the time, eight sacks in his first season. Actually, from 1977-1978, Klecko had not less than one sack in 10 straight video games. However his most spectacular season got here in 1981. That season he put up an absurd 20.5 sacks, incomes him Professional Bowl and First-Group All-Professional honors, whereas simply lacking out on Defensive Participant of the Yr. In his profession, he can be chosen to the Professional Bowl 4 occasions and end his Jets tenure with 78 sacks.

2. RB Curtis Martin (1998-2005)

One of many biggest working backs to ever lace up within the NFL, Martin is the one Jets participant to build up 10,000 or extra speeding yards of their tenure in New York, posting 10,302. He additionally has the three highest single-season speeding yard totals in Jets historical past. The five-time Professional Bowler put collectively 1,000-yard seasons in every of his first seven years with the crew and every of his first 10 years within the NFL. Regardless of all that success, the most effective season of his profession got here in 2004, Martin’s second-to-last season within the NFL, the place he gained the speeding title with a career-best 1,697 yards.

1. QB Joe Namath (1965-1977)

Broadway Joe, as he’s most famously identified, delivered the Jets their solely Tremendous Bowl title, main the crew to a win in Tremendous Bowl III towards the Baltimore Colts and amassing Tremendous Bowl MVP. Namath had a number of notable accomplishments throughout his profession, together with being the primary QB ever to go for greater than 4,000 yards in a single season. It could take 12 years earlier than anybody else did so, with Dan Fouts surpassing that mark. Total, for his profession, the supremely assured righty was chosen to 5 Professional Bowls, gained an AFL championship, and was picked as a First-Group All-Professional in 1968, whereas additionally main the league in passing yards three separate occasions.

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