National Football League

Who are the 10 greatest Jets players ever?

Published Dec. 30, 2024 4:44 p.m. ET

One of the most famous franchises in NFL history, the New York Jets have stumbled into hard times regarding Super Bowls. Despite that, the franchise has had some remarkable 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 countless other all-time greats passing through for short stints with the team.

Of those greats, there were a few that established themselves 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 was able to become one of the league's best receivers in the late 1970s through the 1980s despite being legally blind in his left eye. He was named a Pro Bowler twice over the course of his career, while playing exclusively 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 throughout the prime of his career, earning seven Pro Bowl nods between the 2008-15 seasons. But he was also impressive as a rookie, allowing just a half-sack in 2006. That helped him garner some buzz for Offensive Rookie of the Year. More importantly, Mangold's prime aligned with the best seasons the Jets have had in recent memory. He played a key role in protecting Mark Sanchez and blocking for the Jets' running backs en route to their back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009 and 2010.

8. DE Mark Gastineau (1979-1988)

One of the key pieces of the "New York Sack Exchange," Gastineau instilled fear in opposing quarterbacks in the 1980s. He recorded at least 19 sacks three times over a four-year stretch between 1981-84, recording a then-record 22 sacks in the 1984 season. That helped him become the first player in NFL history to lead the league in sacks in back-to-back seasons. He was named a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in each season from 1981-85. When he retired from the NFL abruptly during the 1988 season, Gastineau's 107.5 sacks were the most in NFL history.

7. C Kevin Mawae (1998-2005)

The Jets had another great center preceding Mangold. Mawae spent the majority of his Hall of Fame career with the Jets, earning six Pro Bowl nods and five All-Pro (two first-team) honors over his eight seasons with the team. His streak of 177 straight games played in lasted for most of his Jets career as he was a key blocker for Curtis Martin's Hall of Fame career.

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

Arguably the best cornerback of the 21st century spent the majority of his career in the Meadowlands. Revis quickly emerged as not just one of the game's best cornerbacks, but also one of the best defensive players not long after the Jets drafted him in 2007. He was a Pro Bowler by his second season and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year in 2009. Some have argued that season as the best ever for a cornerback. Revis had six interceptions that year and held Hall of Fame receivers Andre Johnson and Randy Moss to fewer 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 get to 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 a 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 earn 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 in his time in the league, but was also the first player to sign with the AFL's New York Titans — who would later become the Jets. The most notable performance of his career came in Super Bowl III, when he posted an eye-popping line 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 just five players to record more than 50 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards in five different seasons. In the end, Maynard was selected to four Pro Bowls and four separate All-Pro teams.

3. DL Joe Klecko (1977-1988)

One of the most underrated players of his era, Joe Klecko is most notable for being the only player in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl at each of the positions across the defensive line. The former sixth-round pick delivered early for the team, collecting a team-rookie 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. That season he put up an absurd 20.5 sacks, earning him Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors, while just missing out on Defensive Player of the Year. In his career, he would be selected to the Pro Bowl four times and finish his Jets tenure with 78 sacks.

2. RB Curtis Martin (1998-2005)

One of the greatest running backs to ever lace up in the NFL, Martin is the only Jets player to accumulate 10,000 or more rushing yards in their tenure in New York, posting 10,302. He also has the three highest single-season rushing yard totals in Jets history. The five-time Pro Bowler put together 1,000-yard seasons in each of his first seven years with the team and each of 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, where he won the rushing title with a career-best 1,697 yards.

1. QB Joe Namath (1965-1977)

Broadway Joe, as he is most famously known, delivered the Jets their only Super Bowl title, leading the team to a win in Super Bowl III against the Baltimore Colts and collecting Super Bowl MVP. Namath had several notable accomplishments during his career, including being the first QB ever to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a single season. It would take 12 years before anyone else did so, with Dan Fouts surpassing that mark. Overall, for his career, the supremely confident righty was selected to five Pro Bowls, won an AFL championship, and was picked as a First-Team All-Pro in 1968, while also leading the league in passing yards three separate times.

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