Top 10 New York Jets from 1965 on

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The Jets have colorful, if not overwhelmingly successful history.  Sprinkled in that history is a smattering of great players. The first players on this list are fairly clear cut, but the second half of this list had a number of contenders for a few slots.  I’ll try to sprinkle in some guys who nearly made the top 10 in various comments. Also, you might notice I seem to be partial toward the Jets championship team and some of the early guys in general.  And we’re off.

10. Curtis Martin:  After beginning his career with three 1000+ rushing yards season with the New England Patriots, Martin went on to have an excellent career with the Jets.  Cutis rushed for over 100o yards in seven of his eight seasons with the Jets.  His finest season came in 2004 when he rushed for 1697 yards and was named All Pro.  Curtis is the Jets all-time leader in career rushing yards with 10,302. 

9. Freeman McNeil: I really considered going with one or two guys from the Jets championship team, namely Matt Snell and Emerson Boozer, but just couldn’t do it.  McNeil’s stats were just better and his career was longer.  Freeman played 12 years for the Jets.  He picked up 8074 yards and scored 38 TDs on the ground.  He also caught 295 passes for 2961 yards and 12 touchdowns.  Freeman was named to the Pro Bowl three times and named to the All Pro team once.  For his career, Freeman averaged an impressive 4.5 yards per carry.

8. George Sauer:  The Jets have had plenty of noteworthy receivers over the years.  Saur’s stats don’t necessarily jump out at you until you take a closer look.  Saur played only six seasons with the Jets but made the Pro Bowl four times and was named All Pro twice.  George led the NFL in receptions with 75 in 1967.  Saur gets bonus points for a huge performance in Super Bowl III.  In one of the biggest games in the history of the NFL, George caught eight passes for 133 yards.  Saur’s stats would be much more impressive if he hadn’t retired in his prime after the 1970 season due to disillusionment with football.

7.  Larry Grantham:  Here’s a seriously old school pick of a 210 pound linebacker.  Granthan started with the Jets before they were Jets.  Larry goes back to 1960, when the Jets were the Titans.  Starting in 1960, Grantham played through 1972.  In those 13 seasons, Grantham was a five time Pro Bowler and a five time All Pro.  Admittedly, all those All Pro season were before 1965, but some of those Pro Bowl seasons were not.  Larry was a member of the Jets Super Bowl championship team and picked off 24 passes in his career and also recovered 10 fumbles.

6. Marvin Powell:  Marvin Powell was a fixture in the Jets offensive line from his right tackle position from 1977-85.  During his tenure in New York, Marvin was named to the Pro Bowl five times and was three times named All Pro.  Marvin also wrote a newspaper column and was elected president of the players’ union.  All in all, Marvin had a productive and interesting career.

5. Mark Gastineau:  Gastineau was the most dynamic pass rusher in the history of the Jets.  From 1983-85 his sack totals were 19.0- 22.5-13.5.  He led the NFL in sacks in 1983 and 1984.  Gastineau was named to the Pro Bowl five times and All Pro three times.  Mark was part of the famed Jets New York Sack Exchange during the 80s.  Sacks weren’t official NFL stats until 1982 though Gastineau unofficially had 20 in 1981.  Gastineau retired abruptly during the during the 1988 season to care for his then fiancé, Bridgitte Nielsen.  It was an unusual ending to a spectacular, though somewhat bizarre career.

4. Darrelle Revis:  Revis was one of the premier shutdown corners in the history of the NFL.  While TV fans may be familiar with Gilligan’s Island, for Jets fans, Revis Island drew rave reviews.  Revis Island was located in the Jets defensive backfield for eight seasons.  He was named to the Pro Bowl five of those years and was named All Pro four times.  I found it interesting that Revis was named to the Pro Bowl and All Pro in 2010.  In that season he had no interceptions.  That’s how much opposing offenses respected him.  For his tenure in New York, he intercepted 25 passes and recovered 10 fumbles.

3. Don Maynard:  To say that Don Maynard came to the Titans/Jets as unheralded is an understatement.  He actually started with the Jets in the first year of their existence, 1960.  He proceeded to play for the team for 13 seasons.  During that time he caught 627 passes for 11,732 yards and 88 TDs.  He was a serious long ball threat, averaging 18.7 yards per catch.  In 1965 he led the NFL with 14 TD receptions.  In 1967 Maynard led the NFL in receiving yards with 1434.  In 1968 Don led the NFL in yards per catch with a career high 22.8. 

2. Joe Klecko:  Klecko was a contemporary of Mark Gastineau and a part of the Jets New York Sack exchange.  In 1981 Klecko unofficially led the NFL in sacks with 20.5.  During his 11 seasons with the Jets, Klecko excelled at three different positions in the Jets defensive line.  Joe was a four time Pro Bowler and two time All Pro.  Not only was Klecko a great defensive lineman for the Jets, he was a versatile one.

1.  Joe Namath:  Statistically there’s no way Joe belongs on this list, let alone at the top of it.  Of course there’s so much more to Joe Namath’s story than statistics.  For the record, in his 12 seasons with the Jets, Joe’s passing rating was 65.5.  Joe threw 173 TD passes, but 220 picks.  In Joe’s case, that ultimately isn’t the story.  His leading the Jets to a win in Super Bowl III is.  That was probably the biggest game in the NFL since1965.  Plus, Joe gets huge style points.  Namath was one of the most influential athletes in New York in my lifetime.