The New York Jets’ lone Super Bowl victory came in 1969. Despite that fact, the team has enjoyed several periods of success, many of which were made possible by a number of outstanding players. Looking back over the franchise’s more than six-decade history, here are the five players who experts agree are the best to ever don the green and white.
5. Mark Gastineau
The 1982 Defensive Player of the Year led the NFL in sacks in two consecutive seasons, one of only three players in NFL history to do so. Part of the Jets’ famed “New York Sack Exchange,” Gastineau was an integral part of the team’s run to the 1982 AFC Championship game.
The Arizona native was drafted by the Jets out of little-known Division II East Central Oklahoma State in 1979. He recorded two sacks in his first season, then exploded for 11.5 in 1980. His 22 sacks in 1984 set an NFL record that stood until 2001.
A flamboyant presence on and off the field , Gastineau was famous for his “Sack Dance.” He also wore a fur coat and was known to pull up to Manhattan nightclubs in his Rolls Royce. A former partner of Brigitte Nielsen, he abruptly ended his career in 1988 to care for the actress.
4. Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin found early success with the division rival Patriots, but spent most of his career with the Jets. A three-time All-Pro in New York, he is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.
This Hall of Famer was born and raised in Pittsburgh and played running back for Pitt. He won Rookie of the Year in 1995 while playing for the Patriots, rushing for 1,487 yards that year.
After being traded to the Jets ahead of the 1998 season, Martin ran for more than 1,000 yards in seven straight seasons. His career-best 1,697 yards in 2004 was also an NFL-best that year. Remarkably, he was 31 at the time, making him the oldest player in league history to win the rushing title.
Martin was on pace for another 1,000-yard season in 2005, but a knee injury with four games remaining in the season ended his career. Jets fans will forever remember his 182-yard, two-touchdown game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1998 playoffs, which stands as one of the greatest performances in Jets history.
3. Darrelle Revis
Another Pitt alum, this cornerback earned the nickname “Revis Island” for his ability to maroon opposing wide receivers to such an extent that their quarterbacks would rarely throw the ball his way.
Revis spent his first five seasons with the Jets, during which time he made four Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. He was a key part of the Jets teams that reached consecutive AFC Championship games in 2009 and 2010.
After winning a Super Bowl with the rival Patriots in 2015, Revis returned to the Jets for the following season, making another Pro Bowl that year. The most dominant cornerback of his era and a member of the Hall of Fame, he is considered by experts to the best defensive player in franchise history.
2. Don Maynard
Don Maynard first came to New York as a member of the Giants. After Big Blue cut him, he spent a season in the CFL, then returned to New York as the first player signed to the New York Titans (which later became the Jets). Countless other players have donned the green and white in the subsequent six decades, but few have achieved as much as Maynard.
Over his 13 seasons in New York, Maynard established himself as one of the greatest wide receivers in pro football history. His 11,732 receiving yards with the Jets is still a franchise record, as are his 627 catches and 88 touchdown receptions.
Maynard was Joe Namath’s favorite target and an integral part of the team that won the Jets’ only Super Bowl. Along with being an NFL Hall of Famer, he is a member of the AFL All-Time Team.
1. Joe Namath
There’s no debate when it comes to the number one player on this list. Simply put, Joe Namath is an icon. His flamboyance off the field helped earn him the nickname “Broadway Joe,” but he’s remembered so fondly because he could back up his swagger on the field.
After being drafted by the Jets in 1965, Namath led the AFL in passing yards twice and made two All-AFL teams. In 1968, he guided the Jets to the AFL Championship. New York was then slated to face off against the NFL champion Baltimore Colts.
Despite his team being a 19.5-point underdog, Namath famously guaranteed victory. Namath delivered on his promise, and the Jets beat the Johnny Unitas-led Colts. While New York’s defense deserved much of the credit, Namath played magnificently, turning in an MVP performance that saw him complete 17 of 28 passes. The win prompted the NFL to merge with the AFL, which up until then had been considered an inferior league. For Namath, the win made him a legend.
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