Jets Dream Team: Our picks for Gang Green's best ever

They began as the Titans in 1960, morphed into the Jets in 1963 and made their indelible mark on pro football history with arguably the greatest upset ever. On Jan. 12, 1969, Joe Namath led them to their first and only Super Bowl victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts.

In many ways, Jets' history starts and ends with Namath, because his achievement remains the greatest in franchise history. He quarterbacked his team to victory more than half a century ago, and he quarterbacks Newsday's Jets’ all-time team.

That was the no-brainer choice on this list, and while there were a handful of close calls on some positions – including running back, safety and linebacker – most positions were clear-cut. While no championships have come after Namath’s 16-7 signature win over the Colts in Super Bowl III, some outstanding careers have been produced from the team’s infancy at the Polo Grounds, to Shea Stadium, then the Meadowlands and now at MetLife Stadium.

It’s a nice mix of distant past and more recent past on this list, with Hall of Famers sprinkled in with some very good, albeit not elite players. The hope for Jets fans, of course, is that some of the young talent from today’s team will one day make this list, but it will certainly take some doing to achieve the kind of success this team of all-stars achieved during the good times of the ‘60’s and the not-quite-as-good-times of the years since.

THE COACH

Weeb Ewbank

The diminutive coach had the perfect personality to deal with the swashbuckling Namath, who became “Broadway Joe” and captured New York’s imagination on and off the field. Ewbank once coached Johnny Unitas with the Colts and led them to two NFL titles, but after being fired at the conclusion of the 1962 season, he was hired by the Jets to help the fledgling franchise. After Namath came to the team in 1965, Ewbank built a championship club in 1968 that pulled off the upset of his former team and coach Don Shula. Ewbank was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. Ewbank stressed sound fundamental football, but there was also creativity and imagination in his offense to tailor the system to Namath’s strength as a downfield thrower. It proved to be the perfect combination and Ewbank the perfect coach to handle a team with plenty of strong personalities.

THE QUARTERBACK

Joe Namath 

There are few individuals with more of a transformative impact on pro football — and pro sports overall — than Namath, who famously guaranteed that the Jets would beat the Colts in Super Bowl III and delivered on that vow. Namath was at the crossroads of the sport, as he gave credibility to the American Football League by signing with the Jets out of Alabama and challenged the NFL’s dominance in the football market. His signature win in the Super Bowl, punctuated by him pointing his right index finger into the sky to signify the Jets were indeed No. 1, provided the most important example that the upstart league could compete with the NFL and ultimately set the stage for the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Namath captivated New York, playing brilliantly on the field and enjoying nightlife as the city’s most eligible bachelor to create an aura that made him one of sports’ most iconic figures. Selected to the Hall of Fame in 1985, Namath continues to be an ambassador for the Jets and remains immensely popular.

THE RUNNING BACKS

Curtis Martin

Bill Parcells injected new life into the Jets in 1997, and his trade with New England for Martin in 1998 made the Jets legitimate playoff contenders. Martin did his best work in New York and finished his career with 14,101 rushing yards, leading the NFL with 1,697 yards at age 31 and earning a place in the Hall of Fame in 2012. In eight years with the Jets, Martin rushed for 10,302 yards and 58 TDs. 

Matt Snell

Freeman McNeil had almost twice as many rushing yards as Snell (8,074 to 4,285), but there might never be a Super Bowl III win without Snell, who could easily have been voted the game’s MVP over Namath with the way he dominated Baltimore’s defense: 30 carries for 121 yards and a TD. The Snell-Emerson Boozer backfield was exceptional, and Snell deserves a special place in Jets history for his tough inside running and signature performance in the Super Bowl.  

THE WIDE RECEIVERS

Don Maynard

After playing one season with the Giants in 1958, Maynard’s career took off with the Titans starting in 1960, when he had 1,265 receiving yards. He was one of the AFL’s most dominant receivers, and the Namath-to-Maynard connection was almost unstoppable. He finished his career with 11,834 yards and 88 touchdowns, and was selected for the Hall of Fame in 1987.

Wesley Walker

Ah, remember the days of Walker and Al Toon and all those magical passing days against the Dolphins back in the ‘80s? It made the Ken O’Brien-Dan Marino duels all the more fascinating. Walker was the true home-run hitter at receiver — something the Jets are STILL looking for — as he finished with 8,306 yards and 71 touchdowns.

THE TIGHT END

Mickey Shuler 

Shuler became a mainstay at tight end during a career in New York that lasted from 1978-89 before his final two NFL seasons with the Eagles. He had 37 touchdown catches and produced a career-high 879 receiving yards in 1985. The Jets have spent a lot of years and draft picks on trying to find quality tight ends since Shuler’s time, but it simply hasn’t worked out.

THE OFFENSIVE LINE 

Winston Hill, Tackle

Hill was inducted posthumously into the Hall of Fame in 2020, and no one was happier than Namath, who spent years telling anyone and everyone that his great left tackle deserved to be in Canton. Hill was an eight-time Pro Bowler in his 14 seasons with the Jets, one of the league’s most reliable blockers but also the consummate teammate that Namath always adored.

D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Tackle

Ferguson was one of the most consistent tackles in the NFL, and he was a big part of the Jets getting to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2009-10. He was a Pro Bowler both years and then again in 2011. You could always count on the former Freeport star being ready to answer the call; during his 10-year career with the Jets from 2006-2015, Ferguson never missed a single game.

Randy Rasmussen, Guard

From 1967-81, Rasmussen manned the left guard position with a quiet effectiveness that was often taken for granted. He was part of the Jets’ only Super Bowl team, and could be counted on to provide steady and reliable blocking in both the run and pass game. Rasmussen started 199 of the 207 games he played. Remarkable longevity.

Dave Herman, Guard

Herman became the starter at right guard in 1965, and didn’t relinquish the role until his retirement after the 1973 season. He was a two-time Pro Bowl player in 1968-69 and was a key member of the Super Bowl III winning offense whose outstanding run-blocking helped Snell run for 121 yards and a touchdown against the Colts.

Kevin Mawae, Center 

Parcells signed Mawae as a free agent from the Seahawks in 1998 and it proved to be a landmark acquisition. Mawae went on to play with the Jets until 2005 and then with the Titans until 2009. He anchored the Jets’ offensive line and rose to Hall of Fame stature. He made the Pro Bowl every year from 1999-2004 and was a first-team All Pro in 2001 and again in 2008 in Tennessee.

THE DEFENSIVE LINE

Mark Gastineau, End

One of the most electrifying defensive players of his or any era, Gastineau brought the sack dance to the NFL as part of the Jets’ famed “New York Sack Exchange.” He was a three-time first-team All Pro from 1982-84, and he led the NFL in sacks with 19 in 1983 and a career-high 22 in 1984. Gastineau played his entire career with the Jets from 1979-88 and retired with 107 ½ sacks.

Shaun Ellis, End

Ellis, one of four first-round picks in 2000, lasted the longest, playing 11 seasons in New York before joining the Patriots in 2011 for his final year. Ellis wasn’t flashy, but he was effective. A terrific run-stopper, he had a combined 23 ½ sacks in 2003-04 and finished with 73 ½ career sacks. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2003 and 2009.

Joe Klecko, Tackle

There wasn’t a position along the line he couldn’t play. Klecko was the only NFL player to make the Pro Bowl at three different spots along the line — defensive end, defensive tackle and nose tackle. He had a career-high 20 ½ sacks as a defensive end in 1981 as part of the Sack Exchange. He was a Pro Bowl defensive tackle in 1983-84 and was a first-team All Pro in 1985 after defensive coordinator Bud Carson switched him there. Klecko was selected as a Seniors Finalist for the Hall of Fame and hopes to be enshrined as part of the Class of 2023.

Marty Lyons, Tackle

A first-round pick out of Alabama, Lyons was one of the Jets’ most dependable and productive players in franchise history. He started as a rookie in 1979, and played in 147 games before a preseason arm injury ended his career in 1990. Lyons, another member of the vaunted “New York Sack Exchange,” finished with 43 sacks but was also known for his sure tackling and excellence against the run.

THE LINEBACKERS

Larry Grantham

Yes, Grantham was a part of the Super Bowl III team, but he was one of the Jets’ stars long before that.  A 15th-round pick of the Colts in 1960, Grantham signed with the Titans that year and became an immediate starter. He was a first-team All Pro his first five seasons with the Titans/Jets, and was selected for five Pro Bowls during a career that lasted until 1972. He had 24 career interceptions and would have been credited with 38 ½ sacks (sacks weren’t an official stat when he played).

Mo Lewis

You can make a case for Kyle Clifton as the next best linebacker — he has the record for most tackles in Jets history — but Lewis was the more complete player. He played from 1991-2003, earning first-team All Pro honors in 1998 and three Pro Bowl selections. Lewis might be known best for the hit he put on Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe in 2001, a play that knocked Bledsoe out of the lineup and signaled the start of Tom Brady’s legendary career.

David Harris

Harris was one of the NFL’s most underrated players during a career that ran from 2007-17. Playing most of his career at right inside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment, Harris was a big part of the Jets’ defense that went to back-to-back AFC title games in 2009-10. A sure tackler with great sideline-to-sideline speed and range, Harris finished with 1,088 tackles and 55 tackles for loss.

THE DEFENSIVE BACKS

Darrelle Revis, Cornerback

He was so good he had an island named after him. A first-round pick out of the University of Pittsburgh, “Revis Island” was the place that no receiver wanted to be. One of the greatest cover corners in NFL history, Revis is up for Hall of Fame honors next year, and he’s a shoe-in to have his bust in Canton. He played with the Jets from 2007-12 before being traded to the Buccaneers, and he returned to the Jets for two years after winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots. Revis was a four-time first-team All Pro and was selected to play in seven Pro Bowls.

Aaron Glenn, Cornerback

OK, so he wasn’t quite on the level with Revis, but Glenn’s coverage ability was elite nonetheless. And his tackling was impeccable. Glenn played with the Jets from 1994-2001 and earned back-to-back Pro Bowl nods in 1997-98 while playing for Bill Parcells. Glenn lasted 15 NFL seasons, a tribute to his remarkable consistency and durability.

Bill Baird, Safety

It’s not a deep group of safeties going back in Jets’ history, but Baird was one of the best and was a part of the Super Bowl III championship run. Baird’s best year came in 1964, when he had eight interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. He finished a seven-year career with 34 interceptions, with his last season coming in 1969.

Victor Green, Safety

Green became a starter in 1995 and was a steady presence in the defensive backfield through the 2000 season, never missing a start for five years beginning in 1996. He was part of Bill Parcells’ defense that helped the Jets to the AFC Championship Game in 1998. Green gets the nod over Jamal Adams, who may have had more talent, but simply wasn’t around long enough to make a more lasting impact.

THE SPECIAL TEAMS

Pat Leahy, Kicker

Leahy may not have been a Hall of Famer, but what a remarkable career. He played from 1974-91 — all with the Jets — a true testament to his talent and consistency. Leahy made 304 of his 426 field-goal attempts, earning first-team All Pro honors in 1978.

Curley Johnson, Punter

Johnson punted for the Titans/Jets from 1961-68 and was a member of their only championship team. He came to New York after a year with the Dallas Texans and finished his career with the Giants in 1969. He averaged 42.5 yards per punt with the Jets — considered a very respectable average in that era – and made the Pro Bowl in 1965.

Leon Washington, Returner

A fourth-round pick out of Florida State in 2006, Washington played four seasons in New York and had a combined four kickoff returns for touchdowns. He averaged 27.5 yards per kickoff return in 2007 and was a first-team All Pro a year later. Washington also played for the Seahawks, Patriots and Titans and retired after the 2014 season.

THE RADIO BOOTH

Bob Wischusen and Marty Lyons

Wischusen is one of the most talented play-by-play guys in the business, and Lyons has been by his side for a ride that began in 2002. It’s a good combination: Wischusen’s precision in calling out the plays and Lyons’ solid analysis has worked well over the years and provided a measure of stability that the radio booth simply hadn’t previously enjoyed.

By Bob Glauber

Special to NewsdayBobGlauber

Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”