In this article, we're going to analyze what jersey number has been the most successful for the Jets in their history. Of course, we're not going to count each and every player who wore the jersey, in the interest of simplicity, we're just going to focus on players who made a respectable contribution to the Jets.
Scoring System
So how will we evaluate these jersey numbers? We're focusing on 6 criteria and assigning different point values for each. They are as follows:
Hall of Famer as a Jet (HOF)* = 5
Super Bowl winner (SB) = 4
Ring of Honor Inductee (ROH)* = 3
All Pro 1st team (AP1) = 2
Pro Bowl (PB) = 1
Playoff win (PW) = 1
*When I calculated all the numbers, there were five players I projected to be future Ring of Honor inductees: Chad Pennington, Shaun Ellis, Darrelle Revis, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and Nick Mangold. I also projected Revis to be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2023, his first year of eligibility. Those players received credit as an inductee and have an asterisk next to their name.
From there, we will reveal the Top 10. Tiebreakers are broken by whichever jersey number ranked higher in the highest scoring categories.
The Rankings
1. #24 41 points
Johnny Sample (2 PW, SB), Freeman McNeil (1 AP1, 3 PB, ROH, 3 PW), Ty Law (1 PB), Darrelle Revis (3 AP1, 5 PB, ROH*, HOF*, 4 PW)
Only 11 players have worn #24 in Jets history. But the level of productivity from the players who have worn #24 is simply unmatched. Sample played his final 3 years with the Jets and provided the Jets with leadership they needed in their quest to the Super Bowl. He had a remarkable 17 interceptions in those 3 seasons. McNeil played 12 seasons for Gang Green, receiving most of his accolades in his first five years. Ty Law came over during the Brett Favre year and made a Pro Bowl. And simply put, we may never see a cornerback as good as Darrelle Revis ever again. Chances are he will make the Hall of Fame in 2023, and that would add another 5 points to this score!
Other notables: Ray Mickens.
2. #60 34 points
Larry Grantham (5 AP1, 5 PB, 2 PW, ROH, SB), D'Brickashaw Ferguson (3 PB, ROH*, 4 PW)
Only seven Jets have worn #60, but two of them have left an undeniable impact on the history of the franchise Grantham is on the only Jet to play the inaugural game with the Titans and also play in Super Bowl 3. He made the first All Pro team in each of his first five seasons and 8 All Pro teams in 9 years. And Brick's durability has been well documented, missing just snap in his ten years. He may never have been the best left tackle in the league, but he was tough, reliable, and solid.
Other notables: Dan Alexander, Connor McGovern
3. #99 22 points
Mark Gastineau (3 AP1, 5 PB, ROH, 3 PW), Bryan Thomas (4 PW), Jason Taylor (1 PW)
Gastineau leads this group with a mound of individual accolades and his Ring of Honor induction. Although Thomas never became the elite pass rusher the Jets were hoping for, he still hung around for 11 years.
Other notables: Hugh Douglas, Steve McLendon
4. #12 21 points
Joe Namath (1 AP1, 5 PB, ROH, HOF, 2 PW, SB)
There really wasn't any way this list would leave Joe Willie, now would it? The franchise's leader in passing yards, TD's, and their only Super Bowl MVP. Three players wore #12 before him, and no one would wear it ever again after Namath left the Jets in 1976.
Other notables: Al Dorow
5. #75 21 points
Winston Hill (8 PB, ROH, HOF, 2 PW, SB)
Hill is one of those Jets that has gone a little under the radar in retrospect. No Jet has made more Pro Bowls than this left tackle, who played 15 years of pro football. Of his eight Pro Bowls, he made 5 at left tackle and 3 at left tackle.
Other notables: Siupeli Malamala, Alijah Vera-Tucker
6. #68 21 points
Kevin Mawae (2 AP1, 6 PB, ROH, HOF, 3 PW)
One man makes this number and it's the center from 1998-2005. Credit to Bill Parcells for signing him away from Seattle, helping to turn around what had been the worst offensive line in football just two years before. Mawae led the Jets offensive line to a long string of success. Without him Curtis Martin would not have had holes so large to run through. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2019 and it was well deserved.
Other notables: Reggie McElroy, Matt Slauson, Breno Giacomini, Kelvin Beachum
7. #83 21 points
George Sauer (2 AP1, 4 PB, ROH, 2 PW, SB), Jerome Barkum (1 PB), Santana Moss (2 PW)
This one would fly a little under the radar, but it goes to show that Sauer was an underappreciated part of the Jets offense. He played just six years but made four Pro Bowls in that time. Barkum played 12 seasons with the Jets from 1972-1983, and was a steady contributor. Moss had four years as a Jet before being traded to Washington, where he would play the bulk of his career.
Other notables: Jo-Jo Townsell, Chansi Stuckey
8. #13 20 points
Don Maynard (1 AP1, 4 PB, ROH, HOF, 2 PW, SB)
It's all about one player. The late great Maynard was one of the most prolific WRs in NFL history. Over 11,000 yards and 88 touchdowns and he caught two pivotal catches in the 1968 AFL title game that propelled the Jets to Super Bowl 3. Without him, Namath would never have been as good a quarterback as he became.
Other notables: Dave Jennings
9. #81 20 points
Gerry Philbin (2 AP1, 2 PB, ROH, 2 PW, SB), Dustin Keller (4 PW)
Had sacks been an official stat when Philbin was a player, he would have recorded double digits in four straight seasons. Tight end is not a position where the Jets have traditionally been strong, but Keller is one of the best in recent memory, as he caught 17 TDs and had nearly 3,000 yards in his brief 5-year career.
Other notables: Derrick Gaffney, Terance Mathis, Justin McCareins, Quincy Enunwa
10. #74 20 points
Abdul Salaam (2 PW), Nick Mangold (2 AP1, 7 PB, ROH*, 4 PW)
Salaam is the least heralded member of the NY Sack Exchange but he played eight seasons wit the Green and White. And for a franchise that ha a great history of centers, Mangold be the best, making 7 Pro Bowls in his 11 seasons. It's worth noting if Mangold does ever get elected to the Hall of Fame, #74 would be elevated to the #3 ranking on this list.
Other notables: Erik Howard, Ryan Young
Honorable mention: #79 18 points
Sherman Plunkett (2 PB), Marvin Powell (3 AP1, 5 PB, ROH, 2 PW)
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