Dec 28, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New York Jets wide receiver
Eric Decker(87) runs for a touchdown during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
It’s time to continue choosing our All-Time New York Jets roster.
The Jets have a Ring of Honor. The Jets have created All-Decade teams. But, this will be our All-Time Jets roster, entirely selected by Jets fans. Over the last several days, we have been giving you five nominees at each position, and then putting it to you, the Jets fans for a vote. When we are all finished, we will reveal the Jet Press fan-selected All-Time New York Jets roster.
So far we have covered the quarterback position, as well as the running backs. Today, it’s the wide receivers. The five candidates again span the eras of Jets history, which is a fairly rich one at the position. We will take the top two onto the All-Time roster. So here are the candidates, followed by the poll at the end.
Next: Wesley Walker
We start in the 1980’s with the deep threat of the decade, Wesley Walker. Here are his career stats:
Walker spent 13 seasons in the NFL, all with the Jets. Walker’s 19 yards per reception tops the Jets All-Time list (not counting receivers with less than 20 receptions). He was elected to the Pro Bowl twice. In the 1982 playoffs, Wesley Walker stepped it up big time, averaging over 100 yards receiving per game in the Jets run up to the AFC Championship game.
Wesley Walker ranks second on the Jets All-Time receiving yard list with 8,306 yards and 71 touchdowns, doing all of it while blind in one eye.
Candidate number one, #85, Wesley Walker!
Next: Wayne Chrebet
I think every New York Jets fan in the universe knows who our next guy is. Wayne Chrebet took the world by storm, walking onto the Jets roster as an undrafted free agent in 1995, from their summer home of Hofstra University. He worked his way up the depth chart, making the team right away, and posting 66 receptions for 726 yards and four touchdowns. The rest goes down in New York Jets lore.
Wayne Chrebet was Mr. Third Down, moving the chains on 100 out of 127 third down receptions. Never afraid to go over the middle was what drew everyone to love Wayne Chrebet, but it also became his undoing, as concussions ended Chrebet’s career with the Jets early. He made a catch on third down against the Chargers in 2005, suffered one final concussion, and that was the end of his playing days.
But he will always be in the hearts of New York Jets fans. Our second candidate, #80, Wayne Chrebet!
Next: Laveranues Coles
For our next candidate, we look at a guy that was around for most of the last decade. Laveranues Coles was taken by the Jets in the third round of the 2000 draft. Coles took over a starting role in 2001, posting 868 yards receiving followed by a 1,264 yard performance with Chad Pennington in 2002. After leaving for two years in Washington in the Santana Moss trade, Coles returned in 2006 to post a career high 91 receptions to go along with his final 1,000 yard season. He spent two more years in New York, before an attempted third run in 2010 that failed.
Coles did his best work with the Jets in 2002 and 2006, forging his strongest bond with Chad Pennington, performing his best during Pennington’s best seasons.
He gave Jets fans great thrills for several years, and is fifth on the team’s All-Time receiving list. Our third candidate, #87, Lavernues Coles!.
Next: Al Toon
Wesley Walker was the deep threat, but with him was Al Toon, the possession receiver that made the perfect one-two punch for the Jets in the 1980’s. He was drafted by the Jets in the first round of the 1985 draft, and spent his entire eight year career in New York. For our younger group of fans, here are Toon’s career stats:
Receiving & Rushing
Toon was selected to the Pro Bowl three straight seasons, from 1986-1988. Toon was a great playoff performer for the Jets as well, posting three separate 90 yard performances. Unfortunately, concussions ended Al Toon’s career at the young age of 29.
Our number four candidate, #88, Al Tooooooooonnnnn!
Next: Don Maynard
We end with the leading Jets receiver of All-Time. Don Maynard actually began his career with the New York Giants before becoming the first player selected by the New York Titans, later to become the Jets. Here are his stats:
Receiving & Rushing
In the Super Bowl winning year, if you notice above, Maynard posted a whopping 22.8 yards per reception, and his career average while with the Jets was 18.7 yards per reception. He posted two touchdowns in the AFL title game against the Raiders in January of 1969, to help send the New York Jets to their only Super Bowl appearance.
He is the Jets All-Time receiving leader, our final candidate, #13, Don Maynard!
There are your five candidates. Vote in our poll below, the top two will make our All-Time Jets roster! Enjoy…
Select the best New York Jets Wide Receiver of All-Time.
Don Maynard
(59%, 46 Votes)
Wesley Walker
(15%, 12 Votes)
Wayne Chrebet
(14%, 11 Votes)
Al Toon
(6%, 5 Votes)
Laveranues Coles
(5%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 78
Next: Mock Draft: Jets Take Two Offensive Players in the First Two Rounds