New York Jets: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time

• Signed a five-year, $17 million contract w/Jets in 1998, highest paid center at the time


• 6x Pro Bowl w/Jets (1999-2004)


• Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2019


• Member of New York Jets Ring of Honor

Although he was one of the most dominant centers in the NFL for nearly a decade, it seems as if Kevin Mawae has only recently been given the credit he truly deserves. Perhaps taken for granted during his playing career, Mawae’s recent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame has given fans the opportunity to shed light on what was an incredible career.

While he will be remembered best for his time with the Jets, New York isn’t the place that he first called home in the NFL. Mawae was originally drafted as a second-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 1994 and he spent the first few seasons of his career playing at offensive guard.

Mawae was shifted over to the center position and soon signed with the Jets ahead of the 1998 season to a 5-year, $17 million contract, making him the highest paid center at the time. It wasn’t until he joined the Jets that Mawae truly began to flourish as a professional.

The LSU product would serve as the Jets starting center for the better part of the next eight seasons, being named to six Pro Bowls and five First-Team All-Pro honors during his incredible run. Mawae led the way for the Jets’ supreme running game at the time led by the No. 1 entry on our list.

The former Seahawk was not only named to the New York Jets Ring of Honor for his efforts, but was named the starting center of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, securing his spot as the best of his era. Mawae will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the greatest offensive linemen of the 2000s and one of the greatest free agent signings in Jets history.

But he isn’t the best signing.

Next: No. 1