New York Jets Player of the Day: WR Don Maynard

In this series, we’ll be highlighting a different player from the New York Jets’ storied past. Today, we take a look at wide receiver Don Maynard.

One of the most prolific pass-catchers in NFL history, Don Maynard spent 13 of his 15 seasons with the New York Jets/Titans, putting up numbers that would still look incredible in today’s pass-happy league.

Maynard tallied five separate 1,000-yard seasons for the Jets, four of which were over 1,200 yards. He set career marks in receptions in 1960 (72), receiving yards in 1967 (1,434) and receiving touchdowns in 1965 (14). A big-play machine, Maynard averaged more than 20 yards per catch in four different seasons in New York, including a league-high mark of 22.8 in 1968.

In ’67, Maynard averaged more than 100 yards per game for the year (102.4), a feat he nearly repeated the following season (99.8).

And keep in mind, Maynard did all of this before the NFL moved from a 14-game schedule to a 16-game schedule for the regular season.

Maynard’s 13-year career with the Jets was sandwiched between a pair of one-year stints with the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals, though he would only make six total receptions for either team.

A four-time Pro Bowler, Maynard is the Jets’ all-time leading receiver in all three major categories: Receptions (627), receiving yards (11,732) and touchdown receptions (88). Maynard’s 11,834 total career receiving yards currently rank 29th in NFL history.

Maynard was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Not bad for a ninth-round pick in the 1957 NFL draft out of UTEP.

What’s your favorite Don Maynard memory? Share your story in the comment section!