The 10 best defensive linemen in the history of the New York Jets

If there's one position group the NY Jets have consistently boasted talent in, it would be the defensive line. From the glory days of the New York Sack Exchange to the recent Robert Saleh era, the Jets have seemingly always had talented defensive lines.

Some of the most famous and legendary players in Jets history played along the defensive line. The team's front four was the basis for their success in the early-to-mid 1980s, and the unit helped carry the Jets' defense to consecutive AFC Championship Games in 2009 and 2010.

The Jets are synonymous with excellent defensive lines. That's why it was particularly challenging to put together a list of the best defensive linemen in franchise history.

How can you even begin to narrow down the wide list of options? Well, here's how we approached it.

Criteria for selection

As with every all-time list, there isn't one single metric that can be used to determine the "best" defensive linemen in a team's history. The task is made even more challenging when faced with the question: Who qualifies as a defensive lineman?

For the purposes of this list, we will be including all defensive ends, defensive tackles, and 3-4 outside linebackers. That means players like Calvin Pace or Bryan Thomas will be counted as defensive linemen and not linebackers.

We're also grouping together every position on the defensive line. Nose tackles, 3-tech interior pass rushers, 3-4 defensive ends, and traditional 4-3 ends are all included.

We will be ranking these players based on a combination of team success, individual success, awards, accolades, longevity, memorable moments, overall impact, etc. Only contributions as a member of the Jets will be considered, which means someone like Hugh Douglas won't make the cut.

Before we begin, a few honorable mentions are in order for the likes of Calvin Pace, Bryan Thomas, Abdul Salaam, Jason Ferguson, Marvin Washington, and Mike DeVito, who all narrowly missed the list. There were some tough cuts.

The top 10 defensive linemen in NY Jets history

10. Muhammad Wilkerson

Many Jets fans might be scarred by how Muhammad Wilkerson's tenure with the Jets ended, which is why it's easy to forget that he was one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL for a few years.

The 30th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Wilkerson developed into a key piece in Rex Ryan's and later Todd Bowles' defenses, earning second-team All-Pro honors in both 2013 and 2015.

His 12 sacks in 2015 were the most by a Jets player in over a decade and he ranks ninth all-time in franchise history in total sacks. Unfortunately, his production declined heavily after receiving his five-year, $86 million extension, leading to his departure just two years later.

Wilkerson's Jets career may have ended on a sour note, but he still deserves recognition for the heights he reached in green and white. He earned a spot on this list.

9. Marty Lyons

The first of three New York Sack Exchange members on this list (sorry Abdul Salaam), Marty Lyons was never the superstar that his fellow defensive linemen were during his time with the Jets.

Lyons spent 11 years with the Jets between 1979 and 29189, appearing in 147 games and racking up 43 sacks. A bit undersized at just 269 pounds, Lyons rotated all along the Jets' defensive line but his best days came as more of a 1-tech defensive tackle.

Lyons didn't put up the gaudy sack numbers that the likes of Joe Klecko and Mark Gastineau did. Instead, he was the unheralded dirty-work guy on the Jets' defensive line.

The former first-round pick is still beloved by Jets fans to this day for his work on and off the field. Lyons is a member of the Jets' Ring of Honor and is one of only two players in franchise history to be named Walter Payton Man of the Year. Give this man his flowers.

8. Quinnen Williams

It's still early, but Quinnen Williams has already established himself as one of the best defensive linemen in Jets history. He'll likely only continue to climb this list in the coming years.

The third overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Williams took a couple of years to fully find his footing in the NFL. His true breakout into superstardom came in 2022 when he finished with a team-high 12 sacks en route to being named first-team All-Pro, the first Jets defensive lineman to earn that honor since John Abraham in 2001.

Williams followed that up with another outstanding season in 2023, earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod. His four-year, $96 million extension signed prior to the 2023 season was the largest contract given out in Jets history.

The future remains bright for one of the NFL's best defensive linemen. Time will tell just how far up he can climb on this list.

7. Verlon Biggs

One of the most often overlooked pieces of the Jets' Super Bowl III team, Verlon Biggs is one of the best defensive ends in franchise history, even if his name is seldom mentioned when discussing the greats.

A third-round pick in the 1965 AFL Draft, Biggs recorded eight sacks as a rookie before breaking out with a 12.5-sack season in 1966, earning second-team All-AFL honors in what would arguably be his best season.

Biggs added 25.5 sacks and two more Pro Bowl nods over the next two seasons, helping lead the Jets to a victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. His forced fumble at the start of the second half of that game helped extend the Jets' lead to 10-0 at the time.

Biggs would leave the Jets following the 1970 season following a dispute and finish his career with four productive campaigns in Washington.

The beauty of lists like this is that we have the opportunity to discuss players like Biggs who are oftentimes forgotten in Jets history. He deserves to be recognized for his contributions.

6. John Elliott

John Elliott doesn't have the longevity that some of the other players on this list do, but for three years, the Texas native was a cornerstone of the Jets' defense and one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL.

Elliott's first season as a starter came in 1968 when he helped lead the Jets to a victory in Super Bowl III, earning second-team All-AFL honors following a 10-sack season.

Elliott would record three straight seasons of 10+ sacks as a defensive tackle between 1968 and 1970, earning three Pro Bowl/All-Star nods and earning first-team All-AFL honors in 1969.

A knee injury suffered in 1971 would derail Elliott's career and eventually force him into an early retirement, but for his contributions as a part of that Super Bowl team and his peak dominance, Elliott deserves a spot on this list.

5. Shaun Ellis

Now we get into the real heavy hitters on this list. The 12th overall pick in the Jets' historic 2000 draft class, Shaun Ellis spent 11 seasons with the organization between 2000 and 2010, playing under four different head coaches in the process.

Ellis burst onto the scene as a rookie, racking up 8.5 sacks, the second-most by a rookie in franchise history. He'd go on to anchor the Jets' defensive line for the next decade, serving as an excellent pass rusher and an even better run defender.

Ellis has two Pro Bowl nods to his name and ranks third all-time in Jets history with 72.5 sacks behind only Mark Gastineau and Joe Klecko. His 170 games played as a member of the Jets also ranks 10th in franchise history and first among all defensive linemen.

While Ellis was never a true superstar like the others above him on this list, his consistency and longevity make him one of the best defensive linemen to ever play for the Jets.

4. John Abraham

Drafted one spot after Ellis in that famous 2000 NFL Draft was John Abraham, and while Abraham didn't have the same longevity that his draft-mate did, his peak gives him a slight edge.

In many ways, Abraham is the last great Jets edge rusher. A three-time Pro Bowler and one-time first-team All-Pro as a member of the Jets, Abraham tallied 53.5 sacks over six years with the Jets before he was controversially traded to the Atlanta Falcons.

Still in those six seasons, Abraham did enough to rank sixth all-time in franchise history in sacks and he's one of only three Jets defensive ends to earn first-team All-Pro honors.

A pair of injury-riddled campaigns and a premature departure prevented Abraham from becoming an all-time Jets legend, but he's absolutely worthy of a spot in the top five of this list.

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3. Gerry Philbin

Arguably the best defensive players on the Jets' Super Bowl-winning roster, Gerry Philbin was the organization's first great defensive lineman. Philbin joined the Jets as a rookie in 1964, and by 1966, he had already recorded his first double-digit sack season.

The Buffalo product would record 48.5 sacks between 1966 and 1969, earning first-team All-AFL honors and consecutive Pro Bowls in 1968 and 1969. He was a key part of the Jets' championship defense in Super Bowl III.

Philbin is a member of the Jets' Ring of Honor, a member of the AFL All-Time Team, and ranks fourth in franchise history with 65.0 sacks. He's the greatest Jets defensive lineman who wasn't a part of the New York Sack Exchange.

Speaking of the New York Sack Exchange...

2. Mark Gastineau

Mark Gastineau is the best pure pass rusher in Jets history. A second-round pick in the 1979 NFL Draft, Gastineau quickly established himself as one of the most feared pass rushers in football, recording 20.0 sacks in just his third season in the league.

Gastineau became the first player in NFL history to lead the league in sacks in consecutive seasons when he tallied 19 sacks in 1983 before setting a new NFL record with 22 sacks in 1984.

The flashy and always boastful Gastineau became known for his famous sack dance, a bragging ritual opposing quarterbacks got to see quite a bit throughout his career. Gastineau finished his career with a franchise-record 107.5 sacks, a figure that ranks 43rd all-time in NFL history.

Gastineau is widely seen as one of the most feared pass rushers in NFL history and is well remembered for his days as part of the New York Sack Exchange. He'd rank No. 1 on this list if not for his longtime teammate.

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1. Joe Klecko

Joe Klecko didn't always have the same gaudy numbers or flashy attitude that Gastineau did, but you aren't going to find a more complete and dominant defensive lineman in Jets history. He was the standard.

A sixth-round pick in the 1977 NFL Draft, Klecko wasted little time outperforming his draft stock, recording eight sacks in his first season. His best year came in 1981 when he was credited with an unofficial 20.5 sacks, earning first-team All-Pro honors and finishing as the runner-up for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award.

Klecko would go on to make an All-Pro team at three different positions, showcasing his remarkable versatility along the defensive line. The Jets lined him up everywhere from defensive end to nose tackle, all the while Klecko remained a dominant and steadying force up front.

Klecko was finally recognized among the NFL's elite when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023 — 35 years after his retirement. For his combination of dominance, longevity, accolades, and overall impact, Klecko deserves to be called the best defensive lineman in Jets history.

The 10 best defensive linemen in NY Jets history by sacks