NY Jets announce 5 team captains including one surprising omission

The NY Jets have announced their five team captains ahead of the start of the 2021 season. As voted on by the players, the team has chosen two offensive captains, two defensive captains, and one special teams captain.

Rookie quarterback Zach Wilson and wide receiver Corey Davis will be representing the offense. Defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi and linebacker C.J. Mosley will represent the defense. And Justin Hardee will be the lone special-teams representative.

The coaching staff will also choose one captain each week to go along with the five elected by the players.

There are a few notable takeaways from this including the selection of Wilson in his rookie season. But perhaps the most noteworthy is a player who was excluded — safety, Marcus Maye

The NY Jets announced their five captains and Marcus Maye is not one of them

Maye, the Jets' longest-tenured player, was one of four captains chosen by the team last year. Given that he's one of the team's most respected locker room leaders and that he was a captain last year, it seemed safe to assume that he would reprise that role once again.

Instead, the Jets opted to choose two defensive captains (after choosing just one last year) and neither of them is Maye.

Fatukasi gets the nod for the first time. Entering his fourth NFL season, Fatukasi is the longest-tenured player on the defensive line and has grown into a vocal leader of the unit.

Mosley gets the other spot after returning from what has essentially been a two-year absence. The four-time Pro Bowler was one of the most vocal and respected leaders in the NFL during his time in Baltimore so it's no surprise to see him receive the honor here.

As for the other three captains, none of them were on the roster a year ago. It is a little curious that Davis got the nod over Jamison Crowder who is one of the Jets' longest-tenured players.

However, Crowder's future with the organization remains uncertain and Davis is locked in as the No. 1 receiver.

Meanwhile, it is certainly noteworthy that Wilson was elected by his teammates before he's ever played in an NFL game. That speaks to his leadership and the respect he's already garnered in the locker room.

Especially when you consider that Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa wasn't even chosen to be a team captain.

Another incumbent captain who wasn't re-elected is right tackle George Fant. It probably speaks to the uncertain futures of Maye, Crowder, and Fant that they were passed up in favor of newcomers like Wilson, Davis, and Hardee.

A new era has arrived in Florham Park. And that new era will be ushered in by five new captains.