Let’s rank the Top 10 plays in New York Jets history: a fan project

We scoured available footage from years of New York Jets football. Now you, the fans, can choose the Mount Rushmore of plays.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 20: Quarterback Ken O'Brien #7 of the New York Jets drops back to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFL football game December 20, 1987 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. O'Brien played for the Jets from 1984-92.
Ken O'Brien, New York Jets (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

There is a rich history of NY Jets football to choose from, from Namath to Wilson

Who doesn’t love a Top 10 list?

It’s something to discuss and debate and use to show off your knowledge.

So we figured, as we wait for training camp on an exciting 2022 season, why not go back and rank the Top 10 plays in New York Jets franchise history?

It’s not easy to find the plays and the footage. Joe Namath may be the most famous Jets player of all time, but game film from him is surprisingly scarce.

Ken O’Brien was one of the longest-tenured Jets starting quarterbacks, but his tape is available in fits and starts.

What about The Sack Exchange? It’s easiest to find compilations of their hits, scattered bits and pieces of their sacks and forced fumbles, but not an actual play in context from beginning to end.

Still, we did our best to pull a wide range of highlights for fans to choose from.

Admittedly, there is a bias towards more recent plays. If more seasoned Jets fans find plays from the past that we missed, please let us know in the comments and we’ll add them to the list.

However, one caveat: the footage must be available. Otherwise, the play cannot be fairly judged by younger fans who did not see it.

As you are weighing these plays in your mind, keep in mind the balance between athleticism, the difficulty level of the play, and the game and season situation.

Some would argue that a play in the playoffs or Super Bowl will automatically have more weight than a regular season play. Others will judge purely based on the play itself, bereft of its context.

We are not going to tell you which way to go. After all, this is a fan poll.

Share it with your Jets fan friends. Get Jeremy Ruckert’s dad on here. Let’s vote!

Results will be shared in a later article.

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