In honor of the NFL's 100th birthday, the league's TV arm, NFL Network, summoned all kinds of juicy lists and debates. Since these things are largely subjective, there's rarely a right or wrong answer. And since New Yorkers love a good debate, we've tried to construct an All-NYC NFL team. Similar to the all Big Apple baseball team, we cobble together the best players to wear Jets and Giants uniforms. Today, we start with offense.
Quarterback
1. Joe Namath
To paraphrase the former Broncos linebacker and ESPN analyst Tom Jackson - Joe Namath may not have been the most important player in pro football history, but he won its most important game, when his AFL-best Jets whipped the NFL kings, the Baltimore Colts. Namath won that game, and nearly all his games, with the legs of a 70-year-old man. Consider Namath was the first QB in the AFL or NFL to throw for 4,000 yards - back in 1967 - and the NFL didn't saw it again until Dan Fouts finally did it in 1979. Sure, he barely completed half his passes, threw more picks than touchdowns, and finished with a losing career record. But we know why. While at Alabama, Namath blew out his knee, and was not gifted with today's medical wizardry. So the Jets wrapped Broadway Joe in gauze, and watched him limp his way to victory in Super Bowl III, into the Hall of Fame, and the top spot on this list, and still is the only franchise QB the Jets ever had.
Running Back
1. Curtis Martin
This was a tough one. Martin beats fellow Hall of Famer Frank Gifford by a neck, if not a nose. Both halfbacks were defined by class and decency, along with their production. But Martin was great for a longer time than Gifford, and the Gifford actually had more receiving yards than rushing yards. A five-time Pro Bowler, Martin rumbled for 14,101 yards, scored exactly 100 total touchdowns (90 rushing) and was first-team All-Pro just one time - at age 31. Lawrence Taylor may be the best player Bill Parcells ever coached. But his favorite player was Curtis Martin.
Wide Receiver
1. Don Maynard
The only Hall of Famer at his position on this list, Maynard was famously Namath's favorite target. Maynard caught the game-winning pass that broke the Raiders in that brutal AFL title game in 1968, And when you consider he played when running the ball was way more preferred than passing it, Maynard still ended his career with an astounding 11,834 receiving yards and 88 touchdown catches.
2. Amani Toomer
Did you know Toomer finished just 503 yards short of 10,000 for his career? Toomer arrived around the same time that wideouts were trending toward brands, with spastic TD dances, yearly contract demands, and me-first personas that have come to dominate the position today. Toomer was old school. He finished five seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards, and played just long enough to leave with a Super Bowl ring, courtesy of Eli and Tyree.
3. Wesley Walker
The second-most prolific WR in Jets history, Walker made first-team All-Pro in 1978, when he led the NFL in yards (1,169), yards per reception (24.4), and yards per game (73.1). Walker retired with 8,306 receiving yards and 71 TD grabs. He may have played with a slightly more gifted player, in Al Toon, but concussions truncated Toon's career. Longevity matters, and Walker earned his place here.
Tight End
1. Mark Bavaro
All you needed from Bavaro - who was built like the Hulk long before it was trendy for tight ends - was to watch his most famous catch on YouTube. On Dec 1, 1986, Bavaro caught a pass from Phil Simms down the middle and carried half the 49ers defense before they finally dragged him to the ground. It was jaw-dropping even by the macho standards of the NFL. Jeremy Shockey finished with more yards, but he was a hardcore narcissist. And Bavaro snagged two Super Bowl rings.
Tackle
1. Winston Hill
A key blocker for Matt Snell and the Jets in Super Bowl iII, Hill was an eight-time All-Pro - four times in the AFL, and four in the NFL. For decades, Hill was considered the best offensive lineman in Jets history, and was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Guard
1. Dave Herman
The picks at guard are hard. Teams don't usually place their best blockers at the position. But Herman will do. He spent ten years with the Jets, starting in their AFL days. He made the Pro Bowl twice, including their Super Bowl season, in 1968.
Center
1. Kevin Mawae
The Jets center was an eight-time Pro Bowler and twice was named first-team All-Pro (the second time with the Titans). A model of consistency, Mawae started at least 14 games in 14 seasons. He ended up where most feel he belongs - in the Pro Football Hall of Fame - and surely on this list. Cynics would assert that Mel Hein belongs here, but it's hard to rate players who wore leather helmets.
Guard
1. Chris Snee
Snee joined the Giants the same year Eli Manning arrived, in 2004. He played ten seasons, reached the Pro Bowl four times, was first-team All-Pro in 2008. And since we love winners, most will love Snee's two Super Bowl rings. Despite being married to Tom Coughlin's daughter, Snee earned every snap, and played 141 games in his ten years with Big Blue.
Tackle
1. Rosey Brown
Considering we don't really have tangible stats for offensive linemen - particularly those who played in the 1950s and '60s - Brown has a blinding resume. In 13 seasons - all with Big Blue - Brown was a nine-time Pro Bowler, and was named first-team All-Pro six times. Not shockingly, Brown ended his career where it belonged - the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in 1975. Brown also won an NFL title in 1956 and was part of the "Greatest Game Ever Played" against the Colts in the 1958 NFL title game.
