A historic attribute to the best Jets wide receivers

 

George Sauer: 1965-1970

The dynamite receiver out of University of Texas was an integral role of the 1968 championship season and spent six years in the NFL all with the green and white retiring early at only age 27. Sauer rounded out the receiver duo with Hall of Famer Don Maynard and is frequently forgotten because he was the Robin to Maynard’s Batman. In only 84 games Sauer ranks sixth in Jets history with 4,965 receiving yards. He caught 309 passes and scored 28 touchdowns. Sauer had three seasons of over 1,000 yards in the air and led the league in catches with 75 in 1967 his first All-Pro season. In the Jets “super season” in ’68 Sauer was an AFL All-Pro, reeled in 66 passes from Broadway Joe accumulating 1,141 yards and three touchdowns. In the AFL championship game victory over the Raiders at Shea Stadium Joe Willie found Sauer seven times as #83 caught seven passes for 70 yards then in “The Guarantee Victory” over the Colts at the Orange Bowl made eight catches for 133 yards. Don Maynard who is the Jets GOAT receiver did not make a catch in the Super Bowl. Sauer made five catches for 66 yards in the playoff loss the following year to the Chiefs and was a four-time Pro Bowler.

Laveranues Coles: 2000-2002, 2005-2008

Fifth all-time in Jets receiving yards (5,941) and fourth in receptions (459), Laveranues led the team in the 2002 AFC East Division championship season with receptions (89) and receiving yards (1,264). Coles went to Washington in free agency the following year then returned in a trade for Santana Moss in 2005. In New York’s Wild Card season in 2006 Laveranues led Jet receivers in catches (91), yards (1,098), and touchdowns (6). In 105 games with Gang Green the wideout had 37 touchdowns.

Al Toon: 1985-1992

The 10th overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin, Al Toon is fourth in Jets receiving yards (6,605), third in catches (517), and hauled in 31 touchdown passes. Accrued the 1,000 plus yard threshold twice and made the Pro Bowl thrice in ’86, ’87, and ’88. Even though both were Wild Card losses Toon brought his A-game in the playoffs leading his team in catches and yards in two games. In 1985 vs. the Patriots the Wisconsin product notched nine catches for 93 yards from quarterbacks Ken O’Brien and Pat Ryan, then in 1991 vs. the Houston Oilers snagged eight passes from O’Brien for 96 yards and scored a touchdown. The explosive receiver with dynamic hands made NFL All-Pro in 1986 with 85 catches, 1,176 yards, and eight touchdowns and tallied fourteen receptions for 181 yards in a November 1988 win over the Dolphins.

Wayne Chrebet: 1995-2005

The hometown hero from Garfield, New Jersey who played college ball at Hofstra University was signed undrafted by the Jets in 1995. The nimble, scrappy, and tenacious local product nicknamed The Green Lantern with a blue-collar work ethic is third all-time in yards (7,365), and receiving touchdowns (41), and second in receptions (580). In 1998, during the AFC East Division championship season that resulted in a trip to the AFC championship game Chrebet caught 75 footballs culminating in 1,083 yards and found his way into the end zone eight times. In the loss to Denver in the AFC title game #80 tallied eight catches and registered 121 yards. In the “Monday Night Miracle” over the Dolphins in 2000 snared two touchdown tosses from Vinny Testaverde and seized a 32-yard catch and run in overtime to set up the John Hall game winning field goal to complete the epic comeback on Monday Night Football in East Rutherford. Chrebet summated three seasons of over 900 receiving yards and played 152 games for New York.

Wesley Walker: 1977-1989

Drafted 33rd overall in the 1977 NFL Draft out of University of California, Wesley Walker was known for his agility and a tremendous deep threat receiver. Blind in his left eye since birth, Wesley Walker spent thirteen years of service in an indelible Jets career playing 154 NFL games all as a Jet. Second in receiving yards (8,306), second in touchdowns (71), first in yards per reception (19), tied with tight end Mickey Shuler for fifth in receptions (438). Led the league his rookie year in yards per reception (21.1) and in yards his sophomore season in ’78 with 1,169, YPR (24.4.), and yards per game (73.1) while earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. Eight seasons averaging over twenty YPR. Accrued 1,016 yards on 49 catches with a dozen touchdowns in 1986. Walker had a four-touchdown game on September 21, 1986 in an improbable overtime win over Miami including a touchdown with zero seconds remaining in regulation snaring a laser from Ken O’Brien between five Dolphins defensive backs to send the game to overtime then in the extra session snared a 43-yard bomb from O’Brien in the end zone to win the ball game in East Rutherford. Walker’s longest career catch was a 96-yard TD in 1985. A member of all four Jets postseason teams in the 80’s in ’81, ’82, ’85, and ’86 under Walt Michaels then Joe Walton. In 1982 reeled in eight passes for 145 yards and a touchdown in the Wild Card game win over Cincinnati then laced seven throws from Richard Todd for 169 yards and a TD in the Divisional Playoff game win over the Raiders.

Don Maynard: 1960-1972

The GOAT Jets receiver hands down. Class of 1987 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee drafted by the Giants spending one season wearing blue in 1958 then, 1959 in the Canadian Football League and a member of the inaugural Jets season in 1960 when the team was called the New York Titans of the AFL wearing green until 1972. 172 games as a Jet, ranks first in yards (11,732), first in receptions (627), and touchdowns (88). Earned Pro Bowl honors four times and All-Pro merits once. Nicknamed “Country”, Maynard led the league in touchdown receptions in 1965 (14), yards and yards per game in 1967 (1,434 and 102.4) and in the World Championship season in 1968 with 22.8 YPR and 99.8 YPG. Five seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards. The Hall of Fame wideout caught six passes from Joe Willie Namath for 118 yards and scored two touchdowns in the 1968 AFL championship game triumph over the Raiders at Shea en route to shocking the world and flabbergasting the Colts while putting New York in euphoria after the Super Bowl III victory.