Heavy on Jets
The New York Jets‘ quarterback position has been highly scrutinized in recent memory, but it has not been all doom and gloom for the franchise and its signal callers.
The Jets have had their fair share of quality quarterback play over time and have attracted a few veteran players toward the end of their careers to sign in free agency.
We considered multiple factors when compiling this list, including performance consistency, regular season success, postseason success, and overall impact on the team. Here are our 10 best Jets quarterbacks of all time.
10. Pat Ryan
Heavy on Jets with AIPat Ryan likeness.
Years as a Jet: 1978-1989
Pat Ryan’s career shows how much the Jets have struggled to secure a long-term franchise quarterback, but he embodied the perfect player for any franchise, despite the fact that he only started 19 games for New York. For an 11th-round pick, Ryan served the Jets well, as he was a more-than-serviceable backup for the majority of his career.
In that lone season as the starter — in his seventh season — Ryan was somewhat successful, leading the Jets to a 6-5 record, while throwing 14 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Although the statistical numbers leave much to be desired, Ryan managed the games, keeping the team within striking distance.
In addition, Ryan led New York to its first playoff victory in four years before suffering an injury that prohibited from playing in the divisional round.
Due to longevity and overall impact for a Jets franchise that was desperate for competent performance, Ryan is definitely deserving of a spot on this list.
9. Brett Favre
GettyFormer Jets QB Brett Favre during the NFL Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony in 2016.
Years as a Jet: 2008
It’s hard to envision Brett Favre anywhere but Green Bay, but the hall-of fame quarterback improved the image of the Jets franchise despite only spending one season in New York.
The Jets were viewed as a potential contender with quarterback as the missing piece to the puzzle prior to Favre’s arrival.
People may not remember, but before the season went completely south — especially after the former Packers’ quarterback tore his biceps — Favre led New York to a strong 8-3 start.
Favre played through the injury, which led to his performance dipping, as he threw 2 touchdowns and 8 interceptions over the final five games of the season. The Jets would lose four of their final five games, finishing with a 9-7 record and failing to secure a playoff spot in the process.
It is one of the biggest “what-if” situations, as Favre’s injury single-handedly derailed New York’s Super Bowl aspirations that season.
8. Richard Todd
GettyFormer Jets and Saints quarterback Richard Todd in 1984.
Years as a Jet: 1976-1983
Richard Todd was viewed as the apparent heir to legendary New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath but fell well short of those lofty expectations.
It was not because he was an outright terrible player, but Todd’s talent never aligned with dominating production. However, in 1981, Todd led the Jets to their first winning season in 12 years, and the following year had New York on the doorstep of a Super Bowl appearance before a heartbreaking loss to the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship game.
The top-end potential was never met, but Todd’s ability to give New York some playoff experience and a deep postseason run is something that Jets fans should not take for granted.
7. Boomer Esiason
GettyCBS sportscaster and former quarterback Boomer Esiason in 2022.
Years as a Jet: 1993-1995
After his long tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Jets acquired Esiason prior to the 1993 season, giving New York a solid starting quarterback.
However, with constant coaching turnover and inconsistency throughout the organization, Esiason never had a chance of succeeding.
Similar to the Favre situation, Esiason had the Jets well-positioned with a 7-4 record in the first 11 games of the 1993 season. To no surprise, New York lost four of the final five games and missed the playoffs, leading to a head coach firing.
Esiason never reached his hoped-for potential with the Jets, but the former Bengals quarterback was named a pro bowler in that same season.
6. Ryan Fitzpatrick
GettyRyan Fitzpatrick.
Years as a Jet: 2015-2016
For a journeyman who played for nine different teams during his time in the NFL, Fitzpatrick’s ability to find himself on this list is extraordinary. Although his tenure in New York was short-lived and, like some of his stops in the league, a flash in the pan, the 17-year veteran’s 2015 campaign was historic.
That season may have been the greatest season of any quarterback in franchise history, even though it did not lead to a much-deserved playoff berth.
Fitzpatrick would throw 31 touchdowns, breaking Joe Namath’s single-season record, while coming close to Namath’s passing yards record in the process.
Missing the playoffs could be viewed as a blemish on Fitzpatrick’s resume, but his performance in that one season should not go unrecognized.
5. Mark Sanchez
GettyMark Sanchez.
Years as a Jet: 2009-2012
Sanchez will always be remembered for the “Butt Fumble” in 2012, but he was the Jets’ quarterback during one of the franchise’s most successful periods.
The former 2009 first-round pick led New York to back-to-back AFC title game appearances in his first two seasons in the NFL, including knocking off the New England Patriots in 2010 en route to their second AFC championship game.
Sanchez would win four playoff games in his career with the Jets, throwing for 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions while completing 60% of his passes.
After those two seasons, Sanchez would never match that level of success for the rest of his career, but he was a great game manager with one of the best defenses in the league during that time.
As the starter for New York, Sanchez posted a 33-29 record, while throwing for 68 touchdowns and 69 interceptions.
4. Chad Pennington
GettyChad Pennington.
Years as a Jet: 2000-2007
Injuries derailed what could have been a significant career for Pennington, as he played only one full season as the Jets’ starting quarterback. The 18th-overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft took over the starting role in his third season, and his future looked bright.
Pennington would lead New York to what is now their most recent AFC East title in 2002 — his first season as the starter — leading the NFL in completion percentage (68.9).
As mentioned, injuries played a major part in Pennington’s inability to perform at a consistent level, most notably a shoulder injury that persisted throughout his career.
Despite these constant issues, Pennington was able to lead New York to three playoff appearances, which has only been done by one other quarterback in franchise history.
3. Ken O’Brien
GettyKen O’Brien.
Years as a Jet: 1984-1992
Drafting the one quarterback that did not pan out in a class that of John Elway, Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino adds that much more pain for Jets’ fans, but O’Brien was still heavily productive.
Over 11 seasons, the former 24th pick in the 1983 draft, threw for over 25,000 yards and had the lowest interception rate in the league three times and finished as the highest-rated passer in 1985.
The 50-55-1 record does not reflect the player that O’Brien was during his career. He may not have been a great quarterback like his draft class counterparts, but O’Brien was a very good quarterback during his nine-year tenure in New York.
2. Vinny Testaverde
GettyVinny Testaverde.
Years as a Jet: 1998-2003, 2005
After being selected first overall in the 1987 draft, Testaverde resurrected his career a decade later with the Jets, throwing for 29 touchdowns compared to 7 interceptions, while leading New York to a dominant 12-1 record and a trip to the AFC championship game.
The Jets were one of the top Super Bowl contenders entering the 1999 season, but those hopes were quickly crushed after Testaverde suffered a torn Achilles in the season opener.
Like Fitzpatrick, this was a flash in the pan, as the former first-overall pick never found that magic again during his five additional years in New York.
1. Joe Namath
GettyNew York Jets quarterback Joe Namath and coach Weeb Ewbank in 1965.
Years as a Jet: 1965-1976
It’s a no-brainer to name Namath the best quarterback in Jets history. He is the only player on this list to win a Super Bowl with New York, and his overall impact on the league was monumental.
Winning the only Super Bowl in franchise history in 1969 is obviously a huge deal, but he also is the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, yards per attempt, and fourth-quarter comebacks. He was also the first quarterback in league history to record a 4,000-yard passing season. Not to mention, he is the only Jets’ quarterback to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame as a representative of the organization.
The stats were not the best with a 60-61-4 as the starter in New York, and he threw 170 touchdowns compared to 215 interceptions, but he was influential in the AFL and NFL merger by accepting the most lucrative deal in pro football history at the time to join the Jets in 1965.
His overall impact on the entire sport is an added bonus to an already legendary career.
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The 10 Best Jets Quarterbacks of All Time, Ranked