130 Modern-Era nominees are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021, including ten ex-New York Jets. The nominees’ list will be shortened to 25 semifinalists in November 2020, and the final 15 will be announced in January 2021. Whether any of the ex-Jets can make the final list is yet to be seen, but out of the ten eligible Gang Green players, some seem to have a much better chance than others.
D’Brickashaw Ferguson
After being selected by the Jets in the NFL Draft of 2006, D’Brickashaw Ferguson played ten seasons for Gang Green and was chosen three times for the Pro Bowl. Ferguson was one of the most consistent players the game has ever seen. He made 160 consecutive regular-season hits, and the offensive tackle never missed a single game throughout his entire career. After a decade of stunning performances, D’Brickashaw Ferguson retired in 2016. He is one of 14 first-year eligible nominees for the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. The others are offensive lineman Logan Mankins, quarterback Peyton Manning, running back Steven Jackson, tight end Heath Miller, wide receivers Wes Walker, Roddy White, and Calvin Johnson, defensive linemen Justin Tuck, Jared Allen, and Kevin Williams, defensive backs Charles Woodson and Charles Tillman, and linebacker Jerod Mayo. We will have to wait to see whether Ferguson can progress from an eligible nominee to the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021, but out of all the New York Jets nominees, Ferguson looks set to have the best chance. What the actual odds are, though, is unknown. But you can keep up with all the latest NFL news and sports betting odds at Casumo.
John Abraham
If anyone can give D’Brickashaw Ferguson a run for his money for the Class of 2021, it is surely the outside linebacker and defensive end John Abraham. He is undoubtedly one of the best pass-rushers in NFL history. The Jets chose Abraham in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and he made an immediate impact. In Abraham’s rookie season, over only six games, he recorded 12 tackles and 4.5 sacks before he became injured and could not play. But in 2001, Abraham recorded 58 tackles and 13 sacks, and he was named to the AFC Pro Bowl. Along with a record set by Joe Klecko and Mark Gastineau, Abraham tied with four sacks in a game against the New Orleans Saints in 2001. And on February 21, 2006, the Jets designated Abraham Franchise Player.
The Other Nominees
Out of the remaining eight nominees, James Hasty is the most prominent. Known for his aggressive bump and run style, James Hasty was picked in the third round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played 111 games for the team as a cornerback until 1994. However, his career did not take off until he moved to Kansas City. Hasty was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1997 and 1999.
The other eligible nominees are mere footnotes in the history of the New York Jets, but some still played pivotal roles in the success of Gang Green at different times. They are:
- Tim McDonald, who never actually suited up for the Jets, but he was a defensive backs coach from 2013 to 2014.
- Derrick Mason, who only played for the New York Jets for two months.
- Matt Turk, who played in the NFL for 16 seasons but only played for the Jets in the 2002 season.
- Lorenzo Neal, who played 16 games as a fullback for the Jets in 1997.
- Nick Lowery, who ended his career with the Jets from 1994 to 1996 after serving as the primary kicker for the Chiefs over 13 seasons.
- Josh Cribbs, who played just one season for the New York Jets in 2013, and is more well-known for his time at Cleveland.
- Alan Faneca, who is most well-known for his time at Pittsburgh, but who played two seasons with Gang Green and helped the team reach the 2009 AFC Championship Game.