The New York Jets have a couple of Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists with ties to the franchise.
Both Alan Faneca and Steve Atwater were named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists for the class of 2020. The Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee will have to elect five Modern-Era players who must receive 80% of the vote from the committee in order to be inducted.
The Jets signed Faneca to a five-year $40 million deal in 2008, which was the largest contract for an offensive lineman in NFL history at the time. Faneca made a huge impact in the trenches, as the Jets ran for over 2,000 yards and at least 20 touchdowns in both seasons he was there. However, New York cut Faneca in 2010 after it drafted Vladimir Ducasse.
Prior to his brief stint with the Jets, Faneca had his best years with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1998-2007.
As for Atwater, he was with the Jets in 1999 after spending 10 seasons in Denver. In his only season with the Jets, Atwater played in 12 games and had 36 total tackles, two pass defenses and one forced fumble.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 will be announced during the NFL Honors Show, the night before the Super Bowl. The class will officially be enshrined in Canton on Aug. 8th.