The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that 130 Modern-Era nominees are eligible for the Class of 202l. A total of 10 ex-Jets are eligible, headlined by former OT D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
Retiring following the 2015 season, Ferguson is one of 14 first-year eligible nominees. That list also includes Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson, Steven Jackson, Charles Tillman and Charles Woodson.
Occupying the left side of the offensive line for over a decade, Ferguson was a model of consistency. Across 10 seasons, Ferguson played in 160 straight games, never missing one. In fact, he played 10,707 out of 10,708 possible snaps, missing just one his entire career.
Another ex-Jet who is eligible is John Abraham, who is one of the best pass-rushers in franchise history. Nearly 15 years after trading him, the Jets haven’t come close to replicating his production off the edge, which included 53.5 sacks in green and white.
James Hasty played in 111 games for Gang Green from 1988-94 at the cornerback position. His career didn’t take off until he moved on to Kansas City, where he earned two Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro honors.
The remaining seven were footnotes in Jets’ history, but some played a pivotal role in the organization’s success. Alan Faneca, who is known more for his time in Pittsburgh, spent two seasons with Gang Green but helped the team reach the 2009 AFC Championship Game with his play in the trenches.
Nick Lowery finished out his career with Gang Green from 1994-96 after serving as the Chiefs’ primary kicker for 13 seasons. Lorenzo Neal played one season for Gang Green in 1997, starting all 16 games at fullback. Matt Turk punted in the NFL across 16 seasons and was New York’s legman for the 2002 season.
Derrick Mason, one of the better receivers of his generation, was one of the worst free agent signings in Jets history. He complained about the offense and was later demoted to the scout team; his tenure in New York lasted just two months. Josh Cribbs played just one season for the Jets in 2013; he was known more for his return abilities in Cleveland.
Finally, Tim McDonald never suited up for the Jets, but he was on Rex Ryan’s coaching staff as the team’s defensive backs coach from 2013-14.
After a large cutdown process, the Class of 2021 will be announced the day before Super Bowl 55 in Tampa, Florida.
