5 things to know about new Jets Hall of Famer Winston Hill

Five things to know about the Jets’ new Hall of Famer Winston Hill, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday.

Jets great Winston Hill was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this week as part of the 2020 Centennial Class.

This class, which inducted 15 players, was created to celebrate the league’s 100th anniversary. Hill was honored posthumously, as he passed away in 2016 due to heart failure.

The Jets franchise isn’t exactly a storied one, but Hill helped cement one of the most iconic moments in team history. Now, he will finally be remembered with the game’s all-time greats.

Like the man he was responsible for protecting at left tackle, right tackle and center, Hill finished his career with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977 before calling it quits.

With that, let’s look back at the life of the newest Jet in the Hall of Fame.

Career Accolades

Winston Hill’s now Hall of Fame career was filled with accolades.

Hill was elected to four AFL All-Star teams and eventually four Pro Bowls following the AFL-NFL merger. Hill was also a three-time All-AFL recipient and a three-time NFL All-Pro.

A starter on the only championship team in franchise history, Hill was named to the Jets’ Ring of Honor in 2010.

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Jets OL Winston Hill elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Jets offensive lineman Winston Hill was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

One of the greatest offensive lineman in Jets history is headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jets great Winston Hill was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 Centennial Class. Hill played in four AFL All-Star Games and four Pro Bowls. He was part of the All-AFL Team three times as well as a three-time member of the All-Pro Team. Hill won an AFL Championship in 1968 and was a Super Bowl champion as a member of the Jets in Super Bowl III. He was inducted into the Jets’ Ring of Honor in 2010.

“I am beyond thrilled that Winston will join football’s immortals in Canton,” Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said. “Winston was a generational talent who became our greatest pillar along the offense line. He was a durable champion who was blessed with an uncommon humility. Loved by his teammates, Winston was a towering figure inside the locker room and his presence is forever lasting.”

Hill holds the franchise record of consecutive games played for an offensive lineman with 195. He started 174 of those games. He was responsible for protecting Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath and also helped Emerson Boozer be one of the best running backs in Jets history.

Hill died in 2016. He will be honored along with nine other senior players in a Centennial Celebration at the Canton enshrinement.

Ex-Jets OL Winston Hill named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist

Former Jets offensive lineman Winston Hill was named a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist.

The Jets have one of their own as a finalist in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Centennial class.

Former New York offensive lineman Winston Hill was named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a senior player on Thursday. Hill played with the Jets from 1963-1976 before ending his career in 1977 with the Rams.

Hill was a four-time Pro Bowler as well as a four-time AFL All-Star. He was also a three-time All-Pro team and three-time All-AFL selection. The Jets put Hill in their Ring of Honor in 2010 and his number is retired by the team.

38 finalists were named for the Centennial Class. That number will soon be cut down to 15, as 10 senior players, three contributors and two coaches will all be inducted into the Hall of Fame on January 8th in Canton, Ohio.

One Jet who was not named a finalist was Joe Klecko. Klecko has been named a finalist on Hall of Fame ballots before, but never garnered enough support to get into Canton. Klecko was first-team All-Pro twice and four-time Pro Bowler in an era where he was one of the NFL’s best defensive lineman.

After not being named as a finalist for the Centennial class, odds are Klecko will fall short of ever making it into the Hall of Fame.