NY Giants and NY Jets’ Best Players in History

The two New Jersey’s NFL rivals have had remarkable head-to-head matches over the decades, but, what is more, they also share a common legacy of some of the most exceptional players in the history of the NFL.  

While you might be looking for strategies for betting on nfl games, we suggest looking at the most prominent players that the NFL of New Jersey take pride in.

Leonard Williams (defensive lineman)

Leonard Williams is a valuable asset for the Giants as they bought him from the Jets for a significant price. The defensive lineman was selected for the Pro Bowl, recording a career-high in sacks (11) and QB hits (30) during the first full season with the Giants in 2020.

Williams is currently the only active player among others in the list.

Dave Jennings (punter)

Jennings played for the Giants for 11 seasons and experienced a peak from 1978-1982. During that span, the punter brought two first-team All-Pros for the team and got selected to the Pro Bowl. During a 6-year period, Jennings had no punts blocked, which is probably the most impressive fact for any punter. After the 1984 season, Jennings’ career came to an end with the Jets having 44 starts during three seasons.

Plaxico Burress (wide receiver)

The year of 2005 was especially prominent for the Giants as they acquired Burress as their wide receiver. Apart from bringing the team to the victory in the first season with Big Blue (76 receptions for 1,214 receiving yards, seven touchdowns), Burress caught the game-winning touchdown, leading him to win the Super Bowl XLII against New England Patriots 17-14.

After being kicked out from the Giants for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, Plaxico Burress joined the Jets for one year in 2011. At that time, he recorded 45 receptions.

Pepper Johnson (linebacker)

The Giants were honored to have Johnson in the second round of the 1986 NFL Draft. Four years later, his recording 115 combined tackles and 3.5 sacks got him the first of two Pro Bowls and first team All-Pro.

Johnson was the main pillar of defense coupling with Lawrence Taylor himself. Both of them were the reason the Giants made it through to their second Super Bowl in five seasons.

The last two years of Johnson’s NFL career ended up with the Jets, suiting up 24 games and making 102 tackles.

Don Maynard, wide receiver

In 1958 Maynard was drafted by the Giants but the following seasons turned him out to play in the Canadian Football League in 1959. One year later, he signed the contract to join the New York Jets (previously known as New York Titans).

With the Jets, the wide receiver won Super Bowl III, achieved first-team All-AFL two times and finally became a four-time AFL All-Star during his next 13 seasons (out of 14). This Texan player is also known for his double-digit touchdowns in the 1965, 1967 and 1968 seasons.

633 receptions, 11,834 receiving yards and 88 touchdowns were the finishing line in his career, which brought him the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.