From the “Butt Fumble” to the Geno Smith era, the 2010s have been an interesting decade for the New York Jets, to say the least. Starting with a second-straight AFC Championship game loss, it seemed the team was on the right track. Except Gang Green has not returned to the playoffs ever since.
Struggles drafting, poor coaching, and more have led to the fall of a team that had a rather successful 2000s. The media feasting on the team was too often, as players primes went without playoff berths. The 2010s will go down as one of the worst decades in Jets franchise history. But that is not without numerous players making the most of it.
A pair of future Hall of Famers, ironmen anchoring the offensive line and defense, as well as respected leaders in the lockerroom all wore green and white at some point over the past ten years. They are the ones who inspired fans to have faith in the team during its darkest hours and to learn that one day, the rebuild will end. This decade will be remembered by these players who gave faith to a fanbase without any for ten years.
Now, 2020 is just over one week away. And for those players, they deserve more recognition then they are going to get. That being said, let’s take a look at the top-10 New York Jets players of the 2010s.
Top-10 New York Jets Players of the 2010s
Honorable Mentions:
Ryan Fitzpatrick – Quarterback (2015-2016)
Ryan Fitzpatrick was supposed to be Smith’s backup during his supposed 2015 breakout season… until Smith was punched and broke his jaw. Fitzpatrick stepped into the starting role and never looked back, delivering one of the best seasons by a quarterback in franchise history.
“Fitzmagic” threw for 31 touchdowns and 3,905 yards to lead the team to a 10-6 record in 2015, despite ending without a playoff berth. While he did collapse in the Week 17 win-and-in playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, he should be remembered for the remarkable stretch of play that got them to that point. Not the collapse or the disappointing Jets 2016 campaign that led to his time with the team ending.
Calvin Pace – Outside Linebacker (2008-2015)
The definition of consistency, the Jets signed Calvin Pace to be an edge presence from the Arizona Cardinals. He was never going to be an elite rusher, and he knew that. Instead, he played his game. Stopping the run at all cost, and occasionally getting to the quarterback while he was at it. He was a leader and a mentor in the locker room. Certainly an underrated player for his time with the team.
Muhammad Wilkerson – Defensive Lineman (2011-2017)
Muhammad Wilkerson had a terrible finish to his career with the Jets, but he was still one of the best players of the decade at his peak. The 30th overall pick in 2011 out of Temple, Wilkerson developed into a force against the run early in his career before becoming a pass rusher. Inconsistency plagued him, but he always managed to get after the quarterback.
Through 2013-2015, Wilkerson racked up 28.5 sacks and made a Pro Bowl, while becoming known as one of the best defensive ends in the league at age 26. If only he played as determined after his massive payday, he might not be out of the league today at only 30 years old.
10. Bilal Powell – Running Back (2011-Present)
The list begins with one of the most beloved and underrated players of the decade for the Jets in halfback Bilal Powell. Coming out of Louisville as a fourth-round pick in 2011, he has never had a consistent role for the team. Whether being a third-down back, change of pace runner, or rotational piece.
No matter the usage, he has always managed to make the most of it. He hits holes fast, averaging 4.3 yards per carry in his career. He continues to slowly make his way up the Jets all-time rushing list, now sitting at eighth behind Thomas Jones.
Late in 2018, Powell suffered what was thought to be a career-ending neck injury, only to return for his ninth season at age 31 in 2019. He has once again been a rotational piece behind Le’Veon Bell. But even behind abysmal offensive line play has averaged a modest 3.9 yards per carry. Bilal Powell has been a class act throughout his career.
9. Brandon Marshall – Wide Receiver (2015-2016)
How is a guy who only played two seasons for the team on this list? Well, Brandon Marshall simply just did not play the game of football. He destroyed opposing cornerbacks during his time in New York. Acquired from the Chicago Bears following the 2015 season, Marshall was paired with Eric Decker to form a lethal 1-2 combination that Jets fans have not seen in decades. Yes, the 2015 season ended with a 10-6 record with multiple Pro Bowl players but no playoff berth, yet it was the second-best Jets team of the 2010s.
In large part, it was because of Marshall. Fitzpatrick set the franchise record for touchdowns thrown, including 15 to Marshall to go with his 1,502 yards receiving. It was statistically a career season for Marshall that included his sixth career Pro Bowl appearance. With the threat of Decker opposite him, Marshall played with a vengeance that nobody was able to contain.
Then came 2016. It was a season that fell apart once Decker was lost for the season in Week 3. Marshall had disagreements with defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson which ultimately drove both out of town. Yet Marshall still managed a 788 yards and three touchdowns despite limited help around him. Yes, Marshall only played for two seasons, but his dominance in 2015 was something never before seen in Jets franchise history.
8. Brandon Moore – Guard (2003-2012)
Brandon Moore was never a flashy right guard or one that was ever respected across the league. But as an undrafted player out of Illinois, he always played with a chip on his shoulder. Playing in the final 137 games of his career, he was truly an underrated player in his time with the Jets. Finally getting recognition after years of nothing to show for being one of the league’s best guards, he made the Pro Bowl in 2011. His final season came in 2012, lasting out to the end of what was a storied ten seasons for Jets offensive line play.
7. Nick Folk – Kicker (2010-2016)
He may not have been the best in the league or elite, but Nick Folk was as clutch as they came. The “Folk Tale” was born during the Jets 2010 playoff run in the Wild Card round. A year earlier, the Jets lost to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship round. Then in 2010, Folk won the hearts of the fanbase with a game-winning 32-yard field goal as time expired.
Despite being an average kicker with an 82.2 percent field goal made rate as a Jet, he was known for thriving in the big moment. Including game-winners against the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys, Folk is credited with some of the biggest moments in Jets franchise history.
6. Jamal Adams – Safety (2017-Present)
Jamal Adams fell to the Jets with the sixth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. A player with a kind of energy and fire to lead the defense the Jets have not had in years. Adams gave the team someone to build around on defense. An outspoken leader, Adams does it all for the Jets, whether in coverage, run-stopping, or getting after the quarterback.
While only 24, his skill and talent jump out at any fan, something the Jets have not had on the defensive backend since years earlier. With two Pro Bowls to his name (2018 and 2019), Adams is the type of player who can be a staple for the next decade for the Jets to continue to build around.
5. David Harris – Linebacker (2007-2016)
David “The Hitman” Harris is one of the most underrated players in recent Jets history and throughout his career in the NFL. From 2010-2015, he never missed a game. Entering the league as a second-round pick in 2007, he had an immediate impact on the defense as a leader. The heart and soul on the interior of the defense for ten years, Harris averaged over 126 tackles per season this decade.
With a consistent pass-rushing presence too, he should have had a peaceful departure from the team. Instead, he was abruptly released following the 2016 season as a cap casualty. Poor exit aside, Harris is certainly well-deserving of the spot among the top-10 Jets of the decade. His leadership played a large role in the team’s defensive dominance for years.
4. Antonio Cromartie – Cornerback (2010-2013, 2015)
“Robin” himself, Antonio Cromartie exploded onto the NFL scene in 2007 with the San Diego Chargers, before flaming out and being reborn in New York. Joining alongside Darrelle Revis’ ‘Batman,” a fearsome one-two cornerback combination was born. Cromartie made two Pro Bowls once stepping into the number one role with Revis’ injury and departure, being in 2012 and 2013. However, with inconsistent play returning to plague him, he was released following the 2013 season.
Then as part of a 2015 offseason spending spree, Cromartie returned to Florham Park on a four-year, $32 Million deal to rejoin Revis. Cromartie once again was the number two to Revis, except his age began to show as he was released following the 2015 season. Cromartie ended his five seasons with the Jets with 13 interceptions to go with 63 pass deflections.
3. D’Brickashaw Ferguson – Tackle (2006-2015)
D’Brickashaw Ferguson was the first of two offensive line selections in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft for the Jets. To say Ferguson would be the Jets left tackle for the next ten years alone might be an understatement. He was a rock, never missing a game over his entire career, and playing in 10,707 out of 10,708 regular-season snaps.
For a fourth-overall pick out of Virginia, Ferguson certainly lived up to expectations. One day Ferguson will be in the Jets’ Ring of Honor for his professionalism and leadership. Consistency along the offensive line is rare, especially to find it for ten years. It is certainly something the Jets desperately miss and one day they can only hope to find another D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
2. Nick Mangold – Center (2006-2016)
As shown by the 2019 New York Jets offense, nothing can get going whether in the past or run game if the offensive line cannot block. That being said, it makes sense why the 2006 New York Jets invested both their first-round picks on offensive linemen. An investment that paid off for the next ten-plus years.
Out of Ohio State, center Nick Mangold was the second one selected, going at 29th overall. To say the Jets got a good one out of the Buckeye would be an understatement. Playing his entire career for Gang Green, he started 164 games and entered the decade in his prime. He eventually went onto finish his career following a down year in 2016 and retired as a Jet on a one-day contract in 2018. But his impact throughout the first half of the decade cannot be ignored.
In 2010, Mangold was already in his prime, finishing off his second straight season on the All-Pro team and third Pro Bowl. By 2015, he would make four more Pro Bowls with the only outlier being 2012. Aside from an amazing 100 starts in the 2010s, he only had 10 penalties from 2010-2016.
Who knows when it will happen, but Mangold is destined for a spot in Canton. Not only was he a vital part of the 2009 and 2010 AFC Championship appearance teams, but his leadership and consistency make him an absolute class act. Nick Mangold is arguably the Jets best player from the 2010s.
1. Darrelle Revis – Cornerback (2007-2012, 2015-2016)
To many, the fall of Darelle Revis in 2016 will be unforgettable. However, what Revis accomplished in his time with the Jets is historic. Selected with the 14th-overall pick back in 2007, the Jets got their lockdown corner out of a 5-11, 198 lb Revis. By the time 2010 rolled around, Revis was in his prime.
2010 and 2011 he was first-team All-Pro with Pro Bowl appearances with 31 pass deflections and four interceptions through 29 games played. It was during this time, “Revis Island” was born. In November of 2010, Revis made his mark on the league. Over a three-game stretch, he held some of the best receivers in football – Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, and Chad Johnson – to a combined 3 receptions for 31 yards. It was at this point quarterbacks realized they had one choice – do not throw in Revis’ direction.
Then, in his peak, two games into the 2012 season, Revis suffered a torn ACL in his knee that knocked him out the season. With the concerns surrounding his long-term health and massive contract looming, the Jets dealt him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After two Pro Bowl seasons with the Buccaneers and then the New England Patriots, a revitalized Revis returned home to the Jets in 2015. On a huge five-year and $70-million-deal, Revis’ first season on the new deal was a success.
With five interceptions, four fumble recoveries, 14 pass deflections through only 14 games, he returned to the Pro Bowl at age 30 seemingly reborn. Just like that, “Revis Island” was back, just not for long. The following season, Revis was continuously burned on the long ball as his age and wear began to show. He was cut following the season, leading to a sad conclusion to his Jets career.
Either way, Revis’ career in green and white was certainly a memorable one that will end with him wearing a gold jacket. With three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro first teams for the Jets this decade, Revis is the best Jets player of the decade and arguably the best player in franchise history.
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