We've identified the top all-time quarterbacks for every NFL team, and asked our NFL Nation beat reporters -- and you, the fans -- to help us determine each signal-caller's place in franchise history.
What follows is the final ranking of the top quarterbacks in New York Jets history, both from our NFL Nation reporter and our final fan polling.
NFL Nation ranking:
1. Joe Namath
2. Ken O'Brien
3. Chad Pennington
4. Vinny Testaverde
5. Richard Todd
Namath is the most famous player in franchise history, a Hall of Famer who led the Jets to their only Super Bowl title (January 1969). His passing stats weren't dazzling, but "Broadway Joe" was a must-see talent and a cultural icon. He brought relevance to the Jets and the AFL, leading to the AFL-NFL merger. O'Brien was a gifted passer and one of the NFL's top quarterbacks in 1985 and 1986. Unfortunately, people only remember his later years, when he was beaten down by too many sacks. Pennington is 14th on the league's all-time list for passer rating, one spot behind the legendary Joe Montana. Pennington's career was star-crossed; he missed part of his prime because of multiple shoulder injuries. Testaverde delivered arguably the best passing season in Jets history -- 29 touchdowns, only seven interceptions in 1998. He led them to within one quarter of the Super Bowl. Todd's career flamed out after a five-interception debacle in the 1982 AFC Championship Game, a crushing loss to the Miami Dolphins. -- Rich Cimini
Fan ranking:
All contextual numbers for each quarterback have been provided by ESPN Stats & Information.
