WR | 1960-1972

Inducted: 1987

Maynard was a man of many distinctions in Jets franchise history. He was the first player to sign with the brand-new New York Titans of the AFL in 1960. He was one of the few noteworthy players left on the Titans when they morphed into the Jets in 1963.

And after 13 seasons, most of them in exquisite collaboration with Joe Namath and another top-notch wideout in George Sauer, Maynard left the Jets with franchise career receiving records that still stand today: receptions (627), yardage (11,732) and touchdowns (88).
He traveled a bumpy road to stardom, beginning with four productive seasons at tiny Texas Western College, for which he was a two-time All-Border Conference halfback and track star. He was a future pick of the New York Giants in 1957 but played only the 1958 season with the Giants before heading north of the border to Hamilton in the CFL in 1959.

Maynard often had to improvise as the Titans' and early Jets' constantly rotating crop of QBs scrambled for their lives. That all changed when, in 1965, Namath arrived on the scene. Maynard had many big games, none bigger than the 27-23 victory over Oakland in the 1968 AFL Championship Game that vaulted the Jets into Super Bowl III. Maynard caught six passes for 118 yards, with his 14-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter giving the Jets the early lead and his 6-yard grab in the fourth quarter providing the game-winning TD. Maynard never led the AFL or NFL in receiving in any one season, but when he retired after one final year with the St. Louis Cardinals, he was one of only five players with at least 50 catches and 1,000 yards in five different seasons. He was a four-time AFL All-Star (1965, 1967-69) and was named to the AFL's all-time team in 1969. His 633 receptions and 11,834 yards were both pro records when he retired.