I could make a case that Toon is one of the 5 best players ever to wear a Jet uniform. His career ended too early and he got out at the right time.
You could make that case but Namath, Maynard , Wesley Walker, and Joe Klecko would all rank ahead of Toon. Also, Kevin Mawae and Mark Gastineau are two other guys that I would rank ahead of Toon as well.
The problem with assessing Toon is his productivity was lessened by injury, and then his career ended too early as well.
If you were alive and saw Toon in that short window you knew you were looking at greatness. Toon made some plays which most great NFL WR couldn't dream about. Just remebering watching Namath throw the ball and watching Toon catch the ball still gives me goosebumps. There was no problem with Toon, the numbers will never reflect it on a comparitive basis but he is without a doubt one of the greatest if not the greatest athlete in Jets history.
Al Toon has Hall Of fame Talent and his time was cut way to short due to Injury. He was a great player while he was here.
Here's one number you don't see very often. A lot of WRs will get a streak going of at least one catch in a game for x amount of games. Toon had at least three catches in something like his first 57 games. I'm sure someone can look up the exact stat, but that's close.
He had 3 receptions in 52 straight games, simply awesome http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=846386&postcount=13
haha wayne chrebet has more votes than wesley walker, wow thats just absolutely amazing... i dont even know what to say about that
Quote: "85-Wesley Walker (1977-1989): Legally blind in one eye, faster than hell. Once he got over the drops early in his career he single-handedly made the Jets offense dangerous for the next decade when healthy, whether it was Richard Todd, Matt Robinson, Pat Ryan or Ken O'Brien throwing him the ball. My favorite player as a kid...." This guy is the real reason I am a Jet fan to this day. Wesley Walker was always a true man, in my estimation. He came to the table with a half-a-deck, but to hell with the supposition that he had no depth perception -- he was going to be a WR come High Water or whatever. How many QBs did he make special? When I myself was just a kid there was a guy named Marion Short who was one of those chosen fellows who was just born to catch the ball. They didn't keep track of "vertical leaps" in those days, but I would wager that Marion Short's vertical leap (he wasn't a skinny or a short guy) was just too stunning to put a number on it. Everybody who got behind the center (even on those catch-as-catch-can pick up minutes before the bell rang at 9 o'clock) just wanted to throw it one time down field to Marion. Because, he would ALWAYS make them a hero. And that of course was Wesley Walker. There was a game against Miami when Ken O'Brien (if he is honest with himself) achieved what it really was that he put on his uniform and came out on the field to attain. Because Wesley Walker just kept by-passing the Miami defenders and catching these balls with his hands, over every shoulder, every time that it was asked of him. Wesley Walker was one of these extraordinary mysteries that you don't ever want to figure out, because he was wonderful and you just liked him that way. I vote, still, for Wesley Walker.
Just kind of going thru this thread I was thinking. While Chrebet wasn't our best WR in our history, let's please not diminish the fact that he is certainly goes down as one of the best we ever had. And he certainly deserves to be reckognized as such. He was better for us than Keyshawn, he was the best 3rd down receiver in the league, he always found a way to get open and had great, great hands. His guts and determination are to be appreciated by all.
Chrebet had a better Jets career than Key b/c he played for us alot longer but Key was the MUCH better player. Chrebet will always hev his plac ein Jets history and is aong the best WRs we've ever had but he's not in the running for best ever to wear a Jet uniform.
They both made each other better while they were here together, but Chrebet made so many plays for us. I said the same thing. Except I feel he should be "in the running" but he falls to the 5-6 spot. Toon Sauer Maynard Coles Chrebet Walker You can flip Chrebet and Walker if you want, but I think Chrebet was a much better route runner and had much better hands.
I'd say Walker - Toon - Sauer, but there all so close it's tough to say. Ask me a week from now and I'd probably say something different.
hehe this never happens (i think once or twice before) but i have to agree wholeheartedly with this post. chrebet was a pretty damn good receiver but much more of a fan favorite than a superstar, i know i will catch flack for this but he is the most overrated player on this board and there is far too much man love for him. i also concur that key was a much better receiver than chrebet just not for as long. and that was a great post earlier about wesley walker, he was one of those guys that made me a jets fan too, moreso freeman mcneil but him and walker were the 2. i remember watching a game i couldnt have been more than 6 or 7 and them talking about how he was blind in one eye... i couldnt believe it i asked my mom how can you be blind but still play football.
