5. Curtis Martin
When Bill Parcells was hired by Leon Hess in 1997 to resurrect his New York Jets, perhaps no greater gift was granted by the Big Tuna than landing running back Curtis Martin.
While a hefty compensation price tag was sent to the New England Patriots for Martin’s signing, the stud running back quickly allowed Jets fans to forget about the loss of draft picks.
In 1998, Martin rushed for 1,287 yards and eight touchdowns for a Jets team who finished 12-4 and found there way to the AFC Championship game against John Elway’s Denver Broncos.
Despite cracking the playoffs three more times with the Jets (2001, 2002, 2004), Martin could never get to that elusive Super Bowl like he did in 1996 with the Pats.