Don Maynard (Born January 25, 1935, in Crosbyton, Texas) was an American football player who played collegiately for Texas Western College (now University of Texas at El Paso) and professionally with the American Football League's New York Titans After having been released by the New York Giants, Maynard became the very first player to sign with the Jets in 1960. Although scorned by the New York press as an "NFL reject", in 1960, he teamed with Hall of Famer Art Powell to form the first professional wide receiver tandem to each gain over 1,000 yards on receptions in a season, with the pair achieving this milestone again in 1962. Over the next 13 years, Maynard put up receiving numbers that would earn him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
Collecting 72 pass receptions in his first year as a Titan, he went on to compile four more seasons with 50 or more catches and 1,000 yards receiving, and held the professional football record for total receptions and yards receiving. A four-time AFL All-Star, he is sixth in all-time pro football touchdown receptions, and is a member of the All-time All-AFL Team.
In the 1968 AFL Championship game against the defending American Football League champion Oakland Raiders, Maynard caught six passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Two weeks later, he competed in the third AFL-NFL World Championship Game while nursing an injury sustained in the Oakland clash. While he had no receptions, his presence on the field helped open up the Jets' offense and set the stage for the huge 16-7 upset victory over the Baltimore Colts.
One of only 20 players who were in the AFL for its entire 10-year existence, Maynard was also one of only seven players who played their entire AFL careers with one team.
