When the Jets spent the 18th overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft on this Marshall University product, many Jets fans understandably wondered if Pennington had what it took to go from Huntington, West Virginia to The Big Apple. Would he be able to find the same success in the NFL’s biggest market?
The Mid-American Conference’s Player of the Year in 1999, Pennington wouldn’t make his first NFL start until two years later, but he quickly established himself as a fan favorite. After taking over as the starting quarterback in 2002, Pennington led the Jets to an 8-4 record, leading the NFL with a 104.