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INDIANAPOLIS -- For 11 seasons as a player, Curtis Martin never sought the spotlight. On Saturday night, it finally found him -- and he didn't mind one bit.

Martin, the quiet, dignified and tough running back who helped legitimize the New York Jets in the late 1990s, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his second year of eligibility. He joined Joe Namath, Don Maynard and coach Weeb Ewbank as the only Hall of Famers who carved their legacy with the Jets.

It could've been a New York-New York party, but former Giants and Jets coach Bill Parcells -- a two-time Super Bowl champion -- wasn't among the five modern-era inductees. The others were Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy and Willie Roaf.

Jack Butler, a Steelers cornerback from the 1950s, was also elected.

Martin, who last played in 2005, became the 29th modern-era running back elected to the Hall. He's the fourth-leading rusher in NFL history, with 14,101 yards.

This caps a remarkable football journey for Martin, 38, who didn't play organized ball until his senior year at Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh. He scored on a long run the first time he touched the ball, and he never slowed down, going from Pitt to the New England Patriots to the Jets.

Martin was the embodiment of consistency and durability. He wasn't the biggest or the fastest runner, he didn't make many highlight-film plays and he rarely drew attention to himself with silly touchdown dances. But he showed up every Sunday and performed at the highest level for a decade.

He cracked the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie with the Patriots, and he kept churning them out, all the way to 10 in a row. The only other player to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 seasons is Barry Sanders, a Hall of Famer.

Martin's signature season came in 2004, when he claimed the league rushing title with a career-high 1,697 yards. He was 31, the oldest player to win a rushing crown, delivering his best at a time when most backs are either retired or barely hanging on.

He probably could've kept going, too, but Martin suffered a knee injury early in the 2005 season. He played through the pain -- he once said it felt like chards of glass inside his knee -- but he finally broke down late in the year, ending his streak of 119 consecutive starts. He never played again.

Martin was always concerned with team, not self -- and that will be his greatest legacy. He made a stunning gesture during a slump in 2003, saying he'd gladly take a seat on the bench if the coaches felt it would help the team. How many superstars would do that? The coaches stuck with him, and he still ended up with 1,308 yards.

His humility was -- and still is -- legendary around the Jets. Martin once said he liked to pick up used towels off the locker-room floor once a week because it kept him humble. To honor him, the Jets named their team MVP award after him.

It's rare for a non-quarterback to impact a franchise, but Martin did just that -- two franchises, actually. After three seasons with the Patriots, he followed Parcells to the Jets, signing a clever and complicated offer sheet that made it almost impossible for the Patriots to retain him.

Parcells' heist intensified the acrimony between the two bitter rivals, yet Martin somehow remained above the enmity. It wasn't your typical athlete-franchise divorce, as Martin has maintained a strong relationship with Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Truth is, you'd be hard-pressed to find a negative comment about Martin from anyone -- former teammate, opponent, anyone.

With Martin and Parcells in New York, the Jets took control of their rivalry with the Patriots, reaching the AFC Championship Game in their first season reunited, 1998. It came only two years after their 1-15 debacle. The Patriots sagged until Bill Belichick and Tom Brady started winning championships in 2001.

Perhaps the best snapshot of Martin occurred on a practice field, with no crowd and no teammates around. This was in July 2004, before training camp opened. Former general manager Terry Bradway looked out his window, and saw a solitary figure -- Martin -- walking through his plays, over and over.

A simple, yet telling moment from a Hall of Fame career.

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In honor of ESPN New York's inaugural Hall of Fame ballot, here's my top five Jets:

1. Joe Namath, quarterback: More than 40 years after leading the Jets to their only Super Bowl, Namath remains the franchise's most recognizable figure. His career stats weren't exceptional (more interceptions than touchdowns), partly because of injuries, but experts say he was one of the best pure passers ever. The stunning win over the Colts in Super Bowl III was one of the most significant games in history. Namath guaranteed a victory, creating his legend. There have been many Namath wannabes over the years, but there's only one Broadway Joe. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

2. Don Maynard, wide receiver: If you're talking about dominating at one position, Maynard could be the best player in team history. He recorded at least 50 catches and 1,000 yards in five seasons (remember, they played 14 games in those days), once averaging 100 yards per game. He was named to the AFL's all-time team and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987. Maynard played in two of the most important games in history: the 1958 NFL Championship Game (as a member of the Giants) and Super Bowl III.

3. Curtis Martin, running back: The fourth-leading rusher in NFL history was a Hall of Fame finalist in his first year of eligibility, which bodes well for his chances of reaching Canton in 2012. Martin was the heart and soul of the Jets from 1998 to 2005, capped by the NFL rushing title in 2004. Never known as a flashy runner, Martin's trademark was his toughness and consistency. He rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 seasons, the first three with the Patriots. It's no accident that the Jets-Patriots rivalry tilted the Jets' way when Martin changed teams.

4. Joe Klecko, defensive tackle: Few will argue that Klecko is the greatest defensive player in Jets history. He made the Pro Bowl at three different defensive-line positions -- nose tackle, tackle and end. He's best remembered as a member of the vaunted "New York Sack Exchange," the front four that terrorized quarterbacks in the early 1980s. He once recorded 20.5 sacks in a season -- before sacks became an official NFL stat -- ridiculous for an interior lineman. Klecko, Namath and Maynard are the only players in franchise history to have their numbers retired.

5. Winston Hill, offensive tackle. He's perhaps the most underappreciated player in Jets history. Hill played left tackle from 1963 to 1976, protecting Namath's blind side and dominating as a run-blocker. Hill was a four-time AFL all-star and was named four times to the Pro Bowl. He was known for his toughness, once starting 174 consecutive games. Only four players in team history have appeared in more games than Hill, who, curiously, never has been nominated for the Hall of Fame.

Whether or not Curtis Martin is elected Saturday to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this day should be a celebration of the man's life and career. In 22 years of covering the New York Jets, I can say he's the most unique individual I've encountered.

I've written thousands and thousands of words about Martin the player and the person. His philanthropic spirit is unparalleled. Believe me, I've seen it. In 2004, I went to his hometown, Pittsburgh, to interview people from his past.

His mother, Rochella, owns a clothing boutique, and I spent about an hour in the store, talking to her for the story. While I was there, a couple of people came off the street and spoke to Rochella in hushed tones. Each time, she wrote something on a piece of paper. I asked her about it, and she said those were people -- strangers -- wanting to know if Curtis could give them money. One guy couldn't pay his rent and was on the verge of being evicted; there were stories like that.

Rochella told me she compiled a list and presented it to Curtis, and he decided whom to pay. She said he actually gave money to about half the people who came into her store. One time, Martin paid for the funeral of a youngster who was gunned down on the street; his family couldn't afford a proper funeral.

There are dozens, maybe hundreds of these stories, most of which we'll never know. Another anecdote just came to mind: Martin used to play with a $2 bill in his sock, given to him by his slain grandmother. Another favorite came from an interview with Martin in November 2007, when we discussed his first year in retirement and his dream of becoming an NFL owner.

Here's an excerpt from my story, which appeared in the New York Daily News:

Before announcing his retirement, he approached the mayor's office about getting involved in the city's fight against homelessness.

It wasn't a public relations ploy. Martin visits shelters and walks the streets, interacting with the homeless. After his first meeting with Robert Hess, the commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services, he bumped into a homeless woman named Rhonda outside City Hall. Martin gave her $20 and they talked.

About 30 minutes later, Martin summoned Hess to the street, asking, "What can we do for her?"

They spent an hour trying to convince her to enter a nearby shelter.

"You can read people pretty quickly in this business," Hess says. "You can figure out which ones want to give lip service and which ones are serious. Curtis is very serious."

Rhonda declined the invitation to the shelter, but she agreed to accompany the well-dressed man to a nearby Duane Reade store, where Martin bought her $60 in groceries and hygiene products.

"I wish I could re-pay you," she told him. "I'll give you a kiss on the cheek."

Martin leaned over. She gently kissed him.

He filled her cart, she filled his heart.

These moments are his new touchdowns.

Jets legend Curtis Martin, on hand to light the Empire State Building in Jets colors, predicts a Super Bowl pitting Gang Green against Green Bay.