The Jets are officially eliminated from playoff contention, and that’s no surprise at this point. The surprise will be when they some day make it.
Counting the 2024 season, the Jets have now missed the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons. That’s the longest streak in the NFL, and it’s also longer than any current playoff drought in the NBA, NHL, MLB or WNBA. The Jets are alone in futility in American sports.
The last time the Jets made the playoffs was after the 2010 season, when head coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez led them to their second consecutive AFC Championship Game. It’s been downhill from there.
The arrival of Aaron Rodgers last year was supposed to change things, but it has actually sunk the Jets into a deeper hole. Last year Rodgers was hurt four plays into the first game and the Jets went 7-10; this year Rodgers has played every game and the Jets are 3-10. The roster is in worse shape both because of Rodgers’ own salary cap hit and the personnel moves they made to appease Rodgers, most of which have not panned out.
There’s not much reason to be optimistic about the Jets next year, either, although they’ll have a new coach and likely a new quarterback, and perhaps begin a rebuild that could get the franchise back into the postseason. Hopefully in less than 14 years.