The New York Jets’ trying season has hit a new low – yet one long familiar to the franchise.
With Sunday’s 32-26 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins, the Jets (3-10) were officially eliminated from playoff contention, extending the NFL’s longest active postseason drought – and worst in the organization’s history – to 14 seasons. The stretch is tied for the 12th-longest mark in league history.
New York’s ninth consecutive losing season was locked in last Sunday with a 26-21 defeat against the Seattle Seahawks.
Aaron Rodgers’ return from a torn Achilles suffered just four snaps into his debut season with New York fostered high hopes that an end to the skid was finally within reach. But after a 2-1 start, the Jets’ season devolved into a series of setbacks and desperate attempts to reclaim relevance.
Owner Woody Johnson surprised many by firing coach Robert Saleh after the team dropped to 2-3. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich subsequently shifted play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hacket, a close friend of Rodgers, to passing game coordinator Todd Downing.
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The Jets traded for three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams and reached an accord to end two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Haason Reddick’s holdout, but the team continued to flounder, with its lone victory since the end of September coming in a Halloween win over the Houston Texans. General manager Joe Douglas was fired on Nov. 19, with Johnson bringing on former GM Mike Tannenbaum and his media company The 33rd Team to assist in the searches for the team’s top jobs.
Rodgers, who is signed through the 2025 season but faces an uncertain future amid the Jets’ wider reboot, said Wednesday he hoped to play out the rest of the season but does not feel he has anything to prove.
‘If they want me to stay, fantastic,’ Rodgers said. ‘If it takes these five games, maybe they don’t know what I bring to the table. But that being said, I’d love to play really frigging well the last five games.’
Longest NFL active playoff droughts
1. New York Jets: 14 seasons
2. Denver Broncos: 8 seasons
3t. Carolina Panthers: 6 seasons
3t. Atlanta Falcons: 6 seasons
5t. Washington Commanders: 3 seasons
5t. Indianapolis Colts: 3 seasons
5t. Chicago Bears: 3 seasons
5t. New Orleans Saints: 3 seasons
9t. New England Patriots: 2 seasons
9t. Arizona Cardinals: 2 seasons
9t. Tennessee Titans: 2 seasons
9t. Las Vegas Raiders: 2 seasons
Longest NFL playoff droughts in history
1t. St. Louis Cardinals: 25 seasons (1949-1974)
1t. Washington: 25 seasons (1946-1971)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 24 seasons (1948-1972)
4. New Orleans Saints: 20 seasons (1967-1987)
5t. Cleveland Browns: 17 seasons (2003-2020)
5t. Buffalo Bills: 17 seasons (2000-2017)
5t. New York Giants: 17 seasons (1964-1981)
5t. Philadelphia Eagles: 17 seasons (1961-1978)
9t. Detroit Lions: 16 seasons (1936-1952)
10t. Arizona Cardinals: 15 seasons (1983-1998)
10t. Green Bay Packers: 15 (1945-1960)
