The New York Jets kicked off their 2024 campaign with ambitious expectations, only to disappoint fans yet again.
With Sunday’s overtime loss to the division-rival Miami Dolphins, the Jets possess a sour 3-10 record and have officially been eliminated from the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season, the longest active streak among teams in North America’s four major professional sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL).
That said, the 2024 season is just the latest in a long line of disappointing campaigns. Where exactly does it rank all-time?
5. 1994 New York Jets: The Fake-Spike Season
The 1994 Jets, led by first-time head coach Pete Carroll, aimed to improve upon their solid 8-8 season in 1993 (Bruce Coslet).
The team got off to an encouraging 6-5 start to the season, which ultimately pitted them against a division rival with first place in the division on the line. Carroll’s squad entered this pivotal Week 13 matchup against Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino and the 7-4 Miami Dolphins.
Of course, the winner would secure first place in the AFC East.
Gang Green had a commanding 24-6 lead in the third quarter before Marino led a relentless comeback. The Dolphins’ stunning 28-24 victory was capped off by the iconic fake-spike touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Ingram—which had young Aaron Glenn spinning around like a top.
Following the disappointing loss, the Jets struggled to rebound, losing their remaining five games and finishing the 1994 season with a bleak 6-10 record. Carroll was also fired following the team’s heartbreaking season.
4. 2011 New York Jets: The Victor Cruz Stunner
Following two consecutive AFC championship runs, the Jets had sky-high expectations for the 2011 season.
With head coach Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez at the helm and a premier defense, the 2011 Jets earned legitimate Super Bowl aspirations coming into the season.
Despite a promising 2-0 start to the season, inconsistency burdened the team throughout the entire campaign. Sanchez showed flashes of convincing play but had difficulty with turnovers, finishing the season with 18 interceptions.
The team ultimately finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time under Rex. The 2011 season marked the beginning of the team’s playoff drought, extending through 14 seasons.
The capper, of course, was the 99-yard Victor Cruz touchdown that skyrocketed the Giants toward their second Super Bowl ring in the Eli Manning era.
3. 1999 New York Jets: Vinny’s Achilles
Entering the 1999 season, the Jets were arguably the best team in football. In 1998, they made it to the AFC championship, with only John Elway and the Denver Broncos standing between them and a championship.
With Vinny Testaverede at the helm, Curtis Martin out of the backfield, and Bill Parcells—one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history—the ’99 Jets were primed to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
To open the season, the Jets hosted the division-rival New England Patriots. In the second quarter, Curtis Martin fumbled shortly after a handoff. In an attempt to retain possession, Testeverde made a sharp cut toward the ball and fell to the turf, rupturing his Achilles.
The heartbreaking injury left Testeverde sidelined for the entirety of the 1999 season.
Without Testerverde, the team struggled early on, starting 1-6 before getting hot toward the end of the season, winning 7 of their last 9 games. Unfortunately, the team’s attempt to salvage the season was insufficient, and they could not sneak into the playoffs with an 8-8 record.
The 1999 season marked the end of Bill Parcells’s time on the Jets’ sideline. (Parcells did remain general manager in 2000, engineering the Keyshawn Johnson trade and the pivotal 2000 NFL draft, in which four first-round picks set up the franchise long-term.)
2. 2023 New York Jets: Achilles Part Deux
The 2023 Jets were tagged with arguably the loftiest expectations in franchise history—up to that point.
Success felt inevitable, pairing future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers with one of the league’s premier defenses and electrifying offensive weapons such as Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall.
To open the much-anticipated season, the Jets hosted the division-rival Buffalo Bills under the bright lights on Monday Night Football, on Sept. 11, 2023. Rodgers electrified the crowd by carrying the American flag onto the field, and fans were optimistic, feeling nothing could go wrong.
Little did they know … disaster would strike a mere moment later.
Just four plays into the season, it happened. Rodgers ruptured his Achilles, and his season ended.
The Jets went through three quarterbacks in 2023, Zach Wilson, Trevor Siemian and Tim Boyle, struggling to find stability under center. Ultimately, they finished 7-10 for the second consecutive season, falling far short of the sky-high expectations, primarily due to a heartbreaking injury.
1. 2024 New York Jets: Aaron Rodgers Part Deux
The 2024 Jets are easily the most disappointing team in franchise history. While the 1996 Rich Kotite-led Jets might be the worst team in organization history, the 2024 version is the most soul-crushing.
This season is far more disappointing than last season for a key reason: Although there were lofty expectations last season as well, the team’s roster improved over the offseason, increasing expectations to an even higher extent.
Between a healthy Aaron Rodgers, an elite defense entering the season, adding Mike Williams, Tyron Smith and Haason Reddick in free agency along with trading for Davante Adams six weeks after the season’s opening, the Jets did everything they possibly could to put themselves in at the absolute minimum playoff contention.
It almost felt like a 10-7 or 9-8 season would be the worst-case scenario.
The team got off to an unexpected 2-3 start to the season, and owner Woody Johnson lost his patience and pulled the plug. He fired head coach Robert Saleh after just five games and promoted Jeff Ulbrich from defensive coordinator to interim head coach, hoping for a much-needed turnaround, but the team only got worse.
Since Saleh’s dismissal, the Jets have been 1-7, and their defensive production has dipped tremendously. Sunday’s heart-wrenching overtime collapse to the division-rival Maimi Dolphins officially ended their playoff hopes after 13 games.
Not even the most pessimistic analysts and fans anticipated a 3-10 start and being eliminated from the playoffs with four regular-season games to play.
With so many disappointing seasons to choose from, the 2024 season is unquestionably the most disappointing in the Jets’ history.
