How many active NFL players were in the league when the New York Jets last made the playoffs?
According to Pro Football Reference’s Stathead, these are the active NFL players with at least 15 seasons of playing experience through the 2024 season (indicating they debuted in 2010 or earlier).
Jon Weeks (2010-24)
Not a single Long Islander on this planet has played more NFL games than Jon Weeks. The Bethpage, N.Y. native has logged 244 games as the Houston Texans’ long snapper across 15 consecutive seasons in the role. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played.
Weeks returned to face his hometown team in Week 11 of his rookie season. In under 10 minutes of game time, Weeks and the Texans erased a 23-7 fourth-quarter deficit to take a 27-23 lead with 55 seconds remaining. However, Mark Sanchez led a famous 72-yard game-winning drive in just 45 seconds (with no timeouts) to deliver the victory.
Morgan Cox (2010-24)
Cox spent 11 seasons as the Ravens’ long snapper, making four Pro Bowls. He’s spent the past four seasons as the Titans’ long snapper.
Here’s a random fun fact that nobody asked for: Morgan Cox delivered the first long snap by a Jets visitor in New Meadowlands/MetLife Stadium history. Keep that in your back pocket for trivia night.
In the second quarter of the Jets’ 2010 season opener on Monday Night Football, Cox snapped the ball to Ravens punter Sam Koch for a 56-yard boot, which was returned 32 yards by Jim Leonhard. Cox was blocked by New York’s James Ihedigbo to help spring the return.
Linval Joseph (2010-24)
Playing 203 games for six teams, the former Giants second-round pick went on to make two Pro Bowls with the Vikings from 2016-17.
Joseph started 15 games for the Giants in their 2011 championship season. He made an impact in the Giants’ fateful Week 16 Snoopy Bowl victory that ultimately kickstarted the Jets’ playoff drought, recording four tackles, three pressures, and a pass deflection.
Jerry Hughes (2010-24)
A 2010 first-round pick of the Colts (31st overall), Hughes was selected two slots after New York chose Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson.
Hughes lasted just three years in Indy with a measly seven starts. He appeared in the Colts’ devastating wild card loss to the Jets in 2010, recording no stats across five snaps.
Hughes found his footing with one of the Jets’ arch-nemeses. He played 144 games across nine seasons for the Bills (2013-21), logging 53 sacks. The TCU product has eight career sacks against the Jets, his most of any opponent.
The 36-year-old is currently a free agent after spending the last three seasons in Houston.
Kareem Jackson (2010-24)
Jackson was selected 20th overall by the Texans in the 2010 draft, and went on to play 10 seasons for Houston. He is fourth on the franchise’s all-time games played list (134).
In Week 5 of the 2012 season, Jackson secured a game-sealing interception off of Mark Sanchez (ricocheting off a drop by tight end Jeff Cumberland) as he attempted to lead his second career game-winning drive against the Texans. It dropped the Jets’ record to 2-3, helping to push the Jets toward their second of what would become 14 consecutive non-playoff seasons.
Graham Gano (2009-24)
An undrafted free agent in 2009, Gano has played 202 career games for three teams. He is 11-of-13 against the Jets.
Matthew Stafford (2009-24)
Chosen first overall in the 2009 draft, Stafford went four picks ahead of Mark Sanchez.
Stafford had one of his pivotal early-career moments against the Jets. In Week 9 of the 2010 season, Detroit hosted New York in Stafford’s second game back after a six-week absence from a shoulder injury, and Stafford re-injured the shoulder to end his second season at just three games. The Jets took the 23-20 overtime win.
Thomas Morstead (2009-24)
The current Jets punter, Morstead is the only player on New York’s roster who was in the league the last time they made the playoffs.
Morstead met the Jets just four weeks into his NFL career, helping New Orleans hand New York a 24-10 loss, their first of the season after a 3-0 start. Serving as the Saints’ kickoff specialist at the time, Morstead delivered four touchbacks on five kickoffs, which was important to help quiet an explosive Jets return unit that finished the 2009 season ranked fourth-best in yards per kickoff return.
Morstead’s 80% touchback rate in this game (which amounted to his season-high) was extremely impressive at the time; his season average was 26.7%, and the 2009 league average was 16.1%.
J.J. Jansen (2009-24)
The Carolina Panthers’ all-time leader in games played, Jansen has been the Panthers’ long snapper for 260 consecutive games since the 2009 season opener.
Jansen had a busy day at Giants Stadium in Week 12 of the 2009 season, snapping for five punts and two field goal attempts as the Jets held Jake Delhomme’s Panthers offense out of the end zone in 17-6 victory. Delhomme tossed four interceptions, two each going into the hands of Darrelle Revis and Kerry Rhodes.
Joe Flacco (2008-24)
Flacco’s resume needs no introduction for the average NFL fan.
In Week 1 of the 2010 season, he became the first visiting quarterback to defeat the Jets at New Meadowlands/MetLife Stadium, although it was hardly thanks to him (62.2 passer rating in 10-9 victory).
Flacco also handed the Jets a key loss in their drought-starting 2011 season, defeating New York 34-17 in Week 4 to drop the Jets to 2-2 after a 2-0 start. Again, though, Flacco barely contributed, completing 10 passes and posting a 37.4 passer rating.
Calais Campbell (2008-24)
An ageless wonder, Campbell is still a force 17 years after Cardinals selected him 50th overall. He recently signed back with the team that drafted him.
Campbell has a 6-3 record across nine games against the Jets, logging 4.5 sacks.
Nick Folk (2007-24)
The 2007 sixth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys was booted after just three seasons following a rough 2009 season. He landed with the Jets and would play seven seasons with the team (2010-16).
Folk was rocky with the Jets (82.2% field goal percentage), but he made a number of memorable clutch kicks. He was better in the back portion of his New York career, making 86.1% of his attempts from 2013-16 after finishing sub-80% in each of his first three campaigns.
At age 40, Folk is coming off back-to-back seasons as the league leader in field goal percentage. He is currently a free agent, and the Jets badly need kicking help after Greg Zuerlein’s miserable 2024 season.
Matt Prater (2007-24)
Still going strong at 40 years old, Prater has played 254 games for four teams.
Prater helped the Jets get a key win in their push for the 2010 playoffs. In Week 6, he missed a 49-yard attempt that would have given the Broncos a 13-7 lead. Instead, the Jets responded with a game-tying Nick Folk field goal on the ensuing drive, and they went on to win 24-20.
Marcedes Lewis (2006-24)
A 2006 first-round pick of the Jaguars, the mammoth Lewis (6-foot-6, 267 pounds) has carved out an extensive career through his prowess as a blocker. In 19 years, he has played 285 games (229 starts) despite averaging 1.5 receptions per game, a testament to his impact on the game as a blocker.
The NFL’s active leader in games played, Lewis remains a useful NFL player. He played all 34 games with eight starts for the Bears over the last two seasons, logging 552 offensive snaps.
Lewis is currently a free agent, and the Jets badly need help at tight end, specifically in the blocking department.
Aaron Rodgers (2005-24)
A seldom-known quarterback who die-hard football fans may be aware of.
Full list
- LS Jon Weeks
- LS Morgan Cox
- DT Linval Joseph
- DE Jerry Hughes
- S Kareem Jackson
- K Graham Gano
- QB Matthew Stafford
- P Thomas Morstead
- LS J.J. Jansen
- QB Joe Flacco
- DE Calais Campbell
- K Nick Folk
- K Matt Prater
- TE Marcedes Lewis
- QB Aaron Rodgers
Only 15 active NFL players were in the league when the 11-5 New York Jets marched their way to the 2010 AFC championship game at Heinz Field.
Ten of the 15 players are either specialists or quarterbacks. Only five other players remain, including just one offensive non-quarterback. None of the NFL’s active running backs, wide receivers, offensive linemen, cornerbacks, or linebackers have been in the the league for a Jets playoff appearance.
Many stats and factoids exist to aptly represent the shocking magnitude of a 14-season playoff drought. This one may be the most damning. We are getting dangerously close to the point where New York’s last playoff appearance occurred so many moons ago that not a single player from that era of NFL football can bridge the gap to the modern day.
