There’s a thing about history…when you least expect it, key moments repeat themselves. That’s what may be happening to the New York Jets in 2025.
As head coach Aaron Glenn begins the start of his new era, the organization has taken significant steps to retool the very culture of the franchise – something that the Jets have seen before.
Back in 2009, Rex Ryan took over a franchise in a state of flux, having gone through one of the worst collapses in NFL history. He brought a new quarterback, a new swagger, and a culture that took over immediately in the building.
And while the current Jets have plenty to prove, there are shocking similarities between what Glenn is building, and what Ryan was able to do early on.
Jets Schedule Similarities
It is pretty staggering how similar the current Jets schedule looks compared to 2009.
In the first game of the Ryan era, New York took on a mediocre Houston Texans squad that was coming off two 8-8 seasons. Then, they faced off against the clear-cut kings of the AFC East in the New England Patriots, until taking on a Tennessee Titans team coming off a 13-win year. New York swept this slate on the way to a 3-0 start.
Glenn’s roster hasn’t played a game yet, but their schedule plays out extremely similar.
New York kicks off the 2025 season against a mediocre roster in the Pittsburgh Steelers. Following that contest, they take on the Buffalo Bills, the leading candidate to win the AFC East for a sixth straight year. They conclude with a showdown against a playoff contender in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The current Jets roster is set to face the AFC North and NFC South to go along with a third-place schedule. Ryan’s group took on the AFC and NFC South during the 2009 campaign and also took on a third-place schedule.
Coincidence? Maybe.
But it is clear that the Jets have some reason for positivity going into the new year.
QB Change
Probably the most stark similarity between the 2009 Jets and the current squad is their decision at quarterback. Brett Favre chose to enter quasi-retirement again, and Ryan was left looking for a new quarterback. New York chose to trade up for USC signal-caller Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick in the draft.
Justin Fields is not a rookie. But he is a raw quarterback who needs a workman-like running game to get the most out of him. The fact that he’s replacing another former Packers legend inn Aaron Rodgers is just an added bonus.
Both Sanchez and Fields are similar players in that they did specific things well, but weren’t “can’t miss” players at quarterback.
They each needed the Jets to build a strong team of stars around them to find success. The ’09 Jets certainly pulled it off. New York’s current roster seems to be building the same thing.
Needed Youth Movement
The current Jets roster was in desperate need of getting younger on both sides of the ball. That much was obvious when they team moved on from veterans like Rodgers, wide receiver Davante Adams, and linebacker C.J. Mosley.
The average age of free agent acquisitions by New York this offseason is just 26.5.
While bigger free agents were added in free agency during the 2009 offseason, the crux of the plan was relatively similar. New York got significantly younger at quarterback, and felt that their existing young core of players like Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, and Darrelle Revis could help them overcome some glaring holes on the roster.
The Jets feel similar in 2025. Glenn inherits a young core that features players like Quinnen Williams, Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and multiple talented offensive linemen.
Coincidentally, one area of concern for the 2009 Jets was their defensive line. In Ryan’s scheme, the Jets overcame this by blitzing from all over the field and cause confusion.
The 2025 Jets have a handful of high-upside rushers in Will McDonald, Jermaine Johnson, and Quinnen Williams, but the overall depth is a question mark. Glenn, like Ryan, is known for his tendency to bring the blitz. Perhaps he can mirror Ryan’s ability to coach around the defensive line issues by scheming up pressure on his own.
In many ways, the Jets’ current situation mirrors the last time the organization began building something special – even if it was only for two years.
