History of the New York Jets The history of the New York Jets American football team began in 1959 with the founding of the Titans of New York , an original member of the American Football League . The team had little success in its early years ( AFL ) . After playing three seasons at the Polo Grounds , the team changed its name to the Jets , and moved into newly built Shea Stadium in 1964 . In January 1965 , the Jets signed University of Alabama quarterback Joe Namath to a then - record contract . The team showed gradual improvement in the late 1960s , posting its first winning record in 1967 and winning its only American Football League championship in 1968 . By winning the title , New York earned the right to play in Super Bowl III against the champions of the National Football League ( NFL ) , the Baltimore Colts . The Jets defeated the Colts in the game ; in the aftermath of the upset , the AFL was deemed a worthy partner to the NFL as the two leagues merged . Following the merger , the Jets fell into mediocrity ; Namath was dogged by injuries through much of his later career . In 1981 , New York qualified for the playoffs for the first time in the post - Namath era . They reached the AFC Championship Game in 1982 ; they were defeated on a rain - soaked Orange Bowl field by the Miami Dolphins . Beginning with the 1984 season , the team played in New Jersey ' s Giants Stadium . The team started the 1986 season with a 10 – 1 record , but the injury - plagued Jets lost their last five regular season games and relinquished a ten - point fourth quarter lead to lose in double overtime to the Cleveland Browns in the playoffs . In the following eleven seasons , New York had limited success , reaching the playoffs only once and enduring a string of disastrous seasons , including a 1 – 15 record in 1996 . The following year , the Jets hired two - time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Parcells . The new coach guided the team to its most successful season since the merger in 1998 ; the Jets finished 12 – 4 and reached the AFC Championship Game , in which they fell to the Denver Broncos . The team made five playoff appearances in the 2000s , their most of any decade . In 2009 and 2010 , the Jets achieved back - to - back appearances in the AFC Championship Game , losing to the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers . In 2010 , the team began to play in MetLife Stadium , constructed near the now - demolished Giants Stadium . Origins and the Polo Grounds era ( 1959 – 1964 ) . Organization and first season . In 1959 , young oilmen Lamar Hunt and Bud Adams sought a National Football League franchise . They found that NFL expansion required a unanimous vote of existing team owners , so there was little likelihood of convincing the NFL to expand . The two men attempted to acquire the Chicago Cardinals , intending to move the franchise to Dallas , where there was no NFL team . Cardinals co - owner Walter Wolfner , who owned the team with his wife , Violet Bidwill Wolfner , was unwilling to sell majority control . During the discussions , Walter Wolfner mentioned the names of other wealthy bidders seeking to acquire the Cardinals . On the flight home , Hunt and Adams decided to recruit the other bidders as owners of teams in a new professional football league . New York City attorney William Shea was attempting to create the Continental League , a rival league to Major League Baseball . Hunt met with him , and Shea suggested Harry Wismer , a minority shareholder in both the Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions , as a potential New York franchise owner for the new football league . Wismer was willing ; he was feuding at the time with the Redskins ' principal owner , George Preston Marshall , and realized he would never own the Washington franchise . Wismer , while wealthy , was not nearly as rich as the other potential team owners . On August 14 , 1959 , the league held an organizational meeting and announced its plans ; eight days later it announced its name : the American Football League ( AFL ) , the fourth league to take that name . On November 24 , 1959 , the AFL held its first draft ; the " Titans of New York " , as the franchise awarded to Wismer was dubbed , selected Notre Dame quarterback George Izo as their first pick . The league announced a policy , formulated by Wismer , that it would negotiate with a network for a single television contract to cover all the teams , the first league to do so . On December 7 , the Titans hired Steve Sebo as general manager . Sebo had just been fired as coach at the University of Pennsylvania , despite taking the Quakers to the Ivy League championship . On December 17 , the Titans announced at a press conference that " one of the biggest names in the history of football " would be soon be named as their head coach . Although Wismer was prone to hyperbole , in this case he told the truth : New York had persuaded a former NFL great , quarterback and punter Sammy Baugh , to be its coach . Since his retirement as a player , Baugh had coached at tiny Hardin - Simmons University , where he built a strong football program that sent a team to the 1958 Sun Bowl . Before appearing at the press conference , Baugh demanded his entire salary of $ 20 , 000 for 1960 , in cash . The Titans accommodated him . Wismer sought a place for his team to play , but was only able to secure the decrepit Polo Grounds , which had been without a major tenant since the departure of the New York Giants baseball team in 1957 . The stadium stood on the northern tip of Manhattan , across the Harlem River from Yankee Stadium , where the New York Giants NFL team played . Baugh invited some 100 players to the Titans ' first training camp , which opened at the University of New Hampshire on July 9 , 1960 . As NFL teams cut players from their training camps , many were invited to the Titans ' or other AFL training camps as the teams sought to fill their 35 - man rosters . The franchise ' s first preseason game took place on August 6 , 1960 , against the Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum . The Titans kicked off to begin the game , and Chargers running back Paul Lowe returned the kick 105 yards for a touchdown . New York lost , 27 – 7 . On September 11 , 1960 , the opening regular season game was played in a heavy downpour , the remains of Hurricane Diana . Water poured off Coogan ' s Bluff , situated above the Polo Grounds , swamping the field , which had poor drainage . The Titans ' offense was less affected by the mud than that of the visiting Buffalo Bills . The Titans won the game 27 – 3 before a crowd of 9 , 607 ( 5 , 727 paid attendance ) . The following week New York played another home game , against the Boston Patriots . On the first of many occasions when the team would lose a game after taking a big lead , the Titans were ahead 24 – 7 in the second half . With the lead reduced to 24 – 21 , the Titans punted from deep in their own territory with seconds left . The punter , Rick Sapienza , fumbled the snap , and the Patriots recovered in the end zone for the victory . The following week , with the Titans playing at the Denver Broncos , New York blocked a punt on the final play to win the game . In their fourth game , New York had a two - point lead when it fumbled with fifteen seconds left against the Dallas Texans . This set off a scramble for the ball , which the Titans recovered as time ran out . Viewers in New York were spared the harrowing ending ; in a prelude to the " Heidi " Game eight years later , the local ABC station had switched to a Walt Disney Davey Crockett special at 6 : 30 p . m . Many viewers called to complain . Five weeks into the season , guard Howard Glenn broke his neck during a loss to the Houston Oilers , and died a few hours later , becoming the first player in professional football to die from injuries sustained on the field . New York suffered other injuries as the season progressed , and Wismer lacked the money to replace the injured players . Several players had to play both offense and defense . Wismer had arranged for the Titans to play three home games before their cross - river rivals , the Giants , started their season . This meant the Titans had to play their final three games on the road , and Wismer claimed to have lost $ 150 , 000 on the trip . The Titans finished their first season 7 – 7 ; according to attendance figures released by the team , the Titans drew an average of 16 , 375 fans per game . This claim was mocked by the New York press , which reported that the fans had disguised themselves as empty seats . " The New York Times " estimated that the team had lost $ 450 , 000 for the season ; in his autobiography , Wismer set the figure at $ 1 . 2 million . Bankruptcy and recovery . New York City had proposed to build a new stadium for its franchise in baseball ' s stillborn Continental League . When that league dissolved and the city was awarded a franchise , dubbed the New York Mets , in the National League , plans for a stadium continued . Wismer had hoped the Titans could play in the new stadium , to be built at Flushing Meadows in Queens , beginning with the 1961 season , but funding difficulties and legal problems delayed construction . Wismer signed a memorandum of understanding in late 1961 , although he was unhappy about the terms , which gave the Mets exclusive use of the stadium until they completed their season , and gave the Titans no revenue from parking . According to team doctor James Nicholas , " The lease that Harry signed cost the team quite a lot . It led to < nowiki > [ later team owner ] < / nowiki > Leon Hess going to the Meadowlands . " Shea Stadium , as it came to be known , did not open until 1964 . New York hoped to improve its fortunes through the AFL draft , but most Titans draftees signed with the NFL . The Titans won only one preseason game , before a crowd of 73 , 916 against the Patriots in Philadelphia – free tickets had been given to anyone who bought $ 10 in groceries at an Acme Market . " The New York Times " columnist Howard Tuckner described the crowd as " presumably well - fed . " The 1961 season , which ended at 7 – 7 , was marked by financial difficulties , as the paychecks of many players bounced ; team members learned to hurry to the bank as soon as they received their pay . At the end of the season , Wismer announced that Clyde " Bulldog " Turner would be the Titans ' head coach in 1962 . Baugh had a contract for 1962 and would have to be paid unless he quit . Although Wismer did not fire Baugh , he also did not tell him where the team ' s 1962 training camp would be . Baugh showed up anyway , and spent several days acting as kicking coach before Wismer came to the conclusion that Baugh would not quit . The team owner agreed to pay Baugh his 1962 salary in monthly installments . Baugh later stated that he was never paid . Baugh ' s 14 – 14 record stood as the best mark by any Titans / Jets coach until bettered by Bill Parcells in 1997 – 1999 . In the offseason , Wismer hoped to bring a star to the Polo Grounds by drafting Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis of Syracuse , but Davis was drafted by the Bills instead , signed with the NFL , and died of leukemia before ever playing a professional game . Turner had never been a head coach before ; he faced a team convinced that Baugh had been treated shabbily by Wismer and had difficulty uniting the players . After the Titans split their first two games against Oakland and the Chargers ( who had moved to San Diego ) , the team came home to no paychecks . The players refused to practice , though they worked out on their own on Friday . They then flew to Buffalo and defeated the winless Bills . Public attention in New York was focused on the established local teams , as well as the abysmal record of the fledgling Mets , who nevertheless attracted a cult following . The Titans received little publicity and attracted only 4 , 719 fans to the home opener against Denver . They were required to wait until the end of the Mets ' season before they were allowed to use the Polo Grounds . The Broncos defeated the Titans , 32 – 10 , and Titans quarterback Dean Look suffered a career - ending injury . New York ' s financial and football woes continued through October 1962 , and at the beginning of November , Wismer informed AFL commissioner Joe Foss that he lacked the money to continue operations . The league assumed the cost of running the team for the rest of 1962 ; Wismer remained in nominal charge . The Titans had little success on the field ( the highlight was a 46 – 45 victory at favored Denver on Thanksgiving ) , and finished the season insolvent with a 5 – 9 record . Wismer agreed to sell the team , but attempted to prevent the sale with a bankruptcy filing . He contended that the move into Shea Stadium would lead to sufficient revenue to make the team profitable . A bankruptcy referee granted the league the authority to sell the team to a five - man syndicate composed of David A . " Sonny " Werblin , Townsend B . Martin , Leon Hess , Donald C . Lillis , and Philip H . Iselin . The sale of the team was approved by a court on March 15 and completed on March 28 , 1963 . The sale price was $ 1 million . On April 15 , 1963 , the team named Wilbur " Weeb " Ewbank as their head coach and general manager . Ewbank had won back - to - back NFL championships in 1958 and 1959 with the Baltimore Colts , and was one of the most respected coaches in the game . The Colts had fired Ewbank in favor of Don Shula , an untested 33 - year - old coach . Werblin also announced a new name for his team , the Jets , which had been selected from among 500 candidates submitted by " friends , enemies , and advertising agencies " . The name was chosen over Dodgers , Borros , and Gothams . The team ' s colors were changed to green and white . In a press release , the team stated the reason for the selections : The site of the new stadium between New York ' s two major airports , symbols of this speedy , modern age , influenced the selection of the new name " Jets " . It reflects the spirit of these times and the eagerness of all concerned — players , coach , and owners — to give New York another worthy team . The new team ' s colors of green and white were chosen for much the same reasons , plus the fact that down through the ages green has always signified hope , freshness and high spirits . The new owners faced a chaotic situation . The team had few players under contract , and had made little effort to sign any of their draft picks , most of which had signed with the NFL . The league attempted to strengthen the Jets and the woeful Oakland Raiders by allowing them to select players from the other six teams , and by giving them the first opportunity to sign players cut from NFL rosters . Ewbank , who had discovered Colts great Johnny Unitas at an open tryout , held tryouts for the Jets . Only seven of the participants were invited to training camp , and one , Marshall Starks , made the team as a second - teamer . In mid - July , it was announced that the Jets could not move into Shea Stadium until 1964 . Despite the offseason problems , New York contended for its first division title in a weak AFL East during the 1963 season . By early December , the Jets had compiled a record of 5 – 5 – 1 , and faced a game in Buffalo with the Bills only a half game ahead . The Jets lost the game , 45 – 14 , as well as their other two remaining games , and finished 5 – 8 – 1 . Although the Jets drew just over 100 , 000 fans to the Polo Grounds in seven home games , they quickly sold 17 , 500 season tickets for the first season in Shea Stadium . Running back Matt Snell was drafted by both New York teams , and the Jets were able to sign him . On September 12 , 1964 , New York played its home opener at Shea Stadium , defeating Denver 30 – 6 before a crowd of 52 , 663 , which broke the AFL regular season attendance record by almost 20 , 000 . On November 8 , 1964 , both the Jets and Giants played home games ; both teams sold out their games and the Jets drew 61 , 929 fans . The Jets posted a home record of 5 – 1 – 1 in 1964 , but lost all seven road games to finish 5 – 8 – 1 again . As the season concluded , the obvious standout draft choice for both leagues was Alabama quarterback Joe Namath . The Houston Oilers , in last place in the AFL East , had the number - one pick for the AFL . Both the Oilers and Jets realized that the Jets had a far better chance of signing Namath in competition with the NFL team which drafted him ( as it turned out , the St . Louis Cardinals , formerly the Chicago Cardinals ) , and the Jets were able to acquire the number - one pick . Neither the Jets nor the Cardinals could sign Namath until Alabama played its final game of the season , the Orange Bowl , on January 1 , 1965 . Both the Jets and Cardinals negotiated with Namath ' s attorney , and when the price got too high for the Cardinals , the Giants secretly acquired Namath ' s NFL rights . Longtime Jets coach Walt Michaels admitted many years later that the Jets had signed Namath days before the game . On January 2 , 1965 , the Jets held a press conference to announce Namath ' s signing . " Broadway Joe " era ( 1965 – 1976 ) . Road to Super Bowl III . Namath did not start the January 1965 Orange Bowl , as he was nursing an injured knee . He came off the bench in the second quarter with Alabama down by two touchdowns , and led his team to within a foot of victory , falling short in a run on the game ' s final play . Despite the loss , he was voted the game ' s Most Valuable Player . The following day , Namath officially signed with New York for an unprecedented contract worth $ 427 , 000 over three years . The total included bonuses yet to be earned as well as a convertible given to Namath as a signing bonus . The Jets had been aware that Namath had knee problems , but when team doctor Nicholas examined Namath in the restroom at a party held to celebrate his signing , he told the quarterback that had he known Namath ' s knees were that bad , he would have advised Werblin not to sign him . The Jets scheduled Namath for surgery amid considerable public interest ; the media asked to photograph the operation , but were refused permission . The Jets hedged their bets by signing three other quarterbacks for a total of $ 400 , 000 , including Notre Dame quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte . There was intense media attention on Namath , who became known for a playboy lifestyle ; the media dubbed him " Broadway Joe " . Ewbank maintained through training camp that second - year Mike Taliaferro was the number - one quarterback and disappointed a sellout crowd at Houston ' s Rice Stadium by keeping Namath on the bench at the Jets ' season opener . Ewbank felt that Namath might not be ready for several more weeks , but Werblin intervened . Namath saw his first regular season action in the AFL the next week against the Kansas City Chiefs ( the former Dallas Texans ) , and he was starting quarterback the following week against the Buffalo Bills . Namath ' s performance was inconsistent as he gained pro experience , but he was named AFL Rookie of the Year . The Jets finished the season 5 – 8 – 1 again . Beginning in 1966 , the Jets begun to improve on the field behind Namath , who led them to a 6 – 6 – 2 record . That season , the NFL and AFL announced a merger , which would be effective in 1970 . A championship game ( it came to be known as the Super Bowl ) , played between the two league champions , would follow each season until the merger took place . In 1967 , Namath threw a then - record 4 , 007 yards as the Jets posted their first winning record , 8 – 5 – 1 . The Jets led the division until running back Emerson Boozer was injured against the Chiefs on November 6 , which meant opposing teams were able to concentrate on the passing threat from Namath . In 1968 , Werblin ' s co - owners gave him an ultimatum – either buy them out or be bought out . He chose the latter option , reportedly profiting $ 1 . 4 million for his 1963 investment of $ 250 , 000 . Prior to Werblin ' s departure , the Jets had considered firing Ewbank . They attempted to secure Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi , but Lombardi decided to remain in Green Bay one more season . The season started with the usual three road games due to the team ' s status as secondary tenant to the Mets at Shea Stadium . The Jets rose to the top of the AFL East ; they had lost only two games by mid - November and built a three - game lead over second - place Houston . New York ' s next game was at Oakland . In what became known as the " Heidi " Game , the Jets took a 32 – 29 lead with 68 seconds left , only to have Oakland score two touchdowns to win the game . However , the touchdowns went unseen by the national TV audience , as NBC had switched at 7 : 00 p . m . to a TV movie of " Heidi " . Nevertheless , the Jets won their remaining games to finish 11 – 3 . In the playoffs , the Jets defeated the Raiders for the AFL Championship at Shea Stadium , 27 – 23 , a game in which Namath threw three touchdowns , including the game winner to Don Maynard in the fourth quarter . Super Bowl III . In the Super Bowl at the Miami Orange Bowl on January 12 , 1969 , the Jets faced the Baltimore Colts , who had dominated the NFL with a 13 – 1 record . In their 14 regular season games , the Colts permitted only 144 points . Their sole loss had been to the Cleveland Browns , who they then defeated 34 – 0 in the 1968 NFL Championship Game . Bookie Jimmy " The Greek " Snyder proclaimed the Colts as 17 - point favorites over the Jets . " Sports Illustrated " ' s top football writer , Tex Maule , predicted a 43 – 0 Colts victory . The first two Super Bowls had been dominated by the NFL champion Green Bay Packers ; most journalists expected the Colts to easily defeat the Jets . From his arrival in Miami , Namath was outspoken about the Jets ' chances in the Super Bowl . He alleged that there were five AFL quarterbacks better than Colts quarterback Earl Morrall , who would be only the third - best on the Jets . He was equally outspoken in a verbal confrontation with Colts kicker Lou Michaels in a Miami restaurant . Three days before the game , while accepting an award from the Miami Touchdown Club , Namath made the statement for which he would be remembered : " And we ' re going to win Sunday , I ' ll guarantee you . " The game was a defensive struggle . At halftime , the Jets led 7 – 0 on a Matt Snell touchdown run ; New York ' s defense frustrated Baltimore , and the Colts were scoreless despite repeated opportunities . Jim Turner added two field goals to make the score 13 – 0 , and Colts coach Don Shula inserted Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas in Morrall ' s place . Unitas initially failed to move the Colts ' offense , and Turner gave the Jets a 16 – 0 lead with his third field goal . Unitas managed to lead the Colts to a touchdown with less than four minutes left . A second drive ( after a successful onside kick ) fell short , and the Jets were able to run out the clock for a 16 – 7 victory , one of the greatest upsets in football history . " Houston Post " columnist Jack Gallagher traced the Jets ' progress from their early days to the Super Bowl : I remember when the 1962 Titans drew 36 , 161 — not the average attendance , mind you , but for the season . . . I remember when a squirt of a Texan named Hayseed Stephens , instead of Broadway Joe Namath quarterbacked New York ' s AFL entry . . . As the thoughts keep rolling back I find it difficult to reconcile the Jets with the champions of pro football . But I do recall [ former AFL Commissioner Joe ] Foss once saying , " When sports historians chart the progress of this league they ' ll find that no organization in sport went so far so fast . " Clearly , the franchise that went the farthest the fastest was the New York Jets . Decline and Namath ' s departure . Before the 1969 season , the Jets suffered offseason problems . Namath , faced with NFL claims that his Bachelors III bar was a hangout for gangsters , was told by the NFL to sell the bar . Instead , he briefly retired , feeling he had been badly treated . Six weeks following his announcement , Namath sold the bar and rejoined the team . A number of Super Bowl veterans were cut by the team , or had bitter contract disputes with Ewbank in his capacity as general manager . According to receiver Don Maynard , " When you get rid of veteran ballplayers and replace them with rookies , the level goes down . " The Jets ' success in signing Namath and the rise of the team in the standings adversely affected their crosstown rivals , the Giants , who had played in five NFL championship games in six years to 1963 , but who thereafter declined in the standings . Giants owner Wellington Mara stated , " I think the Jets coming in when they did contributed to our bad years , because we tried to do everything for the short term rather than the long haul — we ' d trade a draft choice for a player , figuring he ' d give us one or two good years . We didn ' t want to accept how the public might react if we had a bad year or two or three . " In 1968 , the Giants traded for star Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton in the vain hopes he would lead them to renewed success and rival Namath in the public eye . In August 1969 , the Jets faced the Giants in a preseason game at the Yale Bowl . While the Jets ' Super Bowl win legitimized the AFL as a comparable league to the NFL in the eyes of many , others doubted the AFL ' s standard of play , and the Jets were underdogs going into the game . Giants coach Allie Sherman approached the game as if it were a regular season contest , and the Jets sent the three remaining original Titans out for the coin toss . The Jets defeated the Giants 37 – 14 , and Sherman was fired a few weeks later . The Jets ' fellow tenants , the Mets , won a championship themselves ; the baseball team ' s accomplishments forced the Jets to play their first five games on the road . The Jets recovered from a slow start to win their second consecutive Eastern Division championship , but fell to Kansas City in the divisional round of the playoffs , 13 – 6 . The first NFL game for the Jets , as the leagues finalized their merger in 1970 , was also the first - ever Monday Night Football game , a 31 – 21 loss to the Cleveland Browns . Three weeks later , they played the Colts for the first time since the Super Bowl . The Jets lost both the game and Namath , who fractured his wrist and was lost for the season as the Jets fell to a record of 4 – 10 , the worst mark yet of the Namath era . They did not have a winning record again until 1981 . After six years with the team , wide receiver George Sauer , a major contributor offensively , retired on April 16 , 1971 . Namath was injured again in a 1971 preseason game in Tampa , and missed much of the season . He returned on November 28 against the San Francisco 49ers and threw three touchdown passes ; the Jets lost by three points . The Jets finished the season at 6 – 8 . In 1972 , Namath had one of the best days of his career against the Baltimore Colts : he completed 15 of 28 passes for 496 yards and six touchdowns . Despite Namath ' s performance , John Madden ' s Oakland Raiders eliminated the Jets from contention in their second - to - last regular season game . New York finished the season with a record of 7 – 7 . Before the 1973 season , the aging Ewbank announced that he would retire as coach after the season and as general manager after 1974 . The Mets unexpectedly qualified for the World Series , consigning the Jets to another long stay away from Shea . The Jets did not play a home game until the end of October . The team finished with a record of 4 – 10 , though their final game against the Bills attracted considerable media attention . The attention was not for Ewbank ' s last game , but for Bills running back O . J . Simpson ' s attempt to become the first NFL player to rush for 2 , 000 yards in a season . Simpson gained 200 yards , finishing with 2 , 003 for the season . Shortly after the 1973 season , the team hired Ewbank ' s son - in - law , former Cardinals coach Charley Winner , as head coach . The new coach showed an initial inability to get his team to emulate his last name : the team started the season by losing seven of their first eight games . Namath , who had a reasonably healthy season behind a poor offensive line , predicted the Jets would win their final six games . The first NFL regular - season overtime victory , over the Giants at the Yale Bowl , and the usual large number of home games towards the end of the season helped New York in its comeback , and a Namath prediction again came true . Al Ward replaced Ewbank as general manager in 1975 . The Jets won four of their five preseason games , though sportswriter Gerald Eskenazi , in his history of the Jets , notes that the wins were secured by playing first - string players while the other teams were trying out rookies and backups . When the regular season started , the Jets lost seven of their first nine games , and Winner was fired . Offensive coordinator Ken Shipp became interim head coach , and the Jets finished with a record of 3 – 11 . Running back John Riggins , who became the first 1 , 000 yard rusher in franchise history during the season and made the Pro Bowl , departed for the Washington Redskins as he felt the Jets ' Namath - led offense passed the ball too often . New York hired North Carolina State coach Lou Holtz . With New York enduring the second of three consecutive 3 – 11 seasons ( two wins came over the 2 – 12 Bills and a third over the 0 – 14 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers ) , Holtz — who went on to great success at Notre Dame — resigned with one game left in the season to become head coach at the University of Arkansas . Following their disastrous 1976 season , the Jets hired longtime assistant Walt Michaels as their new head coach . In the offseason , the team made the difficult decision to part ways with Joe Namath , who had become ineffective on the field . Although Namath ' s throwing abilities were unimpaired , his knees were so bad as to render him almost immobile ; Paul Zimmerman of the " New York Post " dubbed him the " million dollar statue " . The team attempted to trade him but was unsuccessful . On May 12 , 1977 , Namath was cut from the roster . He signed with the Los Angeles Rams , but retired at season ' s end . Rebuilding and modest success ( 1977 – 1989 ) . Final years at Shea . Feeling that having to play road games until the Mets were done with Shea Stadium put the Jets at a disadvantage , the team announced in 1977 that they would play two home games a year in September at the Giants ' new home in New Jersey , Giants Stadium . Litigation began between New York City and the Jets over the issue , and in the lawsuit ' s settlement , the city agreed to allow the Jets to play two September home games a season at Shea beginning in 1978 for the remaining six years in the Jets ' lease . In 1977 , the Jets were to play one September game at Giants Stadium and an October 2 game at Shea . Despite the favorable settlement , the Jets won only three of fourteen games . Rookies on the team , drafted in the 1977 NFL Draft , included seven players who started for them in the late 1970s and early 1980s , such as tackle Marvin Powell , wide receiver Wesley Walker , and defensive lineman Joe Klecko — who became part of a defensive line known as the New York Sack Exchange . In Michaels ' second season , the Jets adopted new uniforms in a darker green and with a streamlined logo . When quarterback Richard Todd was injured , his backup Matt Robinson proved to be a deep - throwing threat who led New York to eight wins in the first fourteen of the newly expanded sixteen - game season , and into playoff contention . However , the team lost its final two contests and did not qualify for the playoffs . Michaels was named AFC Coach of the Year for keeping his young team in playoff contention so long . There was much media discussion as to whether Todd or Robinson should be the starting quarterback in 1979 . Todd emerged as the starter — Robinson was injured while arm wrestling during the preseason . The injury — and his attempts to conceal it from Michaels — ended his career with the Jets . Todd led the Jets to another 8 – 8 record . Jimmy the Greek predicted the Jets would go to the Super Bowl in 1980 , but they ended that season with a 4 – 12 record . There was fan pressure on the Jets to fire Michaels after 1980 ; it increased when the Jets lost their first three games of the 1981 season . Even so , Michaels described his team as being of " a championship , playoff caliber " . The Jets compiled a record of 10 – 2 – 1 in their remaining games — losing twice to the Seattle Seahawks — to finish the season with their first winning record and playoff appearance since 1969 . Their final - week victory over the Packers boosted the Jets into the playoffs , and also gave the Giants the opportunity to qualify with a win over the Chicago Bears — the Giants defeated the Bears for their first playoff berth since 1963 . The Jets fell behind the Bills 24 – 0 in the wild card game and lost 31 – 27 , as their potentially game - winning drive was stopped when the Bills intercepted a Todd pass near Buffalo ' s goal line . One of the Jets ' bright spots was their defensive line . Mark Gastineau and Klecko anchored the Sack Exchange and combined for more than 40 quarterback sacks . In the strike - shortened 1982 season , the Jets finished 6 – 3 and upset the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the playoffs , as running back Freeman McNeil became the second player to rush for 200 yards in a postseason game . New York then defeated the top seeded Los Angeles Raiders , 17 – 14 , based on the strong performances of McNeil and Wesley Walker in a game that saw numerous turnovers on both sides . The Jets next traveled to face the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game . The game was preceded by a series of storms that turned the Orange Bowl into a mud pit . The Dolphins stated that they did not own a tarpaulin , and that stadium maintenance was Dade County ' s responsibility , so the field lay exposed to the elements . The muddy field slowed the Jets ' offense . In what was dubbed the " Mud Bowl , " neither team managed much offense ( both teams gained less than 200 yards ) . At the end of his best season , Todd threw five interceptions , the last being a screen pass deflected and returned by linebacker A . J . Duhe for a costly fourth quarter touchdown as New York fell to Miami 14 – 0 . On February 9 , 1983 , Michaels announced his resignation , and the following day the Jets elevated offensive coordinator Joe Walton to the head coaching position . In Walton ' s first months as head coach , the team made a decision which would long be discussed and criticized . In the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft , New York selected quarterback Ken O ' Brien . In drafting O ' Brien , they passed up University of Pittsburgh quarterback Dan Marino , who went on to have a stellar career with the Dolphins , and would many times be a thorn in the Jets ' side . The 1983 season started with high expectations , but the Jets dropped to 7 – 9 . The Jets ' lease at Shea Stadium was due to expire after 1983 , Jets majority owner Leon Hess and New York Mayor Ed Koch attempted to negotiate a new lease for the team . The Jets wanted the city to redevelop the stadium to expand its capacity to 67 , 000 and to alleviate its rundown state . Hess felt that Koch was uninterested in the Jets ( he had attended one Jets game in his six years as mayor , and had left early ) . Negotiations soon reached an impasse , and in October 1983 , the team announced it would move to Giants Stadium beginning in the 1984 season . Early Meadowlands years . Hess acquired full ownership of the Jets on February 9 , 1984 , when Helen Dillion sold her 25 % interest to him . Before the season , New York traded quarterback Todd to the New Orleans Saints . New York began its season with veteran Pat Ryan as starting quarterback ; O ' Brien was spending most weekdays waiting to testify about an altercation at the Studio 54 nightclub , at which Jets players had been present and by some accounts involved . The Jets had a second consecutive mediocre season , finishing 7 – 9 after starting the season 6 – 2 . In 1985 , the Jets made the playoffs , accruing an 11 – 5 record , and hosted their first playoff game in four years . They were defeated in the first round by the eventual AFC champion Patriots after turning the ball over four times . Looking to improve on their 1985 performance , the Jets started the 1986 season 10 – 1 , including nine straight wins . In week three against Miami , the Jets won 51 – 45 in overtime as O ' Brien and Marino combined to pass for 884 yards , then an NFL record . Wracked by injuries , the Jets lost their final five regular season games , but still made the playoffs . In the wild card playoff game against the Chiefs , the Jets replaced O ' Brien with Ryan , and won 35 – 15 . This victory sent the Jets to the divisional round in an away game against Cleveland . The Jets built a 20 – 10 lead , and appeared to have stopped a late Cleveland drive — until Gastineau was called for a roughing the passer penalty , a late hit on Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar that gave the Browns another opportunity . Cleveland tied the score , and in the second overtime , defeated the Jets , 23 – 20 . The Browns lost to the Broncos ( beaten by the Jets earlier in the season ) in the AFC Championship Game ; the Broncos in turn lost to the Giants in Super Bowl XXI . Many Jets were convinced that given the opportunity to play the Giants , the Jets would have won . According to Eskenazi , the Giants " were the toast of New York , back in a championship game for the first time since the 1960s , while the Jets contemplated the late hit and what might have been " . In 1987 , the Jets won their first two games . NFL players then staged a strike ; a team composed mostly of replacement players lost two of the next three games . The locker room was divided after the strike due to the decision of a few players , led by Gastineau , to cross the picket line . The Jets remained in contention in a mediocre AFC East through much of the season , but dropped all four games in December to finish 6 – 9 , in last place . In 1988 , the Sack Exchange era ended as Klecko failed his offseason physical and was waived , linebacker Lance Mehl announced his retirement during training camp , and Gastineau retired midseason , citing personal reasons . In spite of these departures , New York finished with an 8 – 7 – 1 record . They secured a winning record by ending the season with a victory over the Giants , which cost their in state rivals a playoff berth . The team performed badly in 1989 , finishing 4 – 12 . On December 18 , 1989 , the Jets hired executive Dick Steinberg from the New England Patriots to take over as general manager . Three days after New York ' s final game of the season , a 37 – 0 loss to the Bills at Giants Stadium , Steinberg fired Walton and began to search for the team ' s tenth coach . The disastrous 1989 campaign cost Walton the chance to be the first Jets coach to complete his career with a winning record , a statistic he later admitted he cared about deeply . Search for success ( 1990 – 1996 ) . Steinberg initially sought to hire Michigan State coach George Perles as Jets head coach , but the university refused to release him from his contract . Steinberg then hired Bengals offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet . Coslet ' s offensive schemes , described as " state - of - the - art " by " Sports Illustrated " , had helped the Bengals to the 1988 Super Bowl . New York ' s poor record had given them the second pick in the draft ; the team selected star Penn State running back Blair Thomas , who was expected to have a strong career with the Jets . Instead Thomas played on the team for four injury - plagued , unproductive years and was cut before the 1994 season began . Coslet ' s first season proved only slightly better than Walton ' s last ; the Jets finished 6 – 10 . In the 1991 NFL Draft , the Jets lost another opportunity to draft a star quarterback , as a draft - day deal that would have allowed them to select Brett Favre fell through . The Jets had more success in the 1991 season : they built a 7 – 8 record with one game remaining , and needed a win against Miami to clinch a playoff berth . New York kicker Raul Allegre ( recently signed to replace aging kicker Pat Leahy , who had been kicking for the Jets since the days of Joe Namath ) made one field goal to force overtime , and another to win in the extra period . The victory gave the Jets their first playoff berth since 1986 . In the wild card game , an O ' Brien pass into the end zone in the final seconds of the game was intercepted and the Jets lost to Houston , 17 – 10 . After a strong performance by rookie quarterback Browning Nagle in the team ' s 5 – 0 1992 preseason , Coslet promoted him to the starting lineup . Despite throwing for a total of 366 yards against the Falcons in the opener , then the second highest yardage total for a quarterback making his NFL debut , the team lost 20 – 17 ; the Jets lost their first four games . Wide receiver Al Toon retired on November 27 , 1992 , having received the ninth concussion of his career earlier in the season . Two days later , defensive end Dennis Byrd collided with teammate Scott Mersereau when Chiefs quarterback Dave Kreig stepped forward in the pocket as the two players were about to sandwich him . Mersereau managed to walk away and continue his career with New York , but Byrd suffered a fracture to his C - 5 vertebra that left him partially paralyzed . Inspired by Byrd ' s persistent high spirits , New York traveled to Buffalo the following week and defeated the AFC champion Bills . The Jets finished the season 4 – 12 . Prior to the 1993 season , the Jets obtained Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason , who had worked with Coslet in Cincinnati . Steinberg signed veteran Ronnie Lott to shore up the defense . O ' Brien ' s career with the Jets ended with an offseason trade to the Green Bay Packers , and Freeman McNeil retired after twelve seasons . The Jets suffered another December collapse : they lost four of their last five to finish 8 – 8 . The Jets would have made the playoffs by winning their last game , but were shut out at the Astrodome by the Oilers . Following the season , Steinberg fired Coslet and replaced him with defensive coordinator Pete Carroll . Carroll ' s first season , 1994 , started well . Going into a November home game against Miami , the Jets were 6 – 5 ; a victory over the Dolphins would tie them for the division lead . The Jets built leads of 17 – 0 and 24 – 6 , but Marino and the Dolphins cut the lead to 24 – 21 and got the ball for a final - minute drive . Marino completed a pass into Jets territory with just over a half minute remaining . With the clock running , the Dolphins acted like Marino would spike the ball to stop the clock . However , Marino faked the spike and tossed the ball to Mark Ingram in the end zone for the winning touchdown . The Jets , having lost that game , lost their four remaining games , completing another December collapse . Prior to the season finale , the Jets announced that Steinberg was ill with stomach cancer ; he died the following September . The team fired Carroll after his first season and replaced him with former Philadelphia Eagles coach Rich Kotite . At the press conference announcing Kotite ' s hiring , Hess told the media , " I ' m 80 years old , I want results now . " The Kotite era began with the Jets ' sole national television appearance of the season , a Sunday night home loss to the Raiders , 47 – 10 . The Jets defeated the Seahawks on the Sunday following Thanksgiving after an inspirational speech by Hess , but again had trouble in December , losing all four games in the month to finish 3 – 13 . In 1996 , the Jets brought in veteran quarterback Neil O ' Donnell , who had led Pittsburgh to Super Bowl XXX , to lead the offense . The Jets , for the first time since the leagues merged , were in possession of the first pick overall in the NFL Draft , which they used to select wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson . O ' Donnell proved injury - prone , and the Jets suffered the worst season in their existence . They lost their first eight games , beat the Arizona Cardinals in Tempe , then proceeded to lose their remaining seven games . Two days before the season finale , on December 20 , 1996 , Kotite stepped down as head coach of the Jets , effective at season ' s end . After the last game , a 31 – 28 home loss to the Dolphins , Kotite was hit with a full cup of beer as he left the field ; another fan ( fewer than 22 , 000 attended the game ; almost 56 , 000 ticketholders stayed home ) held up a sign , " The End of an Error " . Return to respectability ( 1997 – present ) . Bill Parcells era . Hess and team president Gutman agreed on a top candidate as new coach — Patriots coach Bill Parcells , who had won two Super Bowls with the Giants and was in the process of taking the Patriots there as well . Parcells believed that he could void his contract and seek a position elsewhere ; New England owner Robert Kraft believed the Patriots would be entitled to compensation . NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue ruled in the Patriots ' s favor , and New England demanded the Jets give them the first pick overall in the upcoming draft . The Jets responded by hiring Parcells disciple Bill Belichick as head coach ; Parcells was to serve as a " consultant " in 1997 and head coach beginning in 1998 . The Patriots were unimpressed by what they saw as a subterfuge , and Tagliabue mediated the matter . He set Parcells free from the Patriots ; the Jets gave the Patriots four draft picks , including their first round pick in 1999 . The Jets put an end to Belichick ' s six - day reign ( he remained as assistant head coach and as defensive coordinator ) and hired Parcells as head coach . The Parcells era started with a 41 – 3 victory over Seattle . The Jets were 9 – 6 in their first fifteen games and went into the season finale against the Detroit Lions needing a win to make the playoffs . Parcells , who was never fully confident of O ' Donnell , benched him in favor of Ray Lucas after O ' Donnell threw an early interception . Lucas was ineffective as well , as the Jets lost 13 – 10 . The eight - game improvement in the standings , together with Parcells ' s reputation as a winner , caused high expectations for 1998 . The team announced that it would go to a modified version of the Jets ' original logo beginning in the 1998 season . Parcells signed Patriots running back Curtis Martin as a restricted free agent , giving up first and third round picks . Parcells also signed Baltimore Ravens quarterback Vinny Testaverde as a free agent , which paved the way for O ' Donnell ' s release from the team . After an 0 – 2 start , New York won six of the next seven games . The Jets lost only once the rest of the way , and clinched their first NFL division crown against the Bills on December 19 , 1998 . They set a franchise record for the number of victories in a season with a win over the Patriots in the season finale . The team finished 12 – 4 and were second seed in the playoffs with a first round bye . The Jets faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in their divisional playoff game , their first home playoff game since the 1986 season . New York defeated the Jaguars 34 – 24 and met the top - seeded Broncos in the AFC Championship Game . Though the Jets possessed a 10 – 0 lead in the third quarter , the Broncos , led by John Elway in his final home game , came back and defeated the Jets , 23 – 10 . Testaverde ruptured his Achilles tendon , a season - ending injury , during the first regular season game . New York suffered other injuries and fell to a 2 – 6 record before recovering to finish 8 – 8 . Two days after the end of the season , Parcells announced his resignation as coach ; he remained with the team for a year as chief of football operations . Belichick was slated to become head coach in Parcells ' s place , but one day later , he announced his own resignation . Kraft had gotten word to Belichick through intermediaries that he could have complete control of football operations and a $ 2 million salary if he got out of his contract with the Jets . After a lawsuit to void Belichick ' s contract failed and Tagliabue refused to release him , the Jets and Patriots agreed on draft choice compensation for the Jets . As a result of Hess ' s death in May 1999 , the team was put up for auction in January 2000 . In a bidding war between Charles F . Dolan and Woody Johnson , Johnson emerged victorious , and he purchased the team for $ 635 million . Johnson expressed interest in having Parcells return to his coaching role ; the team elevated linebackers coach Al Groh to the head coaching position when Parcells refused . In April 2000 , New York traded wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson , a major offensive threat on the 1998 team , to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two first round draft picks . Johnson wanted a renegotiated contract and was threatening to hold out . Having acquired New England ' s pick in the Belichick compensation , and with their own pick , the Jets had four first - round picks . They selected quarterback Chad Pennington as well as John Abraham , Shaun Ellis , and Anthony Becht , all of whom would be key players on the Jets playoff teams of the 2000s . For the first time , the Jets won their first four games , including a victory over Johnson and the Buccaneers . They reached 6 – 1 following the " Monday Night Miracle " , the largest comeback in the history of Monday Night Football : the Jets overcame a 30 – 7 fourth - quarter deficit to defeat the Dolphins , 40 – 37 in overtime . The Jets went 3 – 6 after that , finishing at 9 – 7 , out of the playoffs . After spending less than a year with the team , Groh resigned to accept a coaching job at his alma mater , the University of Virginia . Parcells resigned from his front - office position and was replaced with Chiefs executive Terry Bradway on Parcells ' s recommendation . Herman Edwards takes over . On January 18 , 2001 , the Jets announced Herman Edwards as the new coach . Edwards , a former linebacker who had worked his way up through the NFL coaching system , had never served as head coach at any level . He was the first African American Jets head coach . Edwards lost his first game , two days before the September 11 attacks . In the wake of 9 / 11 , the NFL had to decide whether to play its games the following weekend . Testaverde and the Jets spoke out against playing on the weekend after 9 / 11 , and the Jets were prepared to forfeit the game rather than fly . The NFL decided to move that week ' s games to the end of the regular season . The Jets needed to win that game , in Oakland against the Raiders , to reach the playoffs , and John Hall kicked a last - minute 53 - yard field goal for a 24 – 22 victory and a playoff berth . Edwards was the first coach to lead the Jets to the playoffs in his first year with the team . In the playoffs , the Jets again played at Oakland . New York could not stop the Raiders ' s passing game , and Oakland won , 38 – 24 . The Jets began the 2002 season 1 – 4 , but then put together a six - game winning streak . On the final day of the season , the Jets beat the Packers following a New England victory over Miami . This gave the Jets a 9 – 7 record , their second post - merger division title , and a playoff berth . Pennington had an outstanding day against the Packers and finished the season the top - rated passer in the league . The Jets began the playoffs against the Colts at home , and defeated them 41 – 0 . The Jets then played the Raiders , who again defeated them in Oakland , 30 – 10 . The Jets lost a number of key players to free agency in the offseason . Four signed with the Washington Redskins , including kicker Hall , Laveranues Coles , Chad Morton , and Randy Thomas . During a preseason game against the Giants , Pennington sustained a serious wrist injury , and required surgery . The aging Testaverde stepped in as starter , but led the Jets to only a 2 – 6 record , including losses to the Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys . The Jets split their remaining games and finished 6 – 10 . In spite of the team ' s poor 2003 record , Johnson retained Edwards as head coach and extended his contract through 2007 . With a healthy Pennington at quarterback , the Jets began their season at 5 – 0 for the first time and then lost two of their next three games . During the team ' s second meeting with the Bills , Pennington suffered a tear in his rotator cuff that caused him to miss three starts . Pennington returned in a 29 – 7 rout of the Houston Texans . The team struggled toward the end of the regular season , winning only one of their final four games . Despite a final - game loss to the St . Louis Rams , the Jets reached the playoffs . The team traveled to San Diego to play the Chargers in the wild card round and upset them 23 – 20 on a Doug Brien field goal in overtime . The win sent the Jets to the divisional round against the 15 – 1 Pittsburgh Steelers . The Jets again took their opponent to overtime , as Brien missed a field goal with two minutes remaining and the score tied . He missed a second field goal in overtime . Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed proved more accurate , and the Steelers beat the Jets , 20 – 17 . In the third week of the 2005 season , both Pennington and backup Jay Fiedler were injured against the Jaguars . With both quarterbacks out for the season , third - string quarterback Brooks Bollinger started ; the 41 - year - old Testaverde was brought out of retirement to serve as his backup . Bollinger played badly in a loss in week four , and Testaverde became the starter . Testaverde had little success , and Bollinger did not fare better when he was reinserted . Running back Curtis Martin chose to have arthroscopic surgery on his knee with four games left in the season . The Jets finished 4 – 12 . Mangini : initial success , eventual firing . On January 6 , 2006 , Edwards announced his resignation as head coach to take the same position with Kansas City . The Jets received a fourth round pick as compensation for Edwards , who was still under contract with the team . On January 17 , New York announced the hiring of former Patriots defensive coordinator Eric Mangini . Three weeks later , General Manager Bradway stepped down in favor of his assistant , Mike Tannenbaum . Although Pennington took back his starting position , the Jets only managed to split their first eight games . They began the second half with a victory over New England in Foxboro , and lost only two games the rest of the way to finish 10 – 6 and secure a playoff berth . In the wild card round , the Jets visited Foxboro again , but this time fell to the Patriots , 37 – 16 . For his success in leading the Jets to the playoffs , Mangini received the nickname " Mangenius " and had a cameo appearance on " The Sopranos " . After Mangini ' s successful rookie season , New York had high hopes of further improvement . Following the team ' s opening loss against New England , the Jets accused the Patriots of videotaping their signals during their practices . Commissioner Roger Goodell fined the Patriots and Belichick , and stripped New England of its first round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft . Struggling to a 1 – 7 start , the Jets benched Pennington in favor of backup Kellen Clemens . The Jets won only three games the rest of the way and finished with a record of 4 – 12 . The Jets were again overshadowed by the Giants , who won their third Super Bowl by defeating the previously unbeaten Patriots . Following the 2007 season , Packers quarterback Brett Favre had retired . He wished to return several months later , but found that the Packers had given Aaron Rodgers the starting spot . The subsequent trade talks and rumors were a major story leading up to the 2008 season , and the Jets unexpectedly won the bidding war to trade for Favre . With Favre ' s acquisition , the Jets released Pennington , who signed with the Dolphins . Despite a good start to the season , the Jets began to falter in December after Favre tore his rotator cuff — he threw five interceptions in the next three games . The season came down to a final game against the Dolphins , led by Pennington , at Giants Stadium . The Dolphins won to take the division title and eliminate the 9 – 7 Jets from playoff contention . On December 29 , 2008 , Mangini was fired after three seasons as head coach , with an overall record of 23 wins and 25 losses . Favre again briefly retired from football on February 11 , 2009 . Mangini was hired by the Cleveland Browns as head coach . Ryan / Sanchez era : Move to a new stadium . Following Mangini ' s departure , New York hoped to lure former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher out of retirement , suggesting that Cowher might be given control of football operations in addition to serving as coach . However , Cowher decided to remain retired for the season . On January 20 , 2009 , the Jets offered the position to Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan , who accepted . Tannenbaum engineered a draft - day trade with Cleveland , which enabled New York to move up and select highly regarded USC quarterback Mark Sanchez . New York won its first three games of 2009 , including their first home victory over the Patriots since 2000 , but lost six of its next seven games . The Jets recovered to 7 – 6 , but then lost to the Atlanta Falcons on December 20 , a defeat that caused Ryan to state that the Jets " were obviously out of the playoffs " . The next week , the Jets played the 14 – 0 Indianapolis Colts . The Colts removed many of their starting players from the game early in the second half with a 15 – 10 lead ; the Jets came back for the victory . The victory put the Jets ' fate in their own hands , and they defeated the Bengals ( who had also clinched a playoff spot and played few starters ) in their last game ever at Giants Stadium to secure a playoff berth . The following week , the team played the Bengals in the playoffs , this time at Paul Brown Stadium , and secured a 24 – 14 victory over Cincinnati . That victory meant that the Jets would travel to San Diego to play the Chargers , who had won eleven straight games , in the divisional round . Strong performances by Sanchez , running back Shonn Greene , and the Jets defense helped the Jets to a 17 – 14 win over the Chargers . New York played the top - seeded Colts in the AFC Championship Game and secured an early 17 – 6 lead . They had little luck in the second half as the Colts went to the Super Bowl with a 30 – 17 victory . The Jets had hoped to move into what was termed the West Side Stadium , to be built in Manhattan , after their 25 - year lease at Giants Stadium expired . In 2005 , it became clear that New York authorities would not permit the stadium to be built . After the West Side failure , the Jets and Giants entered into a joint venture to build a new $ 1 . 6 billion facility alongside Giants Stadium , which was torn down after the new venue was completed . The Jets ' new home , MetLife Stadium , opened to the public in April 2010 . The stadium took 34 months to construct , and can seat 82 , 500 . The Jets hosted the Giants in the first game of the preseason on August 16 , 2010 . The Jets ' first regular season home game at the new stadium was on September 13 , 2010 and was shown nationwide on Monday Night Football . New York lost to the Ravens 10 – 9 , but built a 9 – 2 record , tied for the division lead with the Patriots ( whom the Jets had beaten once ) going into a Monday night game at New England . Expectations of a Jets victory were high , but the Jets were defeated , 45 – 3 . New York recovered to qualify for the AFC playoffs as the sixth and final seed . In the wild card round , the Jets defeated Indianapolis , 17 – 16 . This victory sent the Jets to a rematch with New England . The Jets upset the Patriots , 28 – 21 , setting up an AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh . The Jets fell behind 24 – 0 , and mounted a second - half comeback before losing to the Steelers , 24 – 19 . Sportswriter Eskenazi , in his history of the Jets , wrote : The Jets are in that pantheon < nowiki > [ of teams that have won championships ] . < / nowiki > And they are housed there despite having only one title , one defining image . Because they have never repeated , there is the constant of failed expectations . Unfair , perhaps . . . But this is the nature of sports . The Jets achieved such fame , such notoriety , became such a product and symbol of their times , that they also became a frozen icon . They can have life breathed back into them only by another great success . In the meantime , they and their fans have had to live with their moment in the sun .