Jets Eliminated from Playoff Contention, Extending NFL’s Longest Active Drought to 15 Seasons
The New York Jets were officially knocked out of playoff contention on Sunday after a 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, and with that, the longest active postseason drought in the NFL rolls on. Fifteen straight seasons without a playoff appearance. That’s 5,432 days and counting since the Jets last played meaningful football in January.
In a league designed for parity - where the salary cap, draft order, and scheduling are all built to level the playing field - this kind of sustained absence from the postseason is almost unthinkable. Most teams hit bottom, reset, and bounce back within a few seasons.
The Jets? They’ve bottomed out, rebuilt, retooled, and hit the reset button more times than fans can count.
Still no return to the playoffs.
A Quarterback Carousel That Just Won’t Stop
Nothing illustrates the Jets’ struggles quite like their quarterback situation. Since their last postseason appearance, 17 different players have started under center for New York. That list includes names you remember (Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick), names you probably forgot (Luke Falk, Bryce Petty), and names you might not have realized ever wore green (Greg McElroy, Trevor Siemian, Chris Streveler).
Even Aaron Rodgers, brought in as the savior this season, saw his year end after just four snaps. The Jets’ quarterback room has been a revolving door, and the lack of consistency at the most important position in football has been a defining feature of this era.
In total, 23 different players have thrown at least one pass for the Jets during this drought. That’s not a stat you want to lead the league in.
Kicker Chaos, Too
And it’s not just quarterbacks. The Jets have cycled through 17 different kickers since their last playoff game - including Nick Folk, who’s had two separate stints with the team.
Folk left, bounced around the league, and somehow found his way back to Florham Park. It’s emblematic of a franchise that’s been searching for stability in all the wrong places.
A Drought That Spans Eras
To put this drought in perspective, consider what’s happened since the Jets last played in the postseason:
- Four U.S. presidential elections
- The release of the iPhone 4
- Tesla was still a fledgling startup
- Instagram had just launched
Entire cultural phenomena have come and gone. The Marvel Cinematic Universe released its entire Infinity Saga.
Game of Thrones premiered, dominated pop culture, ended, and even launched a spinoff. Taylor Swift dropped six albums and re-recorded four more.
The world endured a global pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Jets have remained stuck in neutral.
Other Franchises Found Their Way Out
Even franchises long associated with futility have broken through. The Lions, Browns, Jaguars, and Texans all won playoff games during this stretch.
The Cubs ended a 108-year World Series drought. Leicester City won the Premier League as 5000-to-1 underdogs.
The Jets? Still waiting.
A Generation of Waiting
To drive it home: Braelon Allen had just turned seven the last time the Jets were in the playoffs. Breece Hall was nine. A whole generation of fans has grown up never knowing what it feels like to watch the Jets in the postseason.
This isn’t just a football drought - it’s a cultural one. The NFL is built to prevent this kind of stagnation. And yet, here the Jets are, 15 seasons removed from their last playoff berth, still searching for answers.
The End Will Come - Eventually
At some point, the drought will end. It has to.
The NFL’s structure almost guarantees that every team gets its turn - eventually. And when the Jets finally do return to the playoffs, it won’t just be a football moment.
It’ll be the end of an era that’s felt more like a generational curse than a cold streak.
Until then, Jets fans will do what they’ve always done: wait, hope, and believe - even when the evidence says otherwise. Because if there’s one thing this fanbase has perfected, it’s patience.