The New York Jets are in the thick of another rough season, and Week 15 only added to the sting. A 48-20 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars pushed their record to 3-11, and it cost defensive coordinator Steve Wilks his job. It’s been a tough debut year for head coach Aaron Glenn, and with three games to go, the Jets are once again looking ahead, trying to lay the foundation for a future that’s been elusive for far too long.
But amid the wreckage of another lost season, there’s a silver lining - and it comes in the form of a hometown kid living out his dream. Tight end Jeremy Ruckert, a Long Island native and lifelong Jets fan, just inked a two-year, $10 million extension to stay in green and white through 2027. It’s a well-earned reward for a player who’s embraced his role and made the most of his opportunities.
“It’s the ultimate blessing,” Ruckert said, via the team’s official X account. “I live a dream every day. I get to put on this uniform and run out of the locker room for a team I used to sit in the stands and watch.”
There’s a genuine pride in Ruckert’s voice when he talks about wearing the Jets uniform - and he backs it up on the field. He’s not the flashiest name on the roster, but this season, he’s carved out his most productive year yet.
With 20 catches for 163 yards and his first career touchdown, Ruckert has stepped up when called upon, especially in the absence of rookie starter Mason Taylor, who’s sidelined with an injury. Ruckert is set to make his second straight start this Sunday.
Drafted in the third round back in 2022 out of Ohio State, Ruckert came into the league with a reputation as a gritty, do-it-all tight end. And while it’s taken some time for him to find his footing in the offense, he’s now proving he can be a reliable piece in the Jets’ rebuild - both as a blocker and a pass-catcher. His extension isn’t just a feel-good story; it’s a practical move for a team that needs stability and leadership in the locker room.
The Jets weren’t done locking up talent this week. They also re-signed veteran center Josh Myers to a two-year, $11 million extension.
Myers, who joined the team on a one-year deal this offseason, has been a steadying presence on an offensive line that’s seen more than its fair share of shuffling. With so much uncertainty under center and across the offensive front, keeping a proven interior lineman like Myers in the building makes a lot of sense.
At 3-11, the Jets are currently tied for the second-worst record in the NFL - a tough pill to swallow for a franchise that came into the season hoping to turn the corner. But this Sunday’s matchup with the 4-10 New Orleans Saints isn’t just another game on the schedule. It could have real implications on the 2026 draft order, which, like it or not, is already becoming a central storyline in New York.
Undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook will get his second career start against the Saints. Cook showed flashes in his debut, and with the season all but lost, the Jets are giving him another shot to prove he belongs. It’s a low-pressure, high-opportunity situation - the kind that can reveal a lot about a young quarterback’s poise and potential.
So while the scoreboard hasn’t been kind to the Jets this year, the moves they’re making now - keeping homegrown talent like Ruckert, re-signing steady veterans like Myers, and giving young players a chance to grow - are the kind of foundational steps that matter. The wins may not be coming yet, but the building blocks are starting to take shape.