At some point, what happens to the New York Jets can’t be blamed on poor coaching, bad roster building, or simple bad luck. It’s more than that. It’s cursed.
Today, the Jets hold the longest-active stretch without a playoff bid among North America’s sports – 14 consecutive seasons – and, two weeks into the 2025 campaign, are headed toward making it 15.
The Jets stand at 0-2 after losing their initial two matches to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills.
Two losses to good AFC teams is not the end of the world – but how it has occurred is all too familiar: abysmal defense, awful mistakes and a pile of injuries. Making me question if this team has angered the football gods.
The loss last Sunday to Buffalo was a microcosm of why the Jets are such a painful team to watch.
Not only did they lose a winnable game, they lost four starters to injury: cornerback Michael Carter II (shoulder), safety Tony Adams (hip), linebacker Jermaine Johnson (ankle) and quarterback Justin Fields (concussion).
This is the story of the Jets in recent times.
Since their last winning season of 2015 – when they were 10-6 and still fell short of the playoffs – they’ve been stuck in a fog of bad fortune.
Whatever the uniforms, the helmets, or the slogan, the outcome is always the same: no playoffs, no progress, no hope.
There have been coaching overhauls, quarterback merry-go-rounds, failed big-name signings and first-round draft choices that never materialized.
What’s so maddening about this new version is that it wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Aaron Glenn, the Jets’ head coach, was brought aboard this off-season after being the former Lions defensive coordinator.
There was hope that he could at least stabilize the defense, which had been the Jets’ strength the season before he arrived.
Glenn earned his reputation in Detroit as a defensive coordinator who built toughness and developed overlooked talent into scrappy playmakers, helping shape the Lions’ identity during their rebuild.
The Jets hired him hoping he’d bring that same culture reset and defensive edge to New York, but so far, the results have been the opposite.
The two inaugural-season losses included a defense being ripped apart for chunk plays and consistently pressuring the quarterback. Defensive end Micheal Clemons occupies a roster spot he didn’t earn.
Clemons was drafted in 2022 as a physical edge rusher capable of disrupting offenses with his motor and raw power.
Clemons’ problem is that his intensity often comes at the expense of fundamentals.
He over-pursues, biting on misdirection plays and leaving gaps wide open.
He lunges for sacks and tackles, only to be neutralized by veteran linemen who use his momentum against him.
At this point, the Jets would do well to cut their losses, Clemons is a liability on the field in a league where margins are razor thin.
During the Week 2 game against Buffalo this past Sunday, the Bills were facing a 3rd down and 19.
The Jets had seemingly stopped the drive on a pass to Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir that was broken up by Carter, however, Clemons was flagged for roughing the passer.
He tackled Bills quarterback Josh Allen too high on his body causing Buffalo to get a 1st down and 10 on the 15-yard line which led to a rushing touchdown by Bills running back James Cook on that drive.
Even when the Jets managed to field a competitive team – as they did in 2015 – It was a double-digit victory season that wasn’t sufficient to make the postseason.
Of course, “curse” is just a word, the Jets’ failures are the product of human decisions.
What makes it even worse is that Jets fans are devoted to a fault.
They pack the MetLife Stadium, live and breathe with each play and just keep on waiting for the payout.
Jets fans deserve better. For now, however, they’re left with the same bitter truth: in the NFL, misery has a permanent home, and it’s green and white.
