The New York Jets: A Fan’s Curse

The Never-Ending Disappointment of Being a New York Jets Fan

There’s ‌disappointment, and then there’s the disappointment of being a fan of the New York Jets.

Jets fans entered this season with tempered hopes ‍of not only making it back to the playoffs, but even winning the Super Bowl. Then, four-time ⁣MVP quarterback⁢ Aaron ⁢Rodgers snapped‍ his Achilles tendon four plays into his first game, and Jets fans are now left wondering whether Dwight from ‘The Office’ could ‌be ​a solution ⁤to a season that⁢ already feels over.

So what ‍should the Jets do next? According to the Harvard Business Review, the ⁤best way to find a way⁤ forward is to examine ⁣the past. When it comes to the search for a⁢ quarterback solution for‍ the Jets, it’s a tragic retrospective.

The history of ‍the Jets and the quarterback position ⁣starts off with a bang —‌ Joe Namath. ‘Broadway‌ Joe’ took the sports world by storm in 1969 when he guaranteed the lowly AFL Jets would win the Super⁤ Bowl. His victory launched a celebrity career that made him the NFL’s first and only pantyhose model.

Notable ​Jets quarterbacks after Namath included gunslinger Richard Todd, who, like Namath, played in​ college for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Todd helmed the⁣ ‘New York Sack Exchange’ teams in​ the early 1980s — ⁣the first ⁣teams to have a winning record since Namath’s 1969 Super Bowl team. Others to reach stardom include Boomer Esiason, now a⁢ sports radio giant in New York City, and even the‍ fictional superhero Flash Gordon, who when he wasn’t fighting Ming the‍ Merciless on planet​ Mongo, was slinging touchdowns for the Jets.

But it’s in the past 25 years that everything about the ⁣Jets and ​the quarterback position has turned to misery. In 1998, Vinny Testaverde had‍ one of the best seasons in Jets history, falling just short of the Super Bowl.​ The Jets came into the next season as Super ‌Bowl favorites, only to see Testaverde tear his ‌Achilles ​ in the first game.

The next Jets quarterback to ‍give the team a fighting chance was Chad Pennington, ‌a cerebral Tennessee native ⁢who played with Randy Moss in college, and who the ‍Hall of Fame wide receiver once said was the best quarterback he’d ever​ played with. That was, of‍ course, before Pennington tore his ⁢rotator cuff, ⁤and lost ⁣all his arm strength. More than a decade later, fans still wonder ‍what his career could have been if he never got hurt.

While the Jets suffered through quarterback misfortune ​in the⁢ early​ 2000s, the New England⁢ Patriots managed to ⁤win three Super Bowls — all behind a quarterback who was under center in Foxborough thanks⁤ to none other than the ​Jets. It was 22 years ago this month that Jets linebacker Mo Lewis delivered a crushing blow ⁣on Patriots quarterback⁢ Drew Bledsoe that punctured the veteran’s lung — and cleared the⁤ way for Tom Brady, who went on to ⁣win the Super Bowl.

And contributing to those who believe the Jets are cursed at quarterback, Brady should have probably been playing for ‌New York the whole time. A few months before legendary coach‍ Bill Belichick drafted Brady in the 6th round for the Patriots, ⁢Belichick was hired to be the head coach for the Jets. It’s an easy piece of football history to ​forget, ⁢as Belichick lasted just a​ single day in January 2000 — he wrote his‌ resignation note on a napkin after the Jets⁣ declined to⁣ give him‍ enough control of personnel decisions. He joined the Patriots three weeks later.

While Belichick and Brady dominated the league, the Jets failed to find a decent quarterback. The closest they came was likely ⁣the 2008 campaign ⁢of a nearly 40-year-old Brett Favre — who was ⁤performing magnificently until, of course, he tore his bicep in the ‍middle of the season.

Favre was ⁢followed by Mark Sanchez, a high draft pick from USC who was buoyed by one of the best defenses in NFL history. Sanchez has on his resumé some of the greatest wins in Jets history ⁣— on his way to back-to-back AFC championship ‌games in his first two ​seasons, he won road playoff games against⁢ not only Tom Brady, but also Peyton Manning.

Those wins,‍ however,​ were largely thanks to a defense led by coach Rex Ryan and his defensive scheme. And then​ in 2012, with Sanchez’s⁤ play on the decline, there was the Thanksgiving Day‌ “Butt Fumble,” which still lives in infamy as one of the worst plays in team history. Sanchez was gone at the end of the season.

The Jets then went with another draft pick, Geno‌ Smith, who got punched in the face by one of his Jets teammates during his failed stint in New York. Geno is now a Pro Bowl-level quarterback playing across the country for the Seattle Seahawks, who are coached by former Jets head coach Pete Carroll.

The Jets spent another high draft pick in ⁤2018 on USC quarterback Sam Darnold,‍ but the team around him was so ⁢bad that Darnold never really had⁢ a chance. He lasted only 3 seasons.

And then ⁢the Jets spent an even higher draft pick in 2021 on BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, and⁤ even though the roster around him is one of the best the Jets have assembled​ since Testaverde had the reins⁢ in 1999, Wilson is so bad that the team still doesn’t have a chance. Aside from maybe Johnny Manziel, who recently disclosed that he watched “zero” film while in the​ league, it’s hard to recall seeing ​a more clueless player on a football team.

Wilson is back under center this season after the injury to Rodgers, ⁢but likely ⁢won’t survive his third ⁤season.

So, where do the Jets turn from here? The answer can’t be more of Wilson, whose play has ​Jets fans spitting out their teeth in disgust and has even lost the support of Joe Namath, generally ⁤a ⁣cheerleader for his former squad.

Retired backup quarterbacks have rejected the Jets’ pleas for them to return. Tom Brady, ⁢who, and I repeat, could have easily been drafted by the Jets,‍ said no. And the Jets don’t seem interested in those who actually want to join the team, which⁤ include⁤ the aforementioned Dwight from ‘The Office’ and, perhaps more absurd, Colin Kaepernick, who just a couple ​of years ago compared ​the NFL to a slave plantation.

By the time any other cratering team (i.e. the‍ Minnesota Vikings) is willing to trade their quarterback, it probably won’t be worth it — ‌the Jets are already looking up in‍ the division standings, and in the next three weeks they play the two teams who faced off in last year’s Super Bowl: the Kansas ​City Chiefs and ‍Philadelphia⁤ Eagles.

The best⁣ remaining hope is likely a medical‍ miracle.​ Rodgers, an expert in experimental​ medicine, received an unprecedented ⁤Achilles surgery by ⁤California doctor Neal ElAttrache, who was discovered by legendary athlete Kobe Bryant. The doctor put a​ “speed bridge” in Rodgers, designed to accelerate his healing.

And Rodgers was⁣ seen on Thursday already out of ⁤his walking boot, just three weeks after surgery. It generally takes at least twice as long. He is expected to be on the sideline for the team’s​ next game.

So you’re telling me there’s a chance? Not really. But a miracle Rodgers return may be more likely than an⁣ in-season transformation by Wilson, who may be playing the ⁣quarterback position worse than it has ever been ‍played at the NFL level.

To make matters worse, one of the ‍only Jets quarterbacks in recent⁤ memory to perform as bad as Wilson, ‍Trevor Siemien, was just brought back on the squad as a potential ‌replacement.

At this point,‌ it’s hard to deny that the‌ Jets are cursed at quarterback. But⁢ sports‍ curses end. ‌The ⁣Curse of the Billy Goat lasted 71 ‍years on the Chicago‍ Cubs, and the ​Curse of the Bambino took 86 years on the Boston Red Sox. The Jets have only existed for 60 years.

But with⁣ no answer at quarterback, the misery will ⁣almost certainly last at ‍least one more.

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How has ⁤the lack of stability at the quarterback position impacted the Jets’ ability to compete consistently?

AFC East for ‌over two decades, the Jets struggled to find a stable and⁤ successful quarterback. They ‍went through a revolving door of mediocre signal callers, including Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Each quarterback showed flashes of ​promise but ultimately failed to lead the ⁤Jets to sustained success.

The Jets’ quarterback woes continued into the 2010s with the ​drafting of Sam ​Darnold. Darnold was heralded as the savior of the franchise,‌ but‌ he never lived up to the ⁢hype. He showed glimpses of brilliance, ​but his performances were marred by inconsistency and turnovers. After three underwhelming seasons, the ‍Jets decided‍ to move on‍ from Darnold and‌ selected Zach Wilson with the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Wilson’s rookie season has been nothing short of ⁣a disappointment. He has struggled with⁣ accuracy, decision-making, and turnovers.⁢ The offensive line has not ‍done him any⁤ favors, as he has been constantly under pressure and forced to make difficult throws. It’s hard to judge⁢ a⁣ rookie quarterback too harshly, especially one playing for a team with significant talent deficiencies, but the early signs are not ⁤encouraging.

It’s frustrating to be a Jets fan year after year, watching⁣ other teams ⁣find success while your team⁢ struggles to even make the playoffs. The lack of stability ⁣at the quarterback position is a major factor in the Jets’⁤ inability to compete consistently. Without a franchise quarterback, it’s nearly impossible to build⁢ a sustained winning culture.

So what should the Jets do next? The Harvard‌ Business Review suggests that the best way to find‌ a path forward is to examine the past. The Jets should⁢ analyze their quarterback decisions over the⁢ years and learn from their mistakes. They need to identify ​the qualities and traits that make a successful quarterback and prioritize those attributes in future draft picks or free-agent​ signings.

Additionally, the Jets need to ‍invest in building a strong supporting cast around their quarterback. A solid offensive​ line, reliable receivers, and a capable running game are essential for any quarterback’s success. The Jets should allocate resources to improving these areas and give their ⁢quarterback‌ the best chance​ to⁣ succeed.

It’s easy to be disheartened as ⁢a Jets fan, but there is always hope for the future. The NFL is full of surprising turnarounds and underdog stories. The Jets need to remain committed to finding their⁣ franchise quarterback and building a competitive team around ⁢him. It may​ take time, but with the right strategy and a little⁣ bit of luck,‍ the disappointment of being a Jets ‌fan could one day⁤ turn⁣ into the thrill of victory and the joy of success.

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