New York Jets facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New York Jets
Current season
Logo Wordmark Uniforms
Basic info
Established	August 14, 1959; 65 years ago (August 14, 1959)
Colors	Legacy green, legacy white, legacy black
Personnel
Owner(s)	Woody and Christopher Johnson
Chairman	Woody Johnson
CEO	Woody Johnson
President	Hymie Elhai
General manager	Phil Savage (interim)
Head coach	Jeff Ulbrich (interim)
Nicknames
Gang Green New York Sack Exchange (defensive line, early 1980s)
Team history
Titans of New York (1960–1962) New York Jets (1963–present)
Home fields
Polo Grounds (1960–1963) Shea Stadium (1964–1983) Giants Stadium (1984) MetLife Stadium (2010–present)
League / conference affiliations
American Football League (1960–1969) Eastern Division (1960–1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970–present) AFC East (1970–present)
Championships
League championships: 1† AFL championships (pre-1970 AFL–NFL merger) (1) 1968 Super Bowl championships: 1 1968 (III) † – Does not include 1968 AFL championship won during the same season that the Super Bowl was contested
Conference championships: 0
Division championships: 4 AFL East: 1968, 1969 AFC East: 1998, 2002
Playoff appearances (14)
AFL: 1968, 1969 NFL: 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010
Owner(s)
Harry Wismer (1959–1963) Sonny Werblin (1963–1968) Leon Hess (1968–1999) Hess estate (1999–2000) Woody Johnson (2000–present)

The New York Jets are a professional American football team. They are based near New York City and play in the National Football League (NFL). The Jets are part of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division. They play their home games at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. They share this stadium with the New York Giants. The team's main office and training center are in Florham Park, New Jersey.

The team started in 1959 as the Titans of New York. They were one of the first teams in the American Football League (AFL). In 1970, the AFL joined the NFL. The Titans began playing in 1960 at the Polo Grounds in New York. In 1963, the team got new owners and changed its name to the New York Jets. They moved to Shea Stadium in 1964. Later, in 1984, they moved to New Jersey. Their training facility was at Hofstra University until 2008. Then, the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center opened in Florham Park.

The Jets first reached the AFL playoffs in 1968. They went on to win Super Bowl III against the Baltimore Colts. This was a huge win, as they were the first AFL team to beat an NFL team in the Super Bowl. However, the Jets have not returned to the Super Bowl since then. They are one of only two NFL teams to win their only Super Bowl appearance. Since 1970, the Jets have won their division only twice: in 1998 and 2002. They have made it to the playoffs 12 times. They reached the AFC Championship Game four times. Their most recent appearance was in 2010, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets have not been to the playoffs since 2010. They currently have the longest playoff drought in the NFL.

Team History

The American Football League started on August 14, 1959. Harry Wismer was given a team for New York City. He named them the Titans of New York. Wismer said, "Titans are bigger and stronger than Giants." The team played at the old Polo Grounds. They struggled with money and wins in their first three years. In 1960 and 1961, coached by Sammy Baugh, the Titans had a 7–7 record each year. By 1962, Wismer's team was in debt. The AFL had to help pay the team's costs.

Joe Namath playing quarterback for the Jets in Super Bowl III.

In 1963, a group led by Sonny Werblin bought the team for $1 million. They saved the team from going bankrupt. Werblin renamed the team the New York Jets. This was because they would play near LaGuardia Airport. Also, it sounded like the New York Mets, who would share Shea Stadium. The new name showed their modern approach. The Jets hired Weeb Ewbank as their general manager and head coach. Ewbank and quarterback Joe Namath made the Jets famous in 1969. They beat the strong Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. This win proved the AFL was a serious league.

After the AFL–NFL merger, the team and Namath had some tough years. Namath had injuries that affected his career. The Jets had some success in the 1980s. They reached the 1982 AFC Championship Game. Their strong defensive line became known as the New York Sack Exchange. Walt Michaels and Joe Walton coached the team during this time.

The early 1990s were hard for the team. After coach Bruce Coslet was fired, Pete Carroll took over. He had a 6–10 record and was quickly fired. Then, Rich Kotite became coach. He led the Jets to a very poor 4–28 record over two years. Kotite left, and the Jets looked for a new coach.

In 1997, owner Leon Hess brought in Bill Parcells, who had coached the New England Patriots. Parcells helped the team become good again. They reached the AFC Championship Game in 1998. Hess passed away in 1999. That year, the team had injuries and missed the playoffs. Parcells then stepped down as head coach. His assistant, Bill Belichick, was supposed to take over. But Belichick resigned the next day and became the head coach of the Patriots.

Woody Johnson became the new owner in 2000. In the 2000s, the Jets made the playoffs five times. This was a team record. Coaches like Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini, and Rex Ryan led them. Rex Ryan was hired in 2009. The Jets drafted quarterback Mark Sanchez that year. Ryan and Sanchez led the team to two AFC Championship Game appearances in a row. But they didn't make the playoffs again after that. After a tough 2014 season, Sanchez was released. Ryan and general manager John Idzik were fired.

Before the 2015 season, Todd Bowles became head coach. In his first year, the Jets had a 10–6 record. They finished second in their division but missed the playoffs. After that, the Jets finished last in their division for three years in a row. Bowles was fired after the 2018 season. The Jets drafted quarterback Sam Darnold in 2018. Adam Gase became coach in 2019. The team went 7–9 in 2019 and 2–14 in 2020. Gase was fired after the 2020 season. In 2021, Robert Saleh became head coach. The Jets drafted quarterback Zach Wilson. They finished 4–13 in 2021 and 7–10 in 2022 and 2023. The 2023 season started with high hopes after signing Aaron Rodgers, but he got injured early in the season.

Championships

AFL Championships

The Jets won one AFL Championship before the NFL merger.

Super Bowl Championships

The Jets have won one Super Bowl.

Division Championships

The Jets have won their division four times.

Team Owners

Harry Wismer

Harry Wismer was a businessman who loved sports. He got the first New York team in the American Football League. Wismer had played football in college. He later became a pioneer in sports broadcasting. As the Titans' owner, he made sure all teams shared broadcasting money equally.

Wismer tried hard to make the team and league successful. But the Titans struggled financially. In 1963, he sold the team for $1 million to a group led by Sonny Werblin.

Sonny Werblin Syndicate

Sonny Werblin was a smart businessman. He wanted to make the team famous. First, he changed the team's name and jerseys. Then, he signed Joe Namath to a huge contract. This was a big risk, but it paid off. Namath became a public star and led the Jets to their Super Bowl win.

Werblin's partners had disagreements with him. They felt he made all the decisions alone. In 1968, Werblin agreed to sell his part of the team. He continued to be involved in sports. He helped create the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which includes Giants Stadium.

Leon Hess

Leon Hess was famous for his Hess Corporation gas stations. He also played a big role in the Jets' history. He was a co-owner and later the sole owner. Hess often pushed for improvements at Shea Stadium. He usually let his coaches and general managers handle football decisions.

Hess became the main owner in 1973. He slowly bought out his partners. By 1984, he had full control of the team. Hess loved his team and took losses very hard. In 1995, after a bad season, he said, "I'm 80 years old, I want results now!" He hired Rich Kotite as coach, but it didn't work out. After two bad years, Hess was very involved in hiring Bill Parcells. He hoped to see his team win another Super Bowl. Sadly, he passed away in 1999 before his dream came true.

Johnson at a November 2008 game

Woody Johnson

After Leon Hess passed away, the team was for sale. Woody Johnson, whose family founded Johnson & Johnson, bought the team for $635 million. He was not well-known among other NFL owners at first. But Johnson loved sports and wanted to own a team. He was known for wanting the best from his employees.

Like Hess, Johnson usually let his management team make football decisions. But when he hired coach Rex Ryan, Johnson became more involved. He helped shape the Jets into his team.

Christopher Johnson

In 2017, Woody Johnson became the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. His brother, Christopher Johnson, took over running the team. This included making decisions about players. Woody Johnson returned to his ownership duties in 2021.

Stadiums

Shea Stadium, 1964

When the team started as the Titans, owner Harry Wismer found a place for them to play. It was the old Polo Grounds, which was in bad shape. The Titans played there for four seasons. They shared the stadium with the new baseball team, the New York Mets. In 1964, both teams moved to Shea Stadium in Queens. The Jets were the last team to play a game at the Polo Grounds in 1963.

The Jets hoped to play at Shea Stadium earlier. But there were problems with money and legal issues. When the team moved to Shea, they often had to play their first few games on the road. This was because the Mets had priority, especially when they had long playoff runs.

The Jets felt this was unfair. In 1977, they announced they would play some home games at the Giants' new stadium in New Jersey, Giants Stadium. After some legal discussions, the Jets were allowed to play two September home games at Shea.

Owner Leon Hess wanted to renew the team's lease at Shea. He asked New York City to improve the stadium. He also wanted the Jets to get money from parking. But the city did not agree. So, the Jets decided to move to New Jersey. Their last game at Shea was on December 10, 1983. Fans took parts of the stadium as souvenirs. The scoreboard even read "N.J. Jets."

When the Jets joined the Giants at Giants Stadium, many fans hoped the name would change. But the Giants, who had the power to approve it, said no. The stadium crew tried to make it look more like the Jets' home during their games. They put up green banners and the Jets' logo. But the blue and red seats stayed the same.

The Jets wanted their own stadium. They tried to build one on the west side of Manhattan. They were competing with other companies for the land. The NFL owners even voted to have the 2010 Super Bowl in New York if the Jets built the stadium.

An inside view of MetLife Stadium during the first-ever preseason matchup there between the Giants and Jets

The city decided to sell the land to the Jets. But other groups and politicians did not support the project. They thought it would not help the area. So, the Jets' plans for a Manhattan stadium fell through.

Defeated, the Jets decided to team up with the Giants. They agreed to build a new stadium together. This stadium, called MetLife Stadium, opened in 2010. It was the first NFL stadium built by two teams. The stadium lights up in different colors depending on which team is playing. The Jets' first regular season home game there was on September 13, 2010. The stadium hosted Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

Rivalries

Divisional Rivals

New England Patriots

The Jets and New England Patriots have a big rivalry. It became more intense in 1997 when Bill Parcells left the Patriots to coach the Jets. The next year, the Jets signed Curtis Martin from the Patriots. Then, Parcells' assistant, Bill Belichick, was supposed to coach the Jets. But he resigned quickly and went to coach the Patriots instead.

A key moment in the rivalry happened in 2001. Jets player Mo Lewis tackled Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe. This injury allowed Tom Brady to become the Patriots' starting quarterback. Brady then led New England to many Super Bowl wins. In 2006, Eric Mangini left the Patriots to coach the Jets. Under him, the "Spygate incident" happened, where the Patriots were caught videotaping signals. This made the rivalry even more heated. When Rex Ryan became the Jets' coach, the rivalry grew with a lot of trash talk. In 2011, the Jets beat the Patriots in a playoff game. The Patriots currently lead the all-time series.

Buffalo Bills

The Jets and the Bills both represent New York State. This rivalry shows the difference between New York City and Upstate New York. Both teams were original members of the American Football League. They have usually been in the same division. The Jets won their first game against the Bills 27–3.

There have been a few big moments in this rivalry. O. J. Simpson broke a rushing record against the Jets. The teams played one playoff game in 1981. Also, former Jets coach Rex Ryan coached the Bills for two years. Recently, the rivalry has become more exciting. This is partly due to the friendly competition between quarterbacks Sam Darnold (Jets) and Josh Allen (Bills). The Bills currently lead the all-time series.

Miami Dolphins

The Jets have been rivals with the Miami Dolphins since 1966. The only tie game between them was in 1981. In 1983, the Dolphins beat the Jets in a championship game. This stopped the Jets from reaching the Super Bowl.

One famous game happened in 1994. The Dolphins used a trick play called the "Fake Spike" to win. Another famous game was "The Monday Night Miracle" in 2000. The Jets were losing 30–7 in the third quarter. But they scored 23 points without reply and won in overtime.

When Rex Ryan became the Jets' coach, the rivalry got more intense. Ryan even made an obscene gesture to Dolphins fans once. The rivalry continued when a Jets coach tripped a Dolphins player. The Dolphins currently lead the all-time series.

Inter-conference Rivals

New York Giants

The New York Jets used to have a strong rivalry with the New York Giants, their in-town counterparts. This rivalry has lessened because they don't play each other often. The rivalry was at its peak in 1969. The Jets and Giants played for the first time in a preseason game. It was seen as a "turf war." The Jets won 37–14, which led to the Giants' coach being fired.

In 1988, the Jets beat the Giants in the last game of the season. The Giants needed to win to make the playoffs. The Jets' victory knocked the Giants out of the playoffs. This earned the Jets more respect.

Despite the rivalry, the two teams have a strong partnership. They shared Giants Stadium for 26 years. Now, they share MetLife Stadium, and both teams own half of it. The rivalry became intense again in 2011. Both teams needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. There was a lot of trash talk before the game, which the Giants won. The Jets have won recent games against the Giants in 2015, 2019, and 2023. The Giants currently lead the all-time series.

Logos and Uniforms

Cornerback Darrelle Revis wearing the New York Titans throwback uniform in 2008. This design combined the original shade of gold from 1960 with the 1961–62 striping modifications

When the team started as the Titans in 1960, their uniforms were navy blue and old gold. The helmets were navy blue with a gold stripe. In 1961, they added shoulder stripes and changed the pants.

When they became the Jets in 1963, the colors changed to kelly green and white. The jerseys had opposite-colored sleeves. The helmets were white with a green stripe. The logo was a jet airplane with "JETS" written on it. In 1964, the jet logo was replaced with a white football shape. It had "JETS" and "NY" inside. This design stayed mostly the same until 1977.

1968 game program showing the 1965–77 helmet and primary logo. The design was revived in 1998 with a darker green, an oval-shaped logo with clearer graphics, and a green facemask.

1978–1997 Jets wordmark and primary logo. A thin black outline was added in 1990. A slightly modified version was adopted as the team's primary logo for the 2024 season.

Jets primary logo used from 2019 to 2023

In 1978, the Jets changed their design. The helmets became solid green with white facemasks. They had a new "JETS" logo with a modern jet airplane. The jerseys had two thick stripes on the sleeves. In 1990, they added thin black outlines to the numbers and logos. The facemasks became black. They also added green pants.

The Jets were the first NFL team to wear a "throwback" uniform. This was in 1993 to celebrate their 1968 championship. The uniform looked like the 1963–77 design.

The team's uniform design used from 1998 to 2018, a modern version of its 1965–77 design.

In 1998, the Jets got a new uniform and logo. They used a darker hunter green. The main logo was now oval-shaped. Green pants were added in 2002.

In 2007, the Jets brought back a "throwback" uniform. It looked like the original Titans of New York uniforms. These were navy blue and old gold.

In 2019, the Jets changed their uniforms again. They used a medium green called "Gotham Green." Black was added as a trim color. The helmets were green with a metallic finish and black facemasks. The jerseys had a new number font. The main logo was football-shaped again. They also introduced a black alternate uniform. In 2022, they added a matte-black helmet for the black uniform.

In 2023, the Jets brought back a "legacy white" throwback uniform. It looked like the 1978–89 design. At the end of the season, they announced this would be their main uniform in 2024. Green and black versions will also be part of the set. The 1978 "JETS" logo was updated slightly. The new uniforms will use the "Gotham Green" color and metallic helmets. They also released a "classic" white uniform based on older designs.

Cheerleading Squad

JetBlue honors the NY Jets with its green plane.

The Jets started a Flag Crew in 2006. In 2007, the group grew and was renamed the Jets Flight Crew. This squad performs dance routines at home games. They hold auditions every year for new members.

The Jets Junior Flight Crew started in 2010. It gives children a chance to train with the Flight Crew. They can improve their dancing skills in a fun environment.

Radio and Television

Map of radio affiliates

The Jets' main radio station is WAXQ. This station became the Jets' flagship in 2024.

Currently, Bob Wischusen is the play-by-play announcer. Anthony Becht is the analyst. Wischusen has been the voice of the Jets since 2002. Becht, a former Jets tight end, took over as analyst in 2024.

Any preseason games not shown nationally are on WCBS-TV. SportsNet New York is the official home of the Jets. It shows over 250 hours of special content about the team in high definition.

Monday Night Football games are also shown on WABC-TV or WPIX-TV. Thursday Night Football games streamed by Amazon Prime are shown locally on WNYW.

Players

Current Roster

Pro Football Hall of Famers

QB Joe Namath, Hall of Famer. His #12 was retired by the Jets.

RB Curtis Martin (#28), Hall of Famer

WR Don Maynard (#13), Hall of Famer

Many great players who played for the Jets are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Some are recognized mainly for their time with the Jets, like Joe Namath and Don Maynard. Others played for other teams for most of their careers, but also spent time with the Jets.

Retired Numbers

The Jets have retired five jersey numbers to honor special players. This means no other player will wear these numbers. They also honor coach Weeb Ewbank with a jacket.

The Jets also unofficially don't reissue #80 (for Wayne Chrebet) and #24 (for Darrelle Revis).

Ring of Honor

The Jets started a Ring of Honor in 2010. It celebrates former players and coaches. Each year, a committee chooses new members.

All-Time Four Decade Team

Wesley Walker (left) and Al Toon (right) were the Jets' primary wide receivers in the 1980s and rank among the best to play the position in franchise history.

RB Matt Snell

In 2003, fans voted for the Jets' official All-Time Four Decade team.

Notable First-Round Draft Picks

One of the most famous Jets draft picks was quarterback Joe Namath in 1965. He was known for his big personality. He led the Jets to their Super Bowl III victory. Namath was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

The Jets have also had some draft picks who didn't do as well. For example, running back Blair Thomas was picked second overall in 1990. He didn't meet the high expectations. Another player, Vernon Gholston, picked in 2008, didn't record any sacks in three years.

However, the Jets have also drafted great players. In 2011, they picked Muhammad Wilkerson, and in 2013, Sheldon Richardson. These two helped make the Jets' defensive line very strong. Richardson won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013.

In 2017, the Jets drafted Jamal Adams. He quickly became a Pro Bowl player. In 2019, they picked Quinnen Williams. He was seen as a top prospect. After a tough rookie year, Williams showed great promise in 2020.

In the 2022 NFL draft, the Jets had three first-round picks. They selected cornerback Sauce Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, and defensive end Jermaine Johnson II. Gardner was named to the All-Pro Team as a rookie.

Coaches and Staff

Head Coaches

The Jets have had 21 head coaches in their history.

Current Staff

Images for kids

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  The Jets playing the Bills in the 1981 AFC wild card game.

See also

In Spanish: New York Jets para niños