New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh walks down the sideline during the first half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Jets playoff drought now longest active among four major sports

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 12/17/23

The New York Jets were humiliated on Sunday, losing 30-0 to the Miami Dolphins in what might have been their worst overall performance of the season.

It not only secured a losing season for the eighth year in a row, it also mathematically eliminated them from playoff contention in the AFC. That extends their current playoff drought to 13 consecutive seasons.

That is now the longest active playoff drought in the four major North American sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL).

The Jets now have gone 13 straight seasons without making the playoffs, the longest active drought across the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.

The Jets last made the playoffs in 2010. pic.twitter.com/zm6AFV0yox
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2023

The Jets have not made the playoffs since the 2010 season when they went to the AFC Championship game — where they would lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers — with Rex Ryan as their head coach and Mark Sanchez as their quarterback.

This has turned out to be a bitterly disappointing season for the Jets after it began with such promise. They were bringing back one of the league's best defenses from a year ago and had a talented group of young skill position players led by running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

Then they acquired what they thought would be the missing piece in quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

All of that hope disappeared just four games into the season when Rodgers had an Achilles injury that has sidelined him all year. That has left the Jets quarterback situation in the hands of Zach Wilson, Trevor Simien and Tim Boyle. All of them have been miserable.

As bad as the quarterbacks have been the Jets have far more problems than just Rodgers' injury. That was especially true on Sunday against the Dolphins where they looked to be out-coached, out-schemed, out-prepared and out-worked. Rodgers was not going to fix that.

All season Rodgers has been teasing a potential return and is expected to be cleared to return for this week's Christmas Eve game against the Washington Commanders.

With the Jets having no chance to make the playoffs or finish with a winning record there is absolutely no reason for him to try that.

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