Week 1 attendance projections call for New York Jets fan energy

It’s not a surprise. Steelers fans travel well, as Pittsburgh has built a national fanbase that is well-represented in all parts of the country. Plus, the Jets are one of the closest road teams to Pittsburgh, so it’s especially easy for the die-hard Yinzers of western Pennsylvania to make the six-hour drive.

Surely, though, the main factor at hand is the apathy of Jets fans.

While Steelers fans are known for packing opposing stadiums, it is rare to see an NFL home crowd allow an opposing fanbase to fill half of their seats in a home opener, no matter who that opponent may be. This is supposed to be the time of year when every fanbase is at the apex of its excitement. Each team is undefeated and ready for a fresh start.

But for Jets fans, after 14 consecutive years of non-playoff football, it is understandably difficult to cultivate any sort of faith that this will be the year things finally turn around. It didn’t happen with Aaron Rodgers joining an up-and-coming young team that had an elite defense, talented weapons, and won seven games with the league’s worst quarterback. So, why will it happen now?

That’s the mindset of many beaten and battered Jets fans, and it will be visually represented by the colors of the MetLife stands on Sunday.

Black and yellow have adorned the Meadowlands crowd plenty of times before. Just refer to the title image of this article, which was taken on Dec. 22, 2019—Pittsburgh’s last road trip to face the Jets.

The Sam Darnold-led Jets won that affair by a score of 16-10, sending Steelers fans on a miserable 378-mile drive back home. Perhaps if the Justin Fields-led iteration of the franchise can achieve the same result on Sunday (ideally with an extra touchdown or two on the board), more than 52% of MetLife Stadium will be filled with Jets fans when the Bills come to town in Week 2.