The Most Disappointing New York Jets Seasons Of All-Time

With 2016 starting out unfriendly for Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets, we rank the most disappointing seasons in franchise history.

Is this a certainty? No, of course not.

If you, for one second, believe the Jets season is already over with just four losses, you may need to start recording Dr. Phil on a regular basis. Hit the “record series” option on your remote and never miss an episode.

We were reminded of the unthinkable tournament runs transpiring right before our eyes as recently as last year in the form of the 1-5 Kansas City Chiefs. It can and has been done, many times.

Then again, cooler heads prevail most of the time.

As optimistic as you might be, the odds of a 1-4 team who also has the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, and New England Patriots twice in their future making the playoffs remain slim-to-none. The odds are so slim that we’ll spare you the actual depressing percentage number of teams sneaking into the tournament after a 1-4 beginning.

Therefore, the idea that the 2016 version of Gang Green will be one to add to the disappointing column — just one more to the collection of many.

Here are the most disappointing seasons in New York Jets history:

Notables

• 2010 Pittsburgh Flat Jets
• 1983 Post A.J. Duhe Jets
• 2016 Murder Schedule Jets (In Progress)
• 2005 Herm’s Swansong Jets

You may scratch your head at the sight of the 11-win 2010 New York Jets being listed. It’s only natural. After all, they shocked the world in stunning both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in getting to the AFC Championship Game.

Six seasons later, this was the last time the Jets saw the playoffs.

The loss at Pittsburgh was so disappointing in itself for two reasons. One was directly tied to how flat the Jets started that AFC Title Game, and the other is the fan actually believing it was their year.

After the surprising push in Rex’s rookie year, every fan thought the Jets learned how to win that second time around after upsetting the Pats in Foxborough (probably the Jets second best overall victory in franchise history).

As crazy as it now sounds, Mark Sanchez was so hot in the second half of that contest that every Jets fan thought their club was heading to the Super Bowl if the defense could just find a way to get him the ball back.

The 1982 season saw so much excitement, so much promise that his spurned on many hopes for 1983. The name of A.J. Duhe couldn’t escape the minds of Jets fans quick enough.

But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Intead, a disappointing 7-9 record paved way to the drafting of Ken O’Brien in the offseason.

1969 Should Have Repeated Jets

The 1969 season resembles 2010 in that both teams were excellent. 1969 is disappointing because Joe Namath and Weeb Ewbank should have knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs and captured their second straight Super Bowl victory.

That team was too good to only come away with one title, and ’69 was their last legitimate shot to add more hardware to the collection.

2003 Chad’s Arm In Preseason Jets

Speaking of miracle runs, do you remember the 2002 Jets? Oh yeah, it was the last Jets squad to capture the AFC East.

After beginning the season 1-4, Herm Edwards pulled Vinny Testaverde in favor of No. 1 pick Chad Pennington. Chad lead New York to an 8-3 finish while throwing 3,120 yards, 22 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a league best 104.2 passer rating.

After laying the paddle to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card Round, a heartbreaking loss to Rich Gannon and the Oakland Raiders in the next round ended the 2002 campaign.

This only set the stage for a promising 2003 season. That was, until, Pennington broke his arm against the New York Giants in preseason action.

Chad missed the first six game of the season leading to a 6-10 record in Herm’s third season as head man.

2007 Hold The Mangenius Stuff Jets

2007 is closely tied to 2003 in the sense that fans thought their beloved Jets would take that “next step” in the process climbing up the NFL ladder.

Once 2006 ended, every NFL expert thought Woody Johnson had finally nabbed his long-term head coach in Eric Mangini. Mangenius, as he was appropriately dubbed, went 10-6 in earning a playoff berth as a rookie head coach. What was more encouraging was that it seemed as though very little talent was in the locker room.

2007 was yet another injury-riddled season for Chad Pennington. It eventually ended with a horrid 4-12 record after much hope all summer long.

2008 Favre Experiment Jets

Just one season later, Eric Mangini coached his last season for the New York Jets. This season will forever be known as the “Favre experiment.”

Brett Favre, the man, the myth, the legend himself, was literally handed a key to the city upon his Broadway arrival. Things looked so sparkly once Thomas Jones and Leon Washington steamrolled the undefeated Tennessee Titans to get the Jets to 8-3.

But in a cruel football god-like fashion, the Jets could only win one more game the rest of the way. Pouring salt into the wound was the fact Pennington led the Miami Dolphins to the AFC East title, spanking the Jets in Week 17 in New Jersey.

Favre then went on to Minnesota, the place he wanted to be all along.

1999 Snap Goes Vinny’s Achilles Jets

With a doubt, this is the one that hurts most.

Never has a New York Jets team received so much critical acclaim prior to a season beginning. This Bill Parcells team was loaded not only up and down the depth chart but up and down the sideline with the likes of Bill Belichick, Charlie Weis and many more.

But before it could even get going, Vinny Testaverde, the man coming off arguably the best season a quarterback has ever enjoyed wearing the green ane white, snapped his achilles tendon early in Week 1 against the New England Patriots.

The 12-4 powerhouse who was leading the Denver Broncos 10-0 in the second half of the AFC Championship Game the January prior was now shellshocked and without a quarterback.

The Ray Lucas led Jets started off terribly, but finished 8-8 in the Big Tuna’s final Jets season.