Since 1968, the New York Jets have not made a Super Bowl appearance, so the best we can do is root for our own elsewhere.

In 2016, the nation watched something Chicago Cubs fans thought never would happen, the end of a 108-year old drought. The New York Jets have not won a Super Bowl since 1968 — not quite 108 years, but long enough for Jets fans to say, “before I die.”

With only four conference championship games since their lone title, the Jets fanbase has not much to root for in the “Big Game.” It’s a heartbreaking reality when you look at how close they were in two of the four games.

The AFC championship game in 1998 is probably the most disheartening loss of the four. The Jets had dominated the east that year, finishing the season at 12-4. Gang Green dismantled a very good Tom Coughlin coached Jacksonville Jaguars team in the divisional round, to punch their ticket to Denver.

In Denver, the Jets would face the defending champs and their legendary quarterback, John Elway. The Jets kept it close throughout the first half, but a fourth quarter of mishaps and turnovers sealed the fate of Vinny Testaverde and his crew. The Jets ultimately lost the game 23-10 and Denver would go on to claim their second title in as many years.

The most recent conference title games occurred in 2009 & 2010. The first, ending in a blowout, a 37-10 loss to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

The second game the Jets came out flat, falling behind 24-3 at halftime. The Jets made a strong second half surge that fell short and the Pittsburgh Steelers would go on to fall to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. That game summed up the Rex Ryan era in New York — a team that could do some things on offense and a strong defense, but not a team that could put it all together at the same time.

It has been hard to find something to root for on that special day at the end of the season. Too rarely does the game itself grab the fan base’s attention. However, if there is a silver lining, it is that some Jets players would go on to win Super Bowl Championships after leaving the “Big Apple.”

Here is a list of five New York Jets players who would go to another team to win a Super Bowl:

1
2
3
4
5
6
The Sports Fan's . . .Sports Fan. Passionate about the Mets, Jets, and Rangers, but more importantly a fan that gets excited for any big game.