Where and how has it all gone wrong for the Jets? How have they managed to miss the playoffs 13 consecutive years … and counting down the days and weeks to 14?
The Anatomy of a Crash can begin in a myriad of different places with a myriad of different decisions, some of which were considered shrewd at the time and of course backfired, some of which never should have been made:
Tebowmania
GM Mike Tannenbaum thought it would be a good idea to acquire a charismatic Wildcat quarterback to supplement starter Mark Sanchez. Joe Namath didn’t. Tebow, with a scattershot left arm, completed six passes and rushed for 102 yards in 2012.
Rex Ryan and John Idzik
The Odd Couple, oil-and-water pairing was prompted by the firing of Tannenbaum. Idzik used all 12 of his picks in his infamous 2014 NFL draft — the notorious Idzik 12. Calvin Pryor and Jace Amaro in Rounds 1 and 2 ring a bell?
Snoopy Bowl
Sanchez lost his starting job, 2013 season and Jets career (shoulder surgery) when Ryan summoned him to relieve rookie QB Geno Smith in the fourth quarter behind a reserve offensive line for the express purpose of beating the Giants.
Geno
Idzik’s 2013 second-round draft pick wasn’t ready for the New York market … or for a 2015 preseason locker-room jawbreaker thrown by teammate IK Enemkpali.
Mike Maccagnan
Idzik’s replacement in 2015 at the recommendation of Woody Johnson consultants Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf who drafted Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg (never took a snap in two seasons) in the second round in 2016.
Return of Revis Island
A five-year, $70M ($39M guaranteed) makeup call from Woody Johnson for Darrelle Revis and for Jets fans which worked in 2015 before Father Time intercepted in 2016.
Jamal Adams
Maccagnan used the sixth overall pick in 2017 on the highly regarded safety who three years later demanded a trade during a contract dispute … passing on Patrick Mahomes.
Sam Darnold
Maccagnan traded up for the third overall pick to land his franchise quarterback in 2018 … instead of Josh Allen (and Lamar Jackson).
Adam Gase
Replaced Todd Bowles (24-40) in 2019 in large part because the owner was desperate for a so-called offensive guru lobbied for by Peyton Manning to develop Darnold. Gase (9-23) is remembered more for his Eyes Wide Open at his introductory press conference.
Le’Veon Bell
Maccagnan’s big 2019 free agent splash (four years, $52.5M) was released in October 2020.
Gase and Maccagnan
Oil and water II. The head coach wasn’t in favor of the Bell signing and won a power struggle that saw the GM fired three weeks after the 2019 NFL draft.
Mekhi Becton
GM Joe Douglas used the 11th pick of his first draft in 2020 on a LT of the Future Who Wasn’t because of injury and overeating.
Robert Saleh
Douglas and Christopher Johnson, with Woody Johnson serving as ambassador to the U.K., were convinced that their new head coach in 2021 was the fiery leader/CEO that Gase was not. SALEHLUJAH!
WRs Denzel Mims and Elijah Moore
Mims caught 42 passes without a TD from 2020-22, and Moore (80 catches, six TDs in 2021 and ’22) was sent home from practice by Saleh in 2022 before requesting a trade. Both were second-round picks.
Zach Wilson
Douglas’ franchise-altering whiff displaced Darnold as the second pick of the 2021 NFL draft and was thrown to the wolves. It was easier to quarterback BYU.
Nathaniel Hackett
Saleh called his new OC/play-caller for 2023 a “home run” hire, which would help woo Aaron Rodgers if nothing else. Now he helps play-caller Todd Downing.
The Savior
Let the Aaron Rodgers Love Affair begin.
Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard
Buddies for Rodgers. Long before Davante Adams would arrive.
The Achilles
Four damn plays. No Comeback Kid.
The Backup Plan
Zach Wilson. A shame Joe Flacco wasn’t invited back.
The Conflagration
Woody Johnson went looking for a spark when he fired Saleh (20-36) after five games for defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and burned down the season that not even Rodgers could save.
Google Murphy’s Law. Long-suffering Jets fans have.
