Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers fielded a question about the team’s 14-year playoff drought after Sunday’s 32-26 overtime loss to the Dolphins guaranteed it would last another year.
“I mean, I’ve been here — I’ve started one year, so, I’m part of it for one year,” Rodgers said. “It’s disappointing.”
Rodgers is right. He is only a chapter in what has become a dark cloud over the Jets franchise.
The drought is the longest in major North American sports.
While other bad franchises like the Raiders, Jaguars, Panthers, Commanders and Browns have found ways to make the playoffs at least once or twice, the Jets have been wandering in the desert since losing in the AFC Championship game in Pittsburgh following the 2010 season.
For most of the current Jets, they feel like Rodgers does in that they have only been a part of the franchise’s struggles for a short period of time.
Long snapper Thomas Hennessy is the longest-tenured Jet, joining the team in 2017.
C.J. Mosley and Quinnen Williams are the longest-tenured players from offense or defense, having come aboard in 2019.
Even though they have not been a part of all the losing, coaches and players hear about the drought.
It is always there and always brought up by media and fans when seasons slip away.
The anger and frustration that has been built up over 14 years sometimes overwhelms someone who has only been with the Jets for a year or two.
The 14-year drought is long but not even close to the longest in NFL history.
The Cardinals went 25 years (1949-73) without a playoff appearance, as did Washington (1946-70).
This was in a different time, though, when free agency did not exist and not as many teams made the playoffs.
The Steelers went 24 years from 1948-71 before going on to win four Super Bowls in the following decade. In more recent times, the Saints (1967-86), Browns (2003-19), Bills (2000-16) all went 17 years without a playoff appearance.
The Bills are the shining example of turning it around in the Jets’ own division.
The combination of head coach Sean McDermott, quarterback Josh Allen and GM Brandon Beane just won their fifth straight division title.
For the Jets, they have been searching for that right coach and quarterback to turn things around.
Rex Ryan (four years), Todd Bowles (four years), Adam Gase (two years), Robert Saleh (3 years and five games) and Jeff Ulbrich (eight games) have all had their fingerprints on the drought.
Rodgers is one of 15 starting quarterbacks the Jets have had since that initial playoff-free season in 2011.
Mark Sanchez, Greg McElroy and Ryan Fitzpatrick can all now be seen on TV.
Geno Smith has revived his career in Seattle.
Sam Darnold has done the same with the Vikings, where his quarterbacks coach is Josh McCown, another drought QB.
Rodgers is the most accomplished of the drought QBs but there are a few others who have impressive résumés with teams other than the Jets like Joe Flacco and Michael Vick.
There were some forgettable QBs like Bryce Petty, Luke Falk, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian.
There was Mike Effin’ White and Effin’ Zach Wilson.
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The Jets have lived through Tebowmania and Fitzmagic during the drought.
There was the Buttfumble and the Fail Mary.
The only time the Jets actually got close to the playoffs during the last 14 years came in 2015 and the team flamed out in spectacular fashion in Buffalo at the hands of their former coach Rex Ryan.
The other sad sack teams in town don’t even have a record nearly as bad as the Jets during this time.
The Knicks have made the playoffs five times and the Mets have gone four.
It is not like the Jets have not had any good players during this time.
Three players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame played for the Jets during the drought — Darrelle Revis, LaDainian Tomlinson and Ed Reed.
Another — Ron Wolf — helped them hire a GM and coach during the drought.
The Jets are 80-144 since 2011, a stretch of 224 mostly forgettable football games.
So, Rodgers is right.
He’s only been the quarterback for 13 of those games.
But he is now part of the drought, like it or not.
