No Matter Who Wins The Super Bowl, New York Jets Fans Lose

The Super Bowl can’t travel soon capable for supporters of nan Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. New York Jets fans, however, mightiness take to skip nan crippled altogether.

They’ll witnesser 1 of 2 scenarios play retired Sunday: Either their erstwhile backmost and presumed savior of nan franchise, Sam Darnold, will lead Seattle to its first NFL title since 2014 aliases New England, their hated rival, will adhd to its stuffed trophy case.

For Jordan Kamzan, a 34-year-old from Long Beach, New York, it’s not a difficult choice.

“It could beryllium anyone playing nan Patriots,” he said, “I would beryllium cheering for him.”

Connor Hughes, an NFL newsman who covers nan Jets and New York Giants for SNY, put it much bluntly.

“If nan Patriots triumph nan Super Bowl, that’s erstwhile nan full world will conscionable travel crashing down connected nan Jets fan.”

The rivalry betwixt nan 2 teams dates to 1960, erstwhile some franchises played successful nan American Football League. It continued erstwhile nan convention merged pinch nan NFL successful 1970 and nan Jets and Patriots squared disconnected aggregate times a twelvemonth arsenic members of nan AFC East.

While nan Patriots lead nan all-time bid 77–56–1, New England has been moreover much ascendant successful caller seasons. Since 2000, nan Patriots are 40-12 successful regular-season games. They besides boast six Super Bowl wins and 18 divisional titles complete that span.

Jets fans thought their rival’s reign was over erstwhile legendary backmost Tom Brady near nan franchise successful 2020 and coach Bill Belichick parted ways successful 2024, but they were wrong. Just 2 years later, nan Patriots are back successful nan Super Bowl. And they now person a young stud backmost and coach who fig to origin problems for nan foreseeable future.

Drake Maye, a second-year signal-caller retired of North Carolina, is successful nan NFL MVP speech aft taking a 4-13 squad past play to nan title game. He threw for 4,394 yards pinch 31 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions this year. New caput coach Mike Vrabel, a erstwhile Patriots linebacker who won 3 Super Bowls arsenic a player, has besides been instrumental successful nan speedy turnaround.

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel speaks pinch Drake Maye aft nan AFC title crippled against nan Denver Broncos successful Denver connected Jan. 25.Ashley Landis / AP

The worst portion is that nan Jets astir had Vrabel themselves.

“They did everything they could to get him,” Hughes said. “So overmuch truthful that erstwhile he was driving to return nan Patriots job, they called him and was fundamentally like, ‘Is location thing we tin do to get you retired of that car? Is location thing we tin do to get you to return our job? We’ll springiness you much money. We’ll springiness you afloat control. We’ll do thing to get you complete here.’”

Vrabel didn’t budge. The Jets were forced to pivot to erstwhile Detroit Lions protect coordinator Aaron Glenn, who led New York to a 3-14 play successful his first year.

“So they are sitting location stuck pinch Aaron Glenn coming disconnected a three-win season, picking 2nd wide (in nan upcoming NFL draft) and having perfectly nary hope,” Hughes added.

New York has not made nan playoffs successful 15 consecutive seasons.

“People tin opportunity they are lovable losers, but they are not moreover that,” Kamzan said. “What’s location to love?”

Jets fans thought things would move astir successful 2018 erstwhile they drafted Darnold astatine No. 3 overall. Instead, Darnold went 13-25 arsenic a starting backmost and had aggregate bizarre incidents disconnected nan section that turned into viral memes.

One was erstwhile a schematic was shared of Darnold pinch nan words “Out Indefinitely: Mononucleosis” adjacent to him, which was mocked online.

Another was erstwhile Darnold said he was “seeing ghosts” while wearing a unrecorded microphone during a 33-0 nonaccomplishment to nan Patriots connected “Monday Night Football” successful 2019. Both teams’ fans still bring up nan now-famous line.

He near nan squad aft nan 2020 play and was considered by galore to beryllium a bust.

But contempt nan lackluster play, galore fans and analysts don’t spot nan blasted squarely connected Darnold.

“Everything you could perchance do to make a backmost neglect is beautiful overmuch what nan Jets did,” Hughes said. “You tin look astatine nan players he was throwing to, to nan guys that were blocking for him and nan coaching. It was each bad. … I don’t deliberation location was ever a world, erstwhile you really look astatine it, wherever Sam has occurrence pinch nan Jets.”

He ever had committedness successful nan convention if those different aspects — amended talent astir him, an violative coach who tin make nan crippled easier — came together. And he’s proven that since.

Darnold, aft a little stint arsenic a backup pinch nan San Francisco 49ers, has thrived arsenic a starter pinch nan Minnesota Vikings and now nan Seahawks. He was businesslike each season, passing for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns, and has recovered a cleanable relationship pinch elite receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

In nan NFC title against nan Los Angeles Rams, Darnold completed astir 70% of his passes for 346 yards and 3 scores pinch nary interceptions.

“It’s difficult not to consciousness bully for nan guy,” Corey Celt, a 36-year-old from Commack, New York, said. “As a Jets fan, I don’t clasp immoderate difficult feelings against Darnold. It’s a prime betwixt nan Patriots and Sam Darnold, and I deliberation picking Sam Darnold is an easy one.”

Kamzan didn’t hesitate erstwhile asked if location are “what-ifs” surrounding Darnold.

“Of course. There’s nan what-if of, ‘If we conscionable had amended management, could this feline person been nan franchise quarterback?’ But what are you going to do? It’s nan Jets.”