Former offensive lineman Damien Woody was with the New York Jets long enough to understand why the fan base is frustrated. The franchise has spent years searching for the right quarterback, the right coach, and the right formula to get back into contention. Now, with another season about to begin, some supporters have already started looking beyond 2026.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“Been seeing ‘tanking’ amongst some in the #Jets fan base, and it’s the dumbest thing I’ve seen. Establishing a winning culture, especially with a young roster, is far more important than the perpetual cycle this organization has been in,” Woody wrote on X.
It is not difficult to understand why the idea has surfaced. New York finished 3-14 last season and was outscored by 203 points. The defense also finished the year without recording a single interception, making the Jets the first team in NFL history to go through a full season without one.
The franchise has not reached the playoffs since the 2010 season, and since then, it has managed only one winning record. No wonder why fans of other teams always joke about the Jets fanbase. In a way, the franchise has developed a reputation for being a perennial loser.
For starters, the Jets have never had steady leadership. Since the franchise was rebranded to its current name from the New York Titans in 1963, it had 11 different head coaches until 2000. From then till 2024, the Jets have changed nine head coaches.
Aaron Glenn is now trying to break that pattern. His first season as head coach produced just three victories, but the Jets chose to stick with him and continued reshaping the roster around his vision. The franchise is hopeful enough for a rebuild in Glenn’s tenure.
The head coach knows the perception around the Jets will not change overnight. Speaking about what he wants to accomplish with the organization, the head coach said:
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure we change the perception of how people see this organization, of how people see the players, how people see the coaches, how people see this team.”
In the last few years, the Jets have done nothing but puzzle fans with their roster moves. Frustration grew when they moved two of their biggest defensive names at the trade deadline, trading cornerback Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to Dallas, picking up more draft capital along the way.
They now have three first-rounders in 2027, which could give GM Darren Mougey a way to move up for a quarterback if the need arises. So, for some fans, losing in 2026 could at least mean getting a better shot at a top pick. If the Jets struggle badly enough, they could end up with a much better position to pursue one of the quarterbacks expected to enter the 2027 draft. This year, the Jets had the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, with which they picked talented edge rusher David Bailey.
The Jets also added more young talent, including wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and tight end Kenyon Sadiq, while veteran linebacker Demario Davis returned to the franchise. None of those moves guarantee a turnaround, but they give Glenn a different group to work with than the one that struggled so badly last year.
Sure, tanking in the season gives the Jets a shot at securing the top talent in the future. But it is time those moves actually translate into wins for New York, and hopefully, a turnaround.
Damien Woody’s connection to the situation makes his criticism especially interesting. He played five seasons for New York and was part of the Jets teams that reached the AFC Championship Game following both the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Woody retired after the 2010 season, the last year the Jets reached the playoffs. He clearly doesn’t want another rebuild built around losing.
The Jets begin the 2026 season at Tennessee on September 13. The results will show whether Aaron Glenn’s team can give fans a reason to focus on the season itself instead of the 2027 draft.