New York Jets Get No Primetime Games For First Time In 45 Years

The NFL has done a pretty good job through the years of giving just about every team - even the predictably terrible ones - at least one primetime game per year. But one team that has been struggling for a very long time is finally getting the boot from any primetime slots after decades of getting at least one appearance.

On Thursday, the 2026 NFL season schedule was released. Five teams were left without any primetime games: The Las Vegas Raiders, the New York Jets, the Arizona Cardinals, the Tennessee Titans and the Miami Dolphins. The latter four had the worst records in the league, while the Dolphins have basically cleaned house and are expected to be terrible this season.

But of the five, the Jets stand out for the sheer rarity of them having received at least one primetime game every single year since 1981. When you consider that they had a dozen teams with 12 losses or more in that span, it's almost impressive.

A new low for the Jets

Despite how historically inept they've been for most of the last 45 years, it's easy to see why the NFL would always give them at least a chance at the spotlight. Their position as an NFL team in the New York metro area naturally makes them a prime candidate for huge ratings if they can play a compelling game of football.

But over the last decade, the Jets have shown that even when the stars seem to align perfectly in the offseason, they fall flat on their faces within minutes of the Week 1 kickoff. And nothing the Jets have done this offseason suggests that the stars are aligning for them this year.

In an era where the NFL is consistently trying to absolutely maximize ratings, the league and its broadcast partners must have finally decided that the Jets aren't worth the risk, no matter how big their "market size" is.

Fans are already predicting that head coach Aaron Glenn is doomed to lose his job early in the season, especially if they lose their season-opener against former Jets head coach Robert Saleh and the Tennessee Titans.

But at least now they won't have to suffer the indignity of being terrible in front of a nationally televised audience.

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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 8:08 AM.