How long have Jets gone without a franchise QB? Revisiting NY’s last great hope
The New York Jets have been one of the most criticized teams in the NFL in the past 20 years, alongside the Browns, Jaguars and Lions.
They've been an NFL franchise since 1960 when they were the Titans of New York for a few seasons before being named to the New York Jets in 1963.
In their 60 years as a franchise, they've achieved minimal success. They only have four division titles with their most recent one being in 2002, and have only won one Super Bowl. The team won the third Super Bowl in modern-day history in 1968 and were led by franchise quarterback Joe Namath.
Joe Namath...... "Broadway Joe"......Super Bowl winner!...... New York Jets, 1969......One of greatest sports upset all time ! twitter.com/footballlearn1…
Namath was the only franchise quarterback the Jets have had. He played for the Jets from 1965 to 1976 and had a successful career. He won Super Bowl III, was the MVP of the game, and became the first QB in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards in a single-season in 1967.
Since Broadway Joe departed the team following the 1976 season, they've been soul-searching for their next franchise quarterback.
They've drafted high-profile guys such as Zach Wilson, Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez, and none of the guys they took high ever panned out to be their franchise quarterback. They also signed or traded veterans such as Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brett Favre and Vinny Testaverde, and they never worked out either.
Will the New York Jets find their franchise quarterback in 2023?
Will it be Derek Carr, Aaron Rodgers or somebody else? The team will be searching for a new franchise quarterback this offseason after moving on from Zach Wilson.
The team selected Wilson as the second-overall pick in the 2021 draft, but are ready to move on from the young QB after two terrible seasons in the NFL.
While Wilson will still be on the roster, New York will explore trade options such as Aaron Rodgers and possibly Lamar Jackson, and have contacted veteran free agent Derek Carr multiple times.
It seems as if the Jets' priority is Rodgers, but they could go after Carr if Rodgers isn't available via trade. New York could also trade up in the draft and select a QB as this year's draft class is loaded with talent.
Regardless of who they acquire or draft, the team will have a new quarterback in 2023, and hope that its QB will be leading the team for years to come.