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1996 New York Jets season

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1996 New York Jets season
OwnerLeon Hess
Head coachRich Kotite
Home fieldThe Meadowlands
Results
Record1–15
Division place5th AFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersNone

The 1996 New York Jets season was the franchise's 27th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 37th overall. They failed to improve upon its league-worst 3–13 record from 1995 as they finished 1–15, which is the worst record in franchise history. As a result, head coach Rich Kotite stepped down before the season ended.

The Jets tied an NFL record that the New Orleans Saints set in 1980 and became the fifth team and first since the 1991 Indianapolis Colts to finish a season with fifteen losses. The record would be equaled by the 2000 San Diego Chargers, 2001 Carolina Panthers, and the 2007 Miami Dolphins before the 2008 Detroit Lions eclipsed it by becoming the first team to go through a sixteen-game season without a single victory.

Offseason

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After three seasons with quarterback Boomer Esiason as the starter, the Jets decided to go in a different direction and released Esiason in the offseason. They signed Neil O'Donnell, who had just led the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super Bowl, to replace him in the hopes he would duplicate his success with the Steelers. The Jets received the first pick in the NFL draft in April and drafted wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson out of the University of Southern California. The Jets also signed offensive tackles Jumbo Elliott and David Williams and receivers Jeff Graham and Webster Slaughter. The Jets spent $70 million in the offseason on free-agent and rookie contracts.

Additions Subtractions
QB Neil O'Donnell (Steelers) QB Boomer Esiason (Cardinals)
QB Frank Reich (Panthers) T James Brown (Dolphins)
RB Reggie Cobb (Jaguars) TE Johnny Mitchell (Dolphins)
T Jumbo Elliott (Giants) FS Anthony Prior (Vikings)
G Harry Galbreath (Packers)
WR Jeff Graham (Bears)
WR Webster Slaughter (Chiefs)

NFL draft

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1996 New York Jets draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 1 Keyshawn Johnson *  Wide receiver USC
2 31 Alex Van Dyke  Wide receiver Nevada
3 62 Ray Mickens  Cornerback Texas A&M
5 133 Marcus Coleman  Cornerback Texas Tech
6 168 Hugh Hunter  Defensive end Hampton
7 210 Chris Hayes  Safety Washington State
      Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Personnel

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Staff/coaches

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1996 New York Jets staff
Front office   Coaching staff
  • Head coach - Rich Kotite

Offensive coaches

  Defensive coaches

Scouting department

Roster

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1996 New York Jets roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 5 reserve, 4 practice squad

Season

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O'Donnell was the starter for the first six games of the season, but they went 0–6 under him. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during pregame warmups before the seventh game. Longtime Buffalo Bills backup quarterback Frank Reich replaced him, but he didn't fare much better. They lost to Jacksonville and Buffalo, before the now lowly 0–8 Jets beat former Jets QB Boomer Esiason and his new team, the Arizona Cardinals (although Esiason didn't play for Arizona in that game), at Sun Devil Stadium for what would become their only win of the season in their first game against the Cardinals since 1978.[1] Kotite announced his resignation on December 20.

Schedule

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Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 1 at Denver Broncos L 6–31 0–1 Mile High Stadium 70,595
2 September 8 Indianapolis Colts L 7–21 0–2 Giants Stadium 63,534
3 September 15 at Miami Dolphins L 27–36 0–3 Pro Player Stadium 68,137
4 September 22 New York Giants L 6–13 0–4 Giants Stadium 58,339
5 September 29 at Washington Redskins L 16–31 0–5 Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium 52,068
6 October 6 Oakland Raiders L 13–34 0–6 Giants Stadium 63,611
7 October 13 at Jacksonville Jaguars L 17–21 0–7 Alltel Stadium 65,699
8 October 20 Buffalo Bills L 22–25 0–8 Giants Stadium 49,775
9 October 27 at Arizona Cardinals W 31–21 1–8 Sun Devil Stadium 28,088
10 Bye
11 November 10 New England Patriots L 27–31 1–9 Giants Stadium 61,843
12 November 17 at Indianapolis Colts L 29–34 1–10 RCA Dome 48,322
13 November 24 at Buffalo Bills L 10–35 1–11 Rich Stadium 60,854
14 December 1 Houston Oilers L 10–35 1–12 Giants Stadium 21,731
15 December 8 at New England Patriots L 10–34 1–13 Foxboro Stadium 54,621
16 December 14 Philadelphia Eagles L 20–21 1–14 Giants Stadium 29,176
17 December 22 Miami Dolphins L 28–31 1–15 Giants Stadium 49,933
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

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Week 6: vs. Oakland Raiders

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Week Six: Oakland Raiders at New York Jets – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Raiders 0 13 02134
Jets 0 3 3713

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Date: October 6
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C)
  • Game attendance: 63,611
  • TV: NBC
  • Box score, Box score
Game information

Week 9: at Arizona Cardinals

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Week Nine: New York Jets at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Jets 3 14 01431
Cardinals 0 0 14721

at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona

  • Date: October 6
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. MST
  • Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C)
  • Game attendance: 28,088
  • Box score
Game information

The 0-8 Jets were desperately looking for their first win of the season as they faced the Cardinals in Arizona. In the first quarter, Nick Lowery opened the score for the Jets with a 37-yard field goal. By the second quarter, the Jets powered through with two touchdowns from Keyshawn Johnson and Richie Anderson. However, by the third quarter, the Cardinals scored two touchdowns of their own, cutting the Jets' lead to three. Fortunately, in the fourth quarter, the Jets scored two more touchdowns, en route to their first victory of the season as they defeated the Cardinals 31–21.

Standings

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AFC East
W L T PCT PF PA STK
(2) New England Patriots 11 5 0 .688 418 313 W1
(4) Buffalo Bills 10 6 0 .625 319 266 W1
(6) Indianapolis Colts 9 7 0 .563 317 334 L1
Miami Dolphins 8 8 0 .500 339 325 W2
New York Jets 1 15 0 .063 279 454 L7
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