The New York Jets have seemingly been stuck in rebuild mode since they won Super Bowl 3, especially over the last 25 years. During that stretch, the Jets had fits and starts, but they consistently struggled to overcome the New England Patriots. Whether it was Bill Parcells or Rex Ryan leading the way, the Jets couldn’t get past the Patriots when it mattered most.
Legendary quarterback Tom Brady was one of the cornerstones — many would argue the cornerstone — of the Patriots dynasty. But he wasn’t the only reason for New England’s long run of dominance. Great franchises are built brick by brick, and Brady recently shared some blunt thoughts on why the Jets have failed to achieve the success they’ve been chasing.
Tom Brady Explains the Harsh Reasons Why the Jets Are Perpetual Losers
“The Jets’ issues were more about the Jets, not the Patriots. They had god knows how many pebbles in their shoes that they’ve struggled to shake out for a long time. It has hobbled them, set them back, and sent them off course,” Brady wrote in his weekly newsletter, “The 199.”
Brady added that simply wanting to win isn’t enough if an organization’s priorities aren’t aligned.
“I’m sure they’re trying to build a winning culture like everyone else,” he said. “You can want to win, but if your priorities and decisions are off, it will be represented in the win and loss column at the end of the year.”
Brady also pushed back against the excuse that the Patriots’ success alone was the reason the Jets couldn’t break through.
“When we dominated the AFC East in New England, for instance, we were unquestionably the mountain of our division. We were sturdy and immovable, because our culture (aka, the people!) was sturdy and immovable,” Brady wrote.
“When you looked at the rest of the division — the Dolphins, the Bills, the Jets — we were definitely in their way, to the extent that they would have to go through us to win the division, but if you then look at each team’s fortunes over the last five or six years, after Bill and I both left, it becomes pretty clear for at least one team, the New York Jets, that the Patriots were not their biggest problem.”
The numbers back him up. Since Brady left the Patriots after the 2019 season, the Jets have gone 25-59 with a .298 winning percentage and zero playoff appearances. Over that stretch, they have had four head coaches — including one interim head coach after Robert Saleh was fired five games into the 2024 season — and three general managers.
They’ve also swung and missed on top-five quarterbacks, drafting Sam Darnold third overall in 2018 and Zach Wilson second overall in 2021. Meanwhile, free agent signing Aaron Rodgers made just 18 starts with the team after suffering multiple injuries.
The Jets now enter the 2025 season with a new regime, led by head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey, hoping to finally reset the franchise’s long-suffering culture.
