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The Jets’ reign on NFL prime-time broadcasts is coming to an end soon—but not before two more national TV spotlights for the 2–6 AFC East team.
Thursday night’s matchup against the Texans is the fifth prime-time game on New York’s schedule, with a sixth and final one scheduled on Nov. 17 against the Colts on Sunday Night Football.
Sunday’s loss to the Patriots extended New York’s losing streak to five games, despite the team having a healthy Aaron Rodgers and recently adding three-time All-Pro wideout Davante Adams.
Worth the Gamble?
In May, NFL VP of broadcast planning Mike North said he felt like the Jets “kind of owe us one,” after going 7–10 last season in the middle of the national TV spotlight following Rodgers tearing his Achilles in Week 1.
So, has New York delivered? The Jets are 1–3 in prime-time appearances so far, and TV ratings have been a mixed bag:
- Week 1: At 49ers (Monday Night Football), 20.5 million
- Week 3: Patriots (Thursday Night Football), 13.37 million
- Week 6: Bills (MNF), 17.3 million
- Week 7: At Steelers (SNF), 17.64 million
Every game had a smaller TV audience than the comparable game in the same window in 2023, but the MNF appearances come with some caveats. The losses to San Francisco and Buffalo were each the second-most-watched MNF games in their respective weeks since 2006, down only to comparable games last season.
The Rodgers Dilemma
Rodgers is in the second season of a three-year, $112.5 million contract that includes $75 million in guaranteed money. If the Jets decide to release the quarterback in 2025, the team will take a salary cap hit of $49 million. New York would likely feel the impact of Rodgers’s contract for several years, assuming it will spread that dead money out over multiple seasons.
