NFL Schedule Release disproportionately

Whether they wanted it or not, the New York Jets are the primetime darlings of the 2024 NFL schedule.

Packed into the first 11 weeks of the Jets’ season, Aaron Rodgers and the flight crew will play twice on Thursday Night Football, twice on Sunday Night Football, twice on Monday Night Football and once in London.

In an unfortunate development for season ticket holders hoping to enjoy their Sunday afternoons in the Meadowlands, they will play exactly one 1:00 pm ET home game before the calendar turns to December.

Sports Illustrated scribe Conor Orr says New York should be mad at the rigorous 11-week stretch that would prevent the most organized operations from getting into a routine.

Orr placed the Jets in the No. 1 spot on the list of “five teams that got screwed by the 2024 NFL schedule.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals followed New York in the line of victims.

From SI’s Five Teams That Got Screwed by the 2024 NFL Schedule:

“This year I’m going to lead the column off with the New York Jets, but I’ll say two things before I do. I’ll also preempt that by noting that the Jets start the season in San Francisco on Monday Night Football against the player who sacked Aaron Rodgers when he tore his Achilles, then follow that game up with short rest on the road against the Tennessee Titans. Three weeks later, following a newly intense rivalry game against the Denver Broncos (thanks to the Sean Payton vs. Nathaniel Hackett war of words), the team will travel to London to face the Minnesota Vikings and will not receive a bye afterward. In fact, after London, the Jets will play on Monday Night Football in a critical divisional matchup with the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 14 (ensuring that Rodgers hopefully plays and has to answer questions about the team he faced the moment he tore his Achilles four plays into last season), then Sunday Night Football on short rest against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 20, followed two weeks later by another short-rest week on Thursday Night Football against the Houston Texans. Oh, and just for giggles, they’ll play on Sunday Night Football one last time before a merciful Week 12 bye. …”

Sure, the schedule makers did not make it easy on the Jets while attempting to maximize the team’s primetime exposures. On the other hand, New York knew what it was getting into when it traded for four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. The superstar quarterback instantly boosted the team’s stock as a television asset.

It’s cruel to the loyal season ticket holders, who just want to enjoy a nice Sunday at the stadium, but it’s the price the Jets must pay for being relevant again.