If you're waking up today, Sunday, January 18, 2026, and looking for the channel to watch the Gang Green, I have some tough news. The New York Jets are not playing today. While the NFL is currently in the middle of a high-stakes Divisional Round weekend, the Jets are back home in New Jersey, already weeks into an early offseason that most fans would probably like to forget.
It’s a bit of a gut punch, honestly. Especially when you see the New England Patriots—who actually won the AFC East this year with a 14-3 record—hosting the Houston Texans today at 3:00 PM ET. Later tonight, the Chicago Bears take on the Los Angeles Rams. But for the Jets? The lights at MetLife Stadium are off.
Who are the New York Jets playing today? Why they're out
To put it bluntly, the Jets aren't playing anyone because their 2025-2026 campaign was a disaster. They finished the regular season with a dismal 3-14 record.
The final nail in the coffin happened back on January 4th. The Jets traveled to Highmark Stadium and got absolutely dismantled by the Buffalo Bills, 35-8. It wasn't just a loss; it was a symbolic end to a season that started with high hopes and ended with five straight defeats. Head coach Aaron Glenn, in his first year, admitted after that Week 18 blowout that he felt he'd let the players down. The team was outscored 188-54 over that final five-game stretch. That's not just "losing"—it's a collapse.
📖 Related: Who Was in Superbowl 2024: What Really Happened at Allegiant Stadium
While the rest of the league is fighting for a spot in Super Bowl LX, the Jets front office is looking at the 2026 NFL Draft. Because of that 3-14 finish, they’ll have a premium pick, but that’s cold comfort for a fan base that hasn't seen playoff football in a decade and a half.
Looking ahead to the 2026 Jets schedule
Even though the question of who are the New York Jets playing today has a disappointing answer, we actually already know who they will face next season. The NFL's scheduling formula is basically a math equation, and since the Jets finished fourth in the AFC East, their 2026 opponents are locked in.
Next year, the Jets will play a 17-game schedule consisting of eight home games and nine road games.
The 2026 Home Slate
- Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots: The usual divisional suspects.
- Denver Broncos: This is becoming a weird tradition. They’ll play Denver for the seventh year in a row.
- Las Vegas Raiders: The Raiders currently hold the No. 1 overall pick for 2026, so this could be a "battle of the rebuilds."
- Green Bay Packers & Minnesota Vikings: The NFC North rotation brings these two to MetLife.
- Cleveland Browns: A rematch of one of the few games the Jets actually won in 2025.
The 2026 Road Trips
- Kansas City Chiefs: This is likely the "big one" on the calendar. A trip to Arrowhead is never easy, especially for a team coming off a 3-win season.
- Los Angeles Chargers: A flight out to SoFi Stadium to face Justin Herbert.
- Chicago Bears & Detroit Lions: The other half of the NFC North rotation.
- Arizona Cardinals & Tennessee Titans: These games were added because of the Jets' fourth-place finish and the 17th-game rotation.
What went wrong in 2025?
You can't really talk about why the Jets aren't on the field today without acknowledging the quarterback carousel. The season was a mess of injuries and "what-ifs." Justin Fields, who many hoped would be the savior, dealt with a head injury late in the year. We saw a lot of Tyrod Taylor and even rookie Brady Cook, who got his first real action in a Week 14 loss to Miami.
👉 See also: DJ Moore: Why the Bears Star Still Matters (Despite the Noise)
There were a few bright spots, but you had to squint to see them. Breece Hall finally hit that 1,000-yard rushing mark in the Week 17 loss to the Patriots. Isaiah Williams proved he was a legitimate threat in the return game, earning team MVP honors. But football is a team sport, and when you're limited to 63 yards of total offense in a half—like they were against Buffalo in the finale—you don't win games.
The NFL Playoffs schedule for today
Since you can't watch the Jets, here is what is actually happening in the NFL today, Sunday, Jan 18:
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots (3:00 PM ET on ESPN/ABC). This is the game Jets fans will probably hate-watch the most. Seeing Drake Maye lead the Pats to a division title and a deep playoff run while the Jets sit at home is a tough pill to swallow.
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (6:30 PM ET on NBC/Peacock). The Bears have had a massive turnaround, and Soldier Field will be rocking for this one.
Actionable steps for Jets fans
Since there's no game to watch, the "Jets season" has moved into the evaluation phase. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, here’s what you should be tracking:
💡 You might also like: Buffalo Bills vs Broncos: Why Mile High Is Josh Allen’s Biggest Playoff Test Yet
- The 2026 NFL Draft Order: Keep an eye on the top prospects. With a top-5 pick, the Jets are in a position to grab a franchise-altering tackle or another crack at a signal-caller if they've given up on the current room.
- Coaching Staff Changes: Aaron Glenn is expected to return, but look for shifts in the offensive staff. A 3-win season usually results in some "fall guys" among the assistants.
- Free Agency Cap Space: The Jets actually have a decent amount of room to work with in the 2026 offseason. They need to address the offensive line—again—to ensure whoever is under center actually has time to throw.
While the answer to who are the New York Jets playing today is "nobody," the work for the 2026 season has already begun. It’s a long wait until September, but for a team that finished 3-14, the rebuilding process can't start soon enough.