For eight to 9 months per yr, the New York Jets and Buffalo Sabres shared the ignominious title of “longest energetic playoff drought in North American sports activities.”
Not are they linked in infamy, because the Sabres clinched a playoff berth Saturday to snap their 14-year postseason drought — the longest in NHL historical past — with six video games to spare.
The Jets are nonetheless going, at 15 years.
The most recent official elimination for the Jets occurred final Dec. 7. The following day, the Sabres dropped their third straight recreation to fall to 11-14-4, seemingly on their method to a fifteenth straight season with no postseason berth.
What occurred subsequent was one of many biggest turnarounds in NHL historical past. The Sabres (46-22-8) are at present tied for first place within the Atlantic Division of the Japanese Convention.
“I believe we attempt to take a number of satisfaction in simply representing the crest nicely, and that is been enjoyable and town has been nice,” goalie Alex Lyon advised ESPN final week as they had been closing in on postseason entry.
⚔️ THE BUFFALO SABRES ARE GOING TO THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS! ⚔️#LetsGoBuffalo | #sabrehood pic.twitter.com/qt4GZcfZwT
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) April 4, 2026
Possibly the Sabres will encourage the Jets, whose coach is on a mission to finish the drought for a crest he as soon as represented. Aaron Glenn made that clear 14 months in the past in his introductory information convention, and he reiterated it on the current NFL springs conferences in Phoenix earlier this week.
Glenn acquired emotional when requested how typically he thinks about it. He virtually made it to a Tremendous Bowl as a Jets’ cornerback in 1998 and determined years later that he’d commit himself to main them there as a coach.
So, sure, the drought stays on the forefront of his thoughts.
“I wish to go away a legacy, I do,” stated Glenn, who went 3-14 in his first season. “After I’m gone, man, I am this crew being a crew that persistently places themselves in a spot to win.”
His voice quivered and his eyes turned watery.
“Every single day,” he continued. “There’s not a day, there’s not an hour, there’s not a minute I do not take into consideration that.”
The Jets nonetheless have a method to go earlier than they make historical past.
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The longest drought in NFL historical past is 25 seasons by the Cardinals, from 1949 to 1974. The longest MLB stoop since 1969 is 29 years by the Washington Nationals (previously Montreal Expos), from 1982 to 2011. The Sacramento Kings personal the NBA’s longest streak at 16 years, 2007 to 2022.
The Jets final made the postseason in 2010, when Rex Ryan was the coach and Mark Sanchez was the quarterback. They appeared to have sustainability, however issues turned shortly.
“It is a yearly factor,” operating again Breece Corridor stated in December. “It undoubtedly begins to weigh on you.”
The drought has touched many gamers. In actual fact, no fewer than 540 have suited up for not less than one recreation with the Jets through the 15 playoff-less seasons, in keeping with Professional Soccer Reference.
The Jets’ stoop has spanned:
5 full-time head coaches: Ryan, Todd Bowles, Adam Gase, Robert Saleh and Aaron Glenn.
5 normal managers: Mike Tannenbaum, John Idzik, Mike Maccagnan, Joe Douglas and Darren Mougey.
One proprietor: Woody Johnson.
The Jets’ file over the 15-year span is 86-160 (.347), thirtieth amongst 32 groups. The 2 groups under them, the Cleveland Browns (82-162-1) and Jacksonville Jaguars (82-163), each have a number of playoff appearances over the course of the Jets’ drought.
The beauty of sports activities is the sudden. The Sabres, as soon as in lockstep with the Jets, proved that.
“Everyone’s coming in making an attempt to show themselves, and we’re making an attempt to show as a crew that we’re legit,” Sabres ahead Alex Tuch stated, explaining the crew’s mindset. “We’re not simply going to go for the playoffs. We’ll go for the Cup and that is our purpose: Get higher every day. That is it. That is the tip purpose. We’re not in right here simply to squeak in.”
