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Garrett Wilson: Jets' Playoff Push 'Very Realistic' After Long Drought
Confirmed
In Short: New York's star wide receiver Garrett Wilson believes the Jets can make the playoffs this season, despite the team's recent struggles.
New York's star wide receiver Garrett Wilson believes the Jets can make the playoffs this season, according to ESPN. Wilson, who was limited to seven games last season due to a knee injury, sees the playoffs as a defining factor for a successful season. The Jets, coming off a 3-14 season and the longest playoff drought in professional American sports, have made significant changes, including new coordinators and key acquisitions.
The Jets open their 2026 regular season on the road against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon.
What's confirmed
- Garrett Wilson has high standards for the New York Jets this season.
What's still developing
- Wilson, whom New York selected with the No. 10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Ohio State and signed to a four-year, $130 million extension in July 2025, was limited to seven games last season (2025) due to a knee injury, totaling 36 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns across the action he saw.
- As for new faces, New York has two new coordinators, as head coach Aaron Glenn parted ways with offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand after the 2025 season and moved on from defensive coordinator Steve Wilks in December of last season.
- Former Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers and Stanford Cardinal head coach Frank Reich is the Jets' new offensive coordinator, while former Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions defensive assistant Brian Duker is their new defensive coordinator; Duker was an assistant under Glenn when the latter was Detroit's defensive coordinator from 2021-23.
- On the personnel side, offensively, the Jets acquired veteran quarterback Geno Smith — who played the first four seasons of his career with the franchise (2013-16) — from the Las Vegas Raiders, signed guard Dylan Parham (two-year, $16 million deal), selected Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq with the No.
- Over the first three years of his career (2022-24), Wilson averaged 93.0 receptions for 1,083.0 receiving yards and 4.7 touchdowns per year, while never missing a game.
- They've suffered double-digit losses in each of the wide receiver's four seasons, going 3-14 in 2025, but he still identified the playoffs as a barometer for a successful season.
- "The playoffs, man, no doubt about it," Wilson said, per ESPN's Rich Cimini.
- Wilson called it "very realistic" for the Jets to return to the playoffs in head coach Aaron Glenn's second season.