Best New York Jets Comebacks in the Modern Era

The 2000 NFL season was a memorable one for New York Jets fans, even though the team failed to make the playoffs. Al Groh’s men pulled off two sensational turnarounds in that season. The first was against the Buccaneers and the second against the Dolphins. Here’s a breakdown of each.

New York Jets 21 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17 (September 24, 2000)

Keyshawn Johnson joined the Jets as their No.1 pick in 1996. The USC Trojans alum lived up to expectations and led the team in catches and receiving yards over the next three seasons at Giant Stadium.

After posting back-to-back 1000-yard campaigns, no one was betting on Johnson leaving New York anytime soon. But as the wide receiver kept complaining he didn’t see enough of the ball, the Jets decided they heard enough and traded him to the Buccaneers in the 2000 offseason.

Since things did not end well between the Jets and Johnson, the first meeting between the two was a heated one. Johnson did not shy away from trash-talking his former team and teammates in the build up to the game. Tensions were flying high, but sportsbooks expected the Buccaneers to get the job done on home soil.

Johnson seemed to be having the last laugh as the Jets trailed 17-6 with just two minutes left. But with the ball at Tampa’s six-yard line, Vinny Testaverde hit Curtis Martin on a screen pass, who broke through two defenders for the touchdown. A successful two-point conversion to Laveranues Coles brought the score to 17-14.

Legal betting sites slashed their odds significantly for a Jets win off the back of this swing, but the Buccaneers were still the favorites to hold on to their lead.

The Jets still had all three timeouts in their pocket, but they needed their defense to deliver. Mike Alstott picked up three yards on first down, then a couple more on second, but Marvin Jones punched the ball free. Victor Green pounced on the fumble, giving the Jets the ball at Tampa’s 24-yard line with 1:39 remaining and two timeouts still to burn.

Martin picked up six yards on first down, but then the Jets pulled a rabbit out of the hat. Testaverde handed it off again, but Martin threw an option pass to Chrebet in the end zone. The extra point gave the Jets a 21-17 advantage with 52 seconds to go.

The Bucs never got a chance to respond. On the very first play of Tampa’s next drive, John Abraham burst through and strip-sacked quarterback Shaun King. The Jets recovered and sealed the win; sweet payback for Keyshawn Johnson’s messy departure.

New York Jets 40 – Miami Dolphins 37 (October 23, 2000)

One of the most unforgettable nights in NFL history, the Monday Night Miracle, unfolded just weeks after the Jets’ emotional win over Keyshawn Johnson. They faced a 30-7 deficit to Miami heading into the fourth quarter and had only a 0.9% probability of turning the game around.

Even the most daring punter would steer clear of those odds. So, fans were streaming out of the Giants Stadium. The few that remained, however, became witnesses to one of the most sensational comebacks in American sports.

The first Jets touchdown was a lucky break. Testaverde tossed an ambitious ball into double coverage, and after it bounced off Sam Madison’s hands, Laveranues Coles managed to haul it in with one arm.

The gap narrowed down to 17 points, but there was no reason for the Miami camp to panic just yet. The visitors had a 97.9%-win probability at that time, so bettors were still putting their money on a Dolphins victory.

After forcing a defensive stop, the Jets regained possession at their own 37-yard line. Testaverde led the charge and found Jermaine Wiggins for a one-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 30-20. Now, the momentum of the game has started to shift.

The Jets needed to keep the pressure on, and that’s exactly what they did. They retrieved the ball and moved into field goal range with sharp interactions among Testaverde, Coles, and Chrebet. Hall put the icing on the cake and helped his team move within seven points of the Dolphins.

Miami couldn’t get anything going and got buried on third down by Bryan Cox. Punting from his end zone, Matt Turk shanked it, and the Jets started at the Dolphins’ 39. Just two plays later, Testaverde hit Chrebet in the corner for a diving touchdown. After the extra point, the Jets had pulled even.

Jay Fiedler launched a 46-yard touchdown pass to Leslie Shepherd and restored Miami’s lead. But the Jets refused to back down. They continued their relentless push and eventually tied the game at 37 to force overtime.

Hall scored the winning field goal with more than eight minutes left in overtime and sparked wild celebrations across the Giants Stadium as New York Jets fans went home happy.

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