NFL · Since 1960
Patriots vs. Jets
The AFC East feud defined by Belichick's shadow
The Patriots-Jets rivalry is defined by one seismic moment: Bill Belichick's resignation as head coach of the New York Jets in January 2000, scrawled on a napkin, that set the stage for a dynasty in New England and two decades of frustration in New York. What was once a competitive AFL-era rivalry became a one-sided affair as Tom Brady and Belichick dominated the AFC East, but the Jets' refusal to accept their role as underdogs gave the matchup a special edge.
The rivalry's animosity is deeply personal. Jets fans view Belichick as a traitor; Patriots fans see the Jets as a franchise perpetually stuck in the past. Rex Ryan's brash tenure in New York from 2009 to 2014 briefly restored competitive balance and produced some of the rivalry's most memorable trash talk. The 2010 AFC Divisional Playoff, where the Jets stunned the Patriots in Foxborough, remains one of New York's most celebrated moments of the 21st century.
Even as the Patriots dynasty wound down, the rivalry maintained its intensity through the sheer volume of history between the two franchises. From the Parcells-Belichick coaching tree drama to the Spygate accusations, this rivalry has always been about more than what happens between the lines.
Key Moments
2000
Belichick Resigns
Bill Belichick resigned as Jets head coach after one day, famously writing 'I resign as HC of the NYJ' on a napkin.
2003
Brady vs. Pennington
The quarterbacks' contrasting styles defined the rivalry through the early 2000s.
2007
Spygate
The Patriots were caught filming Jets defensive signals, adding fuel to an already combustible rivalry.
2011
AFC Divisional Playoff
Rex Ryan's Jets upset the 14-2 Patriots in Foxborough, one of New York's greatest postseason victories.
2020
End of an Era
Tom Brady's departure from New England opened a new chapter in a rivalry searching for its next defining rivalry.