History

The Jets, playing in their first home playoff game since 1986, won their first playoff game since that season when they defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Meadowlands, 34-24.

The Jets took a 10-0 third-quarter lead but were unable to play the mistake-free football they had played all season in committing six turnovers and saw the Broncos come back for a 23-10 victory in Denver en route to defending their Super Bowl championship.

Vinny Testaverde, after going 12-1 as the regular-season starting QB, throwing a club-record 29 TD passes, being named team MVP, guiding the Jets to the AFC Championship Game and playing in the Pro Bowl, was signed to a three-year deal with a four-year option.

Owner Leon Hess died at 85 due to complications from a blood disease. Hess started Hess Oil from his father's one truck heating oil delivery business during the depression and built it into a multibillion-dollar company. He was one of a group of five who originally bought the New York Titans out of bankruptcy in 1963, and he became the sole owner of the Jets in 1984.

The estate of Leon Hess announced the Jets would be sold according to wishes expressed in Hess' will.

estaverde ruptured his Achilles tendon in the second quarter of the season opener against New England and was lost for the season. It was the first of numerous injuries as 15 Jets combined to miss 108 games and 89 starts due to injuries.