On Sept. 11, the parking lots at MetLife Stadium were full of optimism and fans were playing various types of music ahead of the 2023 season opener against the Bills.
Five months earlier, the Jets had acquired Aaron Rodgers in a trade with the Packers and many fans had playoff and Super Bowl aspirations. Three months later, before their Christmas Eve game against the Washington Commanders, tailgates at MetLife Stadium sounded more like a country club offering wine and cheese.
Inside, less than half the stadium was full, even at kickoff. Tickets on TickPick were being sold for as little as $7.
At 5-9 and eliminated from playoff contention, it is hard to blame any Jets fan for not attending a game against the 4-10 Commanders a day before Christmas. But Jets fan Bob Colasante was among the few who decided to show up.
“The camaraderie of the tailgate, the food, the friends,” Colasante told the Daily News. “The game used to be deserved. We used to go in there after our great time tailgating.
“More often than not, we would lose based on our home history. I know it is Christmas Eve, and my wife is mad that I’m here, but my daughter is here from Florida, and this is the only game she can attend during the year, so we are going to stay hopefully until the fourth quarter, and we are going to meet family in Queens and start Christmas.”
Colasante has been a Jets fan since the mid-1960s, and he watched Super Bowl III at his parent’s house in Queens. His father was a Giants and Yankees fan, so Colasante decided to become a Mets and Jets fan for that reason.
Colasante’s first Jets game was against the Chargers in 1967. He has endured a lot of difficult seasons, and this year has been no exception.
Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the Jets’ season opener against the Bills, derailing any playoff and Super Bowl hopes. However, Jets coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas were hopeful Gang Green could make the playoffs behind a stingy defense and a special teams unit that’s one of the best in the NFL with punter Thomas Morstead and kicker Greg Zuerlein.
That clearly wasn’t the case and the Jets lost six of seven games entering their matchup against the Commanders. Zach Wilson replaced Rodgers and he struggled most of the season. He was even benched for two games before becoming the starting quarterback again ahead of the Jets’ Dec. 10 game against the Texans.
Trevor Siemian started Sunday’s game against Washington after Wilson suffered a concussion during the 30-0 loss to the Dolphins last week.
“When we won the first game, it was like maybe they really do have a team around them,” Colasante said. “I knew after the shock of what happened wore off it would be the same old story.
“Zach just isn’t ready, and this was the year for him to sit and learn, and it didn’t happen. He got thrown right into it. He had some good games, had some bad games, but just disappointing.”
Peter Lazzaro has been a Jets fan since 1985. He also hosts a weekly X Spaces, where he invites reporters and fans to talk about the Jets. Lazzaro’s passion burns so deep that he attended the Jets game against the Commanders on Christmas Eve without his wife and family.
“Life is about not giving up on something that you love and I just love the Jets so much that it hurts,” Lazzaro told The News. “I’m loyal, and I just don’t give up, and I support them no matter what.
“Even though it is Christmas Eve, this is what I love to do on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays because it is the best thing for me in my life.”
Naomi Lindower has been a Jets season ticket holder since 2009. She became a Jets fan because of her father, Sy, who was a season ticket holder during the 1960s. Every home game, Lindower drives from Connecticut to watch the Jets.
In 2020, Lindower was inducted into the Jets Fan Hall of Fame, which is used to celebrate fans of the team and recognize them for their dedication to the organization. Lindower attended the game against the Commanders because “she paid for the tickets and wanted to be there.”
“I have 10 games a year and I love this team and whether they win or lose,” Lindower told The News. “It isn’t like they’ve been winning for 20 years and all of a sudden they are losing. They’ve been losing for 20 years, so why should all of a sudden I wouldn’t show up? This is my team, this is in my blood.
“I’ve been doing this for 50 years. I’ve been watching them go through the struggles and we can go through all the different Achilles with Vinny [Testaverde] and shoulders with Chad [Pennington]. We just ride or die with the team.”
Playoff appearances have been few and far between since Lindower has been a season ticket holder. Gang Green currently has the longest postseason drought among the four major professional sports at 13 seasons. The Jets have eight consecutive losing seasons, which is the most of any NFL team.
Saleh and Douglas will reportedly return in 2024 despite the team’s failure to meet expectations this year. Saleh is 16-32 during his three seasons with the Jets.
“Next year is it,” Lindower said about the Jets. “I think they deserve next year because they were expected to have Rodgers. If next year is not a significant improvement or we don’t make the playoffs.
“I love, love, love Saleh. I absolutely adore him. I think he definitely needs at least this year. I would be happy to make it to the playoffs. If Aaron Rodgers is our quarterback for the entire season, I think we should make the playoffs.”
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December 25, 2023 at 03:00AM
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Loyalty, tailgate and passion keeps Jets fans in attendance on Christmas Eve despite lost season - New York Daily News
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