Head coach Walt Michaels Home field Shea Stadium Division place 3rd AFC East | Owner Leon Hess Record 8–8 Playoff finish did not qualify | |
The 1979 New York Jets season was the 20th season for the team and the 10th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 8–8 record from 1978 under head coach Walt Michaels. The Jets finished the season with a record of 8–8.
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Matt Robinson started the season at quarterback, but got hurt and Richard Todd took the bulk of the duties at Quarterback as the Jets played .500 football posting an 8-8 record for the second straight season, finishing in third place. With the 1979 season, the Jets became one of only three non-expansion teams to not make the playoffs in the 1970s (the others being the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints).
Week 1: vs. Cleveland Browns
Matt Robinson was named starting quarterback for the Jets against the Cleveland Browns but hid a thumb injury on his throwing hand from three days before the game, until swelling forced him to acknowledge the injury to an angered Walt Michaels and team president Jim Kensil. The injury was treated and Robinson had the tape taken off late in the game with the Jets leading, but a Brian Sipe drive aided by a roughing the passer call against Mark Gastineau led to a game-tying Don Cockroft field goal; forced to play in overtime, Robinson's thumb swelled again and the result was a sloppy pass that was intercepted and led to the game-winning Cockroft field goal. Michaels seethed, "You work, you plan all week, and then the kid hides an injury from you." He refused to play Robinson the rest of the season.
Week 2: at New England Patriots
The Jets were crushed 56–3 in a game where Steve Grogan of the Patriots set a club touchdown record that would stand until Tom Brady broke it in 2007.
Week 13: at Seattle Seahawks
Seahawks cornerback Cornell Webster blocked a punt by the Jets' Chuck Ramsey, leading to a Seattle score in a 30–7 Seahawks win. Following the game Michaels called out Ramsey in front of Jets players by snarling, "I can fart farther than you can kick!"