The New York Jets haven't played in a Super Bowl since 1969. They haven't even sniffed a playoff appearance in over a decade. But as the city descends into a fever pitch over the New York Knicks’ first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years, the mood inside the Jets' Florham Park facility is shifting from frustration to something else: envy.

"Seeing the people, the way they get behind their team, I know Jet fans are frothing at the mouth to cheer like that," wide receiver Garrett Wilson said Thursday. "And we want to give it to them."

For a locker room that has spent years navigating the turbulence of rebuilding cycles and quarterback carousels, the Knicks’ current playoff run—a gritty, 11-game win streak that has captivated the five boroughs—serves as a tangible reminder of what a dormant fanbase looks like when it finally wakes up. It is a vision of the future that Wilson, for one, is eager to manifest.

The Blueprint of 'Grit'

It isn't just the wins that have caught the attention of the Jets; it’s the manner in which they’ve been achieved. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, who was spotted at practice wearing a shirt simply reading "Grit," pointed directly to the leadership of Jalen Brunson as the catalyst for the Knicks' transformation.

"That is a gritty, gritty team," Glenn said. "I'm pulling for those guys, I really am, because they play their ass off. It’s fun to watch."

That emphasis on toughness is a direct mirror of the culture Glenn is attempting to instill in a Jets squad that oddsmakers have largely written off. With DraftKings listing the Jets at +10000 to win the AFC—the second-longest odds in the conference—the team is currently viewed as a long shot. Yet, the atmosphere surrounding the Knicks has provided a psychological lift for a team that has been starved of meaningful January football for a generation.

A Shared History of Waiting

There is a historical symmetry at play that isn't lost on the players. The last time the city felt this kind of collective sports euphoria was arguably the late 1960s, when Joe Namath’s Jets captured Super Bowl III and the Knicks secured their first title shortly after.

Wilson, perhaps channeling the spirit of the 1973 "Ya Gotta Believe" Mets, seems to think that belief is the missing ingredient. "Ya gotta believe before anything happens," he said. "And the belief is high."

Despite the newfound fandom, there are practical limits to the excitement. When asked if he planned to secure a seat at Madison Square Garden for the Finals, Wilson laughed off the idea. "You know what? Nah. It's expensive," he admitted. "But I'm going to be watching."

Key Takeaways

  • Jets players are actively following the Knicks' playoff run, viewing the team's success as a model for how to re-engage a long-suffering fanbase.
  • Head coach Aaron Glenn has cited the Knicks' "grit" and Jalen Brunson’s leadership as the specific traits he wants to see in his own roster.
  • Despite the Jets' long-shot status in the AFC, players like Garrett Wilson are leaning into a "Ya Gotta Believe" mentality to shift the team's internal culture.

As the Knicks prepare for the biggest stage in basketball, the Jets are left to watch from the sidelines, hoping that the energy radiating from Midtown Manhattan is contagious. Whether that inspiration translates into a turnaround on the gridiron remains to be seen, but for now, the Jets are happy to borrow the Knicks' momentum. The real test will come in September, when the focus shifts from the hardwood back to the turf.