Why are the NY Jets in NJ?

In the New York Jets’ history the Titans of New York, a founding member of the American Football League (AFL), were the first American football team, and they started playing games the following year.



Early on, the team had little success. The team changed its identity to the New York Jets and relocated into the freshly constructed Shea Stadium in 1964 after playing three seasons at the Polo Grounds.

New York Jets

Joe Namath, a quarterback for the University of Alabama, signed a record-breaking contract with the Jets in January 1965.



The squad gradually improved in the latter half of the 1960s, achieving its first winning record in 1967 and taking home its only AFL title in 1968. By winning the championship, New York gained the opportunity to compete in Super Bowl III against the NFL champion Baltimore Colts.

The AFL was seen as a respectable partner to the NFL as the two leagues combined as a result of the Jets’ upset victory over the Colts in the game.

The Jets attempted to negotiate a new lease; but, when they were unable to come to terms to keep playing at Shea Stadium, they relocated to New Jersey and joined the Giants. In the years following MetLife Stadium’s opening in 2010, the Jets and Giants have played there.