Everything feels new for these 2023 New York Jets, and that includes their just-released preseason schedule.
On the summer slate are three opponents the Jets haven't played in at least the past eight preseasons, and one special game the Green & White haven't participated in for the previous 30 years.
But not all is new. As always, the Jets and Giants will do battle for "braggin' rights."
The Jets in their opener return to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game for the first time since 1992. Their opponents will be the Cleveland Browns, whom they last played in a preseason game in 2008. The site as always for this game is Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, OH, the date is Thursday, Aug. 3, and the opening kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
And shortly after that opening kick, Aaron Rodgers, who arrived in trade from Green Bay officially the week of the NFL Draft, is set to make his game debut as the Jets QB. Then two days later, former Jets greats Darrelle Revis and Joe Klecko, in the annual ceremonies held on that same field, will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Jets' next two summer opponents will be the Panthers at Carolina in Preseason Week 2 (Aug. 10-12), in the teams' first preseason meeting since 2012, and the Buccaneers of former Jets head coach Todd Bowles at MetLife Stadium in Week 3 (Aug. 17-19), those teams' first summer meeting since 2006.
Finally, the Jets and Giants will play each other for the 54th time in the last 55 summers, the only miss being the COVID-19 season of 2020. The Giants will host this year's game, and the teams will be playing in the final game on the preseason schedule (Aug. 24-26) for the second straight year. (The exact dates, kickoff times and TV networks for the final three preseason games will be released in the coming weeks.)
Something else new about the Jets' schedule: They will NOT be playing the Philadelphia Eagles, whom they have played 43 times in the preseason, including in their final games of summer from 2001-19 and in 2021.
All NFL teams will again receive a preseason "bye week," then the league's regular season will begin Thursday, Sept. 7, with the first Sunday and Monday games on Sept. 10-11.
HC Robert Saleh's Jets are undefeated in his two preseasons at the helm, going 2-0-1 in 2021, then posting a 3-0 record last August for their first unbeaten/untied preseason since going 4-0 in the summer of 2002.
Here are more notes on each of the Jets' 2023 preseason games:
Week 0—Jets vs. Browns, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, OH, Thursday, Aug. 3, 8 p.m. ET, NBC
The Jets are 1-1 in HOF Games, losing to the Bears 20-6 in 1977, then defeating the Eagles 41-14 in 1992. ... The Jets are 2-0 in the preseason vs. the Browns. ... The teams' first meeting was a Jets "home game" in Montreal's Olympic Stadium, also the Jets' first international game. ... The Jets scored a touchdown-less 11-7 victory. ... The most recent game was in 2008 at Cleveland Browns Stadium, the night Brett Favre was introduced at a news conference as the Jets' new QB after being traded by the Packers. ... Favre didn't play, but Brett Ratliff threw a pair of 70-yard TD passes to WR David Clowney in the Jets' 24-20 win.
Week 1—Jets at Panthers, Bank of America Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 12, 4 p.m. ET, WCBS
The Jets are 1-1 vs. the Panthers in their short preseason series. ... The Green & White prevailed in Charlotte, NC, 9-3 in 2010. ... In the fourth quarter of that game, rookie Joe McKnight erupted for a 67-yard punt return to the Carolina 9, helping the visitors maintain their 9-3 lead. ... Two Augusts later, the teams met at MetLife in a nationally televised game on NBC. ... The Panthers evened the score with a 17-12 win. ... The Jets in those two games scored no touchdowns and kicked seven field goals, six of them by Nick Folk.
Week 2—Jets vs. Buccaneers, MetLife Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 19, 7 p.m. ET, WCBS
This will be the first Jets home game in their eight-game preseason series with the Bucs that began in 1987. ... The Jets are 3-4 in the series. ... Their three low-scoring victories at Tampa came in a four-year span — in 1994 by 10-9, in '95 by 9-3 and in '97 by 15-9 in overtime. ... In the '97 game, WR Wayne Chrebet had 10 receptions for 140 yards and one TD. ... Rookie RB Leon Johnson's run 3:37 into OT won it. ... The Bucs won the two most recent summer games, 30-14 in Tokyo in the 2003 American Bowl and 16-3 in '06.
Week 3—Jets at Giants, MetLife Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m. ET, WNBC
The Jets and Giants had played every preseason since 1969 for an NFL-long 51-year streak of summer meetings that was snapped in 2020 due to COVID. ... The Green & White improved their preseason record over Big Blue to 27-25-1 with wins the past two summers. ... Last year, the Jets came from behind twice in the fourth quarter, from 24-17 and 27-24 deficits, to win 31-27. ... Free agent QB Chris Streveler threw two TD passes in the final period, 29 yards to WR Denzel Mims and the game-winning 5-yarder to UDFA Calvin Jackson with 22 seconds to play.
