When did you become a Jets fan?

[82nd Airborne]

I became a Jet fan in 1990.  I am originally from the Bronx but grew outside of NY.  Back home in the Caribbean, baseball, boxing and basketball were the sports to follow.  I returned back to United States to serve the Army and rooted for the Yankees and Knicks. 

I didn't know much about football but wanted to root for a NY team.  So I thought, I am in the Army and the closest thing to military is a Jet, and that's my story.  

[peebag]

January 12, 1969

[68JET11]

1968 as an 11 year old boy, hence 68JET11... My dad took me to the Jets/Raiders AFC championship game and then I watched then win the Super Bowl on our 19" TV in my parents bedroom at our home in NJ. God I love my 135" screen now in my media room. Anyway, I also became a METS and Knicks fan, and I've been suffering ever since lol...

[Jethead]

1961 - NY Titans, played at the Polo Grounds, sponsored by Tackle skin cream

[PS17]

I was four or five during the Parcells years and I remember crying to my parents that I wanted a Keyshawn Johnson jersey, which they got me.

The first season I vividly remember falling for the Jets was the 2002 Pennington team. Week 17 against the Packers sealed my fate. 

[Jetty]

I just started playing football but never watched it. My coach, a Giant fan, told me on Sunday to watch the Giants and watch how Tiki Barber finds the holes in the OL as I was a running back as well. I was flipping through the channel and ended up watching the Jets game bc the Giants were on commercial. I dont remember who we were playing but I loved Pennington and Curtis Martin. Curtis Martin was clearly better than Tiki as well lol. But I have been watching them ever since. Didnt get to watch the glory days like alot of you but I really loved the Rex Ryan Era.

[nico002]

1998, I grew up in south america so I wasn't exposed to football until I started catching some primetime/playoff games on espn as a teenager. 

[Rexorcism]

Born in Aug of ‘68, and was always completely obsessed with the Jets since I learned to walk and talk according to my mother.


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[Beerfish]

Around 2005, when Ricky Ray signed with the Jets.

[Sout0266]

8 years old. Got a set of nfl pencils right after the 1995 season and decided to pick a new team.  The jets pencil happened to be the winner of the elimination game I played. By far the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. 

[y2k8]

Age 9 - 1981

Didn't really understand the game until then.

[Gastineau Lives]

The moment Richard Todd threw that interception in the playoff game against Buffalo. I swore revenge on fate that day. And I will have it, you'll see. All of you will see.

[Joejet]

Right after the 1965 Orange Bowl when Joe Namath signed with the Jets over the NFL Cardinals.

[The Crusher]

I’m not sure. Still working on that with my therapist. 

[section314]

I was 9, and in those days, everyone in my family and neighborhood were Giants fans. This was like 1966 &67, and the Giants were gosh awful. Not only did they lose almost every game, but they were boring to watch, losing games to the Bears, Steelers, Eagles and Redskins by scores of like 13-3, 10-7 etc. They prettty much were always on at 1PM, always on CBS, channel2. Fotunately, at 4PM, there was the "upstart" league the AFL, on NBC. There was this great, cool young QB who played for the Jets, think the name was Namath. You would see them play the Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, Broncos, Oilers, and the games were great. Lots of points, passing, exciting plays. I got hooked on the AFL, but more importantly, fell under a now 55 year curse.?

[Villain The Foe]

59 minutes ago, 82nd Airborne said:

I became a Jet fan in 1990.  I am originally from the Bronx but grew outside of NY.  Back home in the Caribbean, baseball, boxing and basketball were the sports to follow.  I returned back to United States to serve the Army and rooted for the Yankees and Knicks. 

I didn't know much about football but wanted to root for a NY team.  So I thought, I am in the Army and the closest thing to military is a Jet, and that's my story.  

I began to favor the Jets after the "Fake Spike" Marino play at the end of 94. I became an actual Jets fan in 1996 in terms of seriously being invested in the team and following their progression daily. 

Also from the Bronx. I grew up a Pacers fan. That was the first ever sports team that I rooted for. My favorite sportsman of all time by far is Reggie Miller. My first time seeing him play was walking into the room where my aunt was recording the 94 Knicks/Pacers playoffs game 5 at the very moment when Reggie began that 25 point 4th quarter complete dismantling of the Knicks and Spike Lee. 

That moment changed my 13 year old life at the time. I remember the next day going to school and all my friends and I were in the gym walking to the spot on the basketball court where Reggie shot that deep 3 on John Starks. It was just unreal to me that performance. 

I pretty much stopped watching the NBA after his retirement from the game. 

[Jethead]

In the spirit of this topic. The Patriots are today's mortal enemy. But for most of history they were just stumblebums. The true most hated team was always the Oakland Raiders! 

[Defense Wins Championships]

Since birth. Born in 1985 my older brother has always told me that I've been watching Jet games with him since a newborn.

However 1993 was the 1st year i have visual memorization as my older brother got me two jerseys a Boomer jersey and a Mo Lewis one and from that point on they were my two very first favorite Jets And I remember 1996 like yesterday my brother looked @ me down in the basement and simply said... "I already can't wait for next year"; I'm 34 as of today and remember his words like it were yesterday. 

1998 gave me my first real taste of winning and I've missed that team ever since (outside of 2009/2010). 

[Jetlife33]

Hard to pinpoint exactly when, I grew up watching jets and Yankees games as a kid because my dad always had them on, born in 95. I remember the yankees winning in 2000, heartbreak of 01 and every season after that. The Jets first games I can remember in succession and being heartbroken about was the 04 season. I was a devastated 9 year old that year. 

[New York Mick]

Apparently when God thought I need to be punished. 

[Alka]

I have been an avid Jets fan since 1968. I was at the AFC Championship game with my dad and brother when the Jets beat the Oakland Raiders to go to the Super Bowl.  I went to several games each year since 1968, until my dad retired from his company.

I was at:  Miracle at the Meadowlands game; fake spike game; playoff win against the Colts in a blowout; 51-45 overtime win against Miami when O'brien threw a TD bomb, 1968 AFC Championship game against the Raiders many other great games.  I watched the Heidi game on TV, which was pathetic.

I'm glad that I'm a Jets fan.  It just another reminder that life isn't fair.

[BUM-KNEE]

1979 at age 9 .

We lost to the Seahawks on MNF.... Dont know why I chose the underdog.

[68JET11]

6 minutes ago, Jethead said:

In the spirit of this topic. The Patriots are today's mortal enemy. But for most of history they were just stumblebums. The true most hated team was always the Oakland Raiders! 

That was true of the 60's and some 70's, but then it became the Dolphins, and most recently the Cheats.. I actually liked the Raiders when the JETS weren't in it, and always rooted for them to beat the Steelers... I remember on my Dad's side of the family, all my cousins were Steeler fans.

[Lith]

October, 1968.  My dad took me to my first game.  Jets v Chargers at Shea on a Saturday night.  Jets won by 3, either 20-17 or 23-20.  Sealed the win with a pick in the end zone, just in front of where dad and I were sitting.  3 months later, the Jets were Champs and I was hooked.  7 year old Lith just assumed it would always be like that.  But, here I am, 51 years later, still waiting for the next one.

[Russh29]

First time post on here...I became a Jets fan In the early 80’s when Channel 4 started showing the NFL on UK TV. I picked the Jets as I had family in New York, it was only a couple of years later that I found out all my family were Giants fans !

[peebag]

wadda bunch of newbs.

[Anthony Jet]

Cause I’m a ******* idiot 

 

edit. Thought the question was why did I become a jet fan. 
 

From NY. Don’t know when but like the rest of my teams I’m drawn to clown shows which is odd cause I don’t like the circus 

[Mogglez]

4-6.

I was showing interest in football.  I liked the 49ers (color of uniform and Steve Young was a lefty like me), Eagles (liked the logo), and Packers (uniforms again & Brett Favre).  My father told me no, I'm a Jets fan now and started to take me to games.  I would have seen Super Bowl victories for 2 of those 3 teams.

Thanks Dad @Jet Nut.

[Jet Nut]

2 minutes ago, Mogglez said:

4-5.

I was showing interest in football.  I was fans of the 49ers, Eagles, and Packers.  My father told me no, I'm a Jets fan now.  I would have seen Super Bowl victories for 2 of those 3 teams.

Thanks Dad @Jet Nut.

A whole family of nuts were born

[Jet Nut]

1967ish, Namath and all he brought to the Jets, football, the sports world and more.  It was there, everywhere even to a kid.

He was the man, plain and simple

[JTJet]

1996 - When I really got into the team, Keyshawn got me to be a rabid young fan. 

BUT, possibly started in 

1981 - Was when my dad said I was conceived in Shea stadium parking lot, so...

[CTJetsFan]

From my earliest memories of Joe Namath, probably around the age of 4 (early 70s)

[Bungaman]

1970, age 13. After the SB, just in time to see Namath tear up his knee in the Lions' preseason game. Went ballistic when they let Riggins walk because Weeb was too cheap. Favorite player: Klecko. 

Knicks fan, too - went to the Garden during the losing playoff runs wrapped around the championship years. Favorite player: Anthony Mason. Rooting for them has been even more painful than being a Jets fan.

Marginal fan of all the other area teams - don't hate any of them. Often depended on who they played - rooted for everyone playing the Deadskins (lived in DC and hated their fans. They haven't yet suffered enough - though Danny give Dolan a run for the title of worst franchise owner in all sports.) 

Sigh. 

[nyjunc]

1 minute ago, Bungaman said:

1970, age 13. After the SB, just in time to see Namath tear up his knee in the Lions' preseason game. Went ballistic when they let Riggins walk because Weeb was too cheap. Favorite player: Klecko. 

Knicks fan, too - went to the Garden during the losing playoff runs wrapped around the championship years. Favorite player: Anthony Mason. Rooting for them has been even more painful than being a Jets fan.

Marginal fan of all the other area teams - don't hate any of them. Often depended on who they played - rooted for everyone playing the Deadskins (lived in DC and hated their fans. They haven't yet suffered enough - though Danny give Dolan a run for the title of worst franchise owner in all sports.) 

Sigh. 

1970 and 2011 were the worst times in Jets history to become a fan.  You just missed the SB but saw a decade without a playoff app.  There were some good times from the 80s on but just missing the SB is tough.

[Jetlife33]

Awesome topic btw, really nice to see everyone’s story. Seems like for most if not all, it started at a very young age. Incredible how sports can do that to you.