The Jets return to the field Sunday for the first time in two weeks and the first time since owner Woody Johnson fired general manager Joe Douglas.
The team announced last week that it had begun the process of searching for a new GM and head coach by hiring The 33rd team, led by Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman.
It feels like ownership has turned its eyes to 2025.
But there are still six games left in this season.
The players and coaches now must find a way to stay motivated at 3-8 with the playoffs still mathematically, but not realistically, possible.
That begins with a visit from the Seahawks, who are 6-5 and in first place in the NFC West.
It feels like old friend Geno Smith and the Seahawks have everything to play for while the Jets are just playing out the string.
But they insisted this week that the locker room is still motivated.
“I’ve felt zero, any human being, not a single individual on this team deviating from staying engaged, preparing at the highest level,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “The energy has been good. The detail has been good. The approach has been amazing, but it’s been amazing I felt like this entire time. The process has been right. The results have not been right.
“This is the week.”
The Jets have lost seven of their past eight games in this disappointing season — including a heartbreaker in the final minute to the Colts two weeks ago before the bye week.
They have spent that time off searching for answers about what went wrong.
The Jets have lost five straight against the Seahawks, with their last win over Seattle coming in 2004.
“Listen, I mean, when you win, everything’s better, so, if we win this one, thing are going to get better, and get the next one things will feel better. But this is the hardest part at this point in the season when things have been slipping away the last few weeks,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “This comes down to guys being motivated, you can inspire guys, [Ulbrich] can put up a great quote, or give us a great message, or we can have a great talk Saturday night, but in the end it comes down to guys being motivated individually, and then just wanting to play for something bigger than themselves, and hope we all do that.”