As a prominent team in a major market, there are some great pop culture moments involving the New York Jets
“Hey, I understood that reference!”
Those words create one of the best feelings when watching a TV show or movie. It allows viewers to make connections across time and space, linking the media they are watching to the piece of media alluded to in the reference.
One of the most frequent types of references is when a sports team is featured in a show or movie. This can occur if the characters are watching a game, discussing a team, or passing by a specific player’s jersey. It creates a fun moment that allows the audience to link back to their experiences with their own teams.
The New York Jets are among the most frequently referenced in media. But why is that the case? Whether it is due to their big New York market or a history that leaves plenty of room for humor, the Jets have been a great selection for usage in pop culture.
Which ones are the best, though? Which moments are the most memorable?
If you want the answer to that question, you are in the right place. Follow along as we leap to the silver screen and remember some of the best New York Jets moments in pop culture history.
Curb Your Enthusiasm, Season 10, Episode 7, “The Ugly Section”
Is it possible for a sports team to drive someone over the edge? If one show were the one to explore that topic, it would be none other than “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
In this memorable season 10 episode, Larry discovers that his friend Carl “couldn’t take any more disappointment.”
The reason? None other than the New York Jets. As Larry so eloquently puts it, “The Jets killed Carl!”
Normal “Curb” shenanigans ensue shortly after, mainly involving Larry and Carl’s widow. The episode is packed with plenty of references, such as Sam Darnold’s mono diagnosis or the team’s constant losses in recent memory.
Perhaps the best part of the episode is at the end when Larry fights with the widow over referencing the Jets. He launches into a tirade about Austin Seferian-Jenkins’s reversed touchdown and the team’s overall struggles. It culminates in the potential relationship getting axed.
“Do you know what this team has done to me? I haven’t enjoyed a football season since 1969!”
These are simple words from Larry, but they are so relatable at the same time.
Elf
While not as comedic as Larry David’s escapades, the Jets have a significant presence in one of Will Ferrell’s best movies.
In the movie “Elf,” Buddy the Elf’s half-brother Michael wears a white Wayne Chrebet jersey. He helps his half-brother put up a tree and decorate the house while donning one of the best iterations of the team’s jersey.
Many viewers may not have known who the jersey belonged to, but Jets fans knew it belonged to one of the team’s best wide receivers of the 2000s. Chrebet himself loved the cameo and highlighted it back in a Twitter post in 2020.
The director of “Elf,” Jon Favreau, is a Queens native and Jets fan, which likely led to the reference seen in the film.
The Jets references run deep, and when New York is involved, even some of the team’s most underrated players can get some national attention.
Big Daddy
Adam Sandler is known as one of the biggest Jets fans in Hollywood today. There are plenty of instances where he dons a jersey of the green and white or references the team in a movie.
In “Big Daddy,” that fact is no different. Sandler’s character Sonny is shown wearing a Jets jersey in multiple scenes, helping to mold the young Julian into a fan. Through this molding, though, Julian coins a phrase that has unfortunately become synonymous with the team.
“The Goddamn Jets” has become a catchphrase used by both fans and general viewers alike. It has perfectly symbolized the team’s struggles for the 2010s and the beginning of the 2020s.
Hopefully, fans can retire the catchphrase due to the Jets having success in 2024 and find one with a more positive connotation.
Little Nicky
In the New York Jets’ lore, the phrase “deal with the devil” is synonymous with Joe Namath.
Fans frequently say that, in exchange for the quarterback guaranteeing a victory and winning Super Bowl III, Namath doomed the Jets to losing in perpetuity.
Is that line of thinking farfetched? Of course. But, that did not stop another Adam Sandler movie from running with that premise.
In “Little Nicky,” Hall-of-Fame quarterback Dan Marino pleads his case with the Devil to make a deal to win a Super Bowl. After Satan declines his offer because he is “too nice of a guy,” Marino states, “You did it for Namath!”
The response, in no fewer words, was that “Joe was coming here anyway.” The Devil also adds that he “happens to be a Jets fan.”
It is a funny scene that plays upon the Namath “deal” and the Jets’ continued struggles. Who knows, maybe the Jets’ ability to build a talented roster means the “deal” is reaching its exploration date.
The Sopranos
Considering that the late, great James Gandolfini was a big Jets fan, it is no surprise that there are a few references to the team in “The Sopranos.”
Head coach Eric Mangini appeared in a cameo while Tony and his family were out to dinner, prompting the mob boss to walk over and say hello.
Additionally, a Jets blowout win against the Chargers prompted one of the biggest fights of the entire series. Tony was upset that he did not bet enough on what was a “sure thing,” causing him to lose out on thousands of dollars in the victory.
Gandolfini was a big Jets fan off the silver screen, but he used his fandom to inspire some incredible scenes during the show.
Wonder Years
As a 2001 baby, I am personally not familiar with “The Wonder Years.” It aired years before I was born and was not a sitcom that I watched growing up.
However, in my research of the best Jets moments in pop culture, I came across Fred Savage’s Kevin Arnold and his New York Jets varsity jacket.
You did not have to grow up in the 80s or 90s to realize how sick the jacket is. The look of it alone is enough to make it onto the best NY Jets pop culture references.
Flash Gordon
“Flash! Ah-ah! Saviour of the universe!”
Those lyrics begin one of the most memorable songs of all time, as the legendary band Queen belts out the tune. But what if I told you that the savior of the universe played for the New York Jets?
In the 1980 movie version of the character, Flash Gordon served as the quarterback of the New York Jets and helped the team win a Super Bowl. In fact, it was Gordon’s 55-yard run that sealed the victory for the Jets.
I forgot to include Flash Gordon as a choice for #19 a couple of days ago 😁 https://t.co/W08pTvxz5f
— New York Jets History (@nyjetshistory) August 25, 2023
Even in fiction, Gordon has solidified himself as a Jets icon and as one of the best references to the team in all of media.
