Jets squander 9-point fourth-quarter lead, lose 34-32 to Steelers on 60-yard field goal
Aaron Glenn's debut and Justin Fields' strong performance offered hope, but a late Aaron Rodgers rally and a Xavier Gipson fumble swung the opener
The New York Jets lost their season opener 34-32 at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday after kicker Chris Boswell converted a 60-yard field goal with 1:03 remaining, capping a comeback that erased a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit.
The game marked the start of the Aaron Glenn era in New York and featured a strong debut from new quarterback Justin Fields, but the Jets surrendered consecutive touchdown passes from Aaron Rodgers in a 50-second span early in the fourth quarter. The rally was set up when rookie returner Xavier Gipson fumbled a kickoff return between the two scoring plays.
Fields completed 16 of 22 passes for 218 yards and one touchdown while adding 48 yards and two touchdowns on the ground against one of the NFL's top defenses. Running back Breece Hall carried the offense with 107 yards on 19 attempts, and wide receiver Garrett Wilson finished with 95 yards and a receiving touchdown. The Jets did not punt in the first half — the first time the team avoided a first-half punt since at least 1991.
New York held a 26-17 advantage entering the fourth quarter, but the momentum shifted rapidly after the kickoff following the Jets' opening possession of the quarter. Gipson's fumble gave Pittsburgh favorable field position and led to a touchdown pass from Rodgers. On the ensuing possession, Rodgers struck again, pulling the Steelers even in less than a minute.
Boswell's game-winning kick from 60 yards out came after the Steelers methodically moved into range. The field goal capped a late scoring sequence that began with the turnovers and ended with New York unable to answer in the final minute.
The loss continues a long playoff drought for the franchise; the Jets have the longest postseason absence in North American professional sports, now 55 seasons. Sunday's result was notable less for the final score than for how it unfolded: an offense that looked in sync for much of the afternoon, a promising first outing from a new coaching staff and quarterback, and a familiar late-game collapse shaped by special-teams miscues and timely defensive plays by Pittsburgh.
New head coach Glenn and his staff emphasized improvement and execution in the offseason, and the Jets showed offensive balance and playmaking ability against a stout Steelers unit. But special teams and turnover issues have drawn attention as critical problems to resolve after the opener.
The Jets will attempt to build on the offensive performance while addressing the miscues that ultimately decided the game. Sunday's defeat underscored how quickly momentum can shift in the fourth quarter and left New York searching for answers after an encouraging start to the Glenn-Fields era.