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While most football fans are excited to see the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks face off in Super Bowl LX, there is one fan base that could view this game as the worst possible matchup.
The New York Jets have not seen the playoffs in 15 years, the worst mark of any professional sports team in the United States. And fans certainly weren’t happy to see a 3-14 finish in the first season under head coach Aaron Glenn.
But to make matters worse, the Patriots, their AFC East rival who was with them with four-win seasons, quickly turned around with Mike Vrabel at the helm and Drake Maye, who became an MVP candidate in just his second season.
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Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks walks on the field after the NFC Championship NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Seattle. The Seattle Seahawks won 31-27 over the Los Angeles Rams. (Getty Images)
The Jets and their fan base spent years being tormented by Tom Brady and the Patriots, and having New England back in the “Big Game” this quickly isn’t ideal.
Then, on the other sideline in Santa Clara, will be the Seahawks, the No. 1 seed in the NFC this year led by quarterback Sam Darnold — the Jets’ No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Darnold is the first quarterback from the draft that included Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield to reach the Super Bowl. Jets fans envisioned Darnold wearing the green and white, beating the Patriots en route to the Super Bowl.
EX-NFL QUARTERBACK RYAN FITZPATRICK GIVES SAM DARNOLD EDGE OVER DRAKE MAYE FOR SUPER BOWL LX
It never worked out that way for Gang Green, but one former Jets quarterback believes there’s only one way for fans to find something in this Super Bowl.
“I think there’s probably a lot of people still rooting for Sam,” Ryan Fitzpatrick told Pakinomist Digital while discussing his trip to Aruba with his wife, Liza, after partnering with the Aruba Tourism Authority.
“Sam would be the first to say he didn’t play well enough, but it’s very difficult when you don’t have an infrastructure and people around you to be successful as a quarterback in this league. I think Jets fans should be happy and proud to see Sam come out on the other side, because it’s not easy.”
Sam Darnold of the New York Jets looks on during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Darnold’s time in New York lasted just three seasons despite his draft pick, culminating in up-and-down weeks and unfortunate memes, including his most infamous against the Patriots in which he said he saw “ghosts” on the field.
After stints with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers, Darnold was able to resurrect his career in Minnesota, leading the Vikings to a 14-win season last year. That gave him the chance to choose where he wanted to go in free agency this past offseason, and he chose the Seahawks after they traded away Geno Smith.
Darnold clearly made the right move.
If Fitzpatrick were still a Jets fan — he actively roots for the Buffalo Bills, the team he played for before coming to New York — it would be easy to find Darnold’s success.
But even though Fitzpatrick himself was beaten by the Patriots for years during his career, he finds himself reluctantly rooting for them on Sunday.
“The hard thing for me in this one, I mean, I’ve hated the Patriots forever. Even though I was in Boston, I was at Harvard, they had a good little run while I was there. I was still never a Patriots fan, and then it’s like I spent eight years of my career in the AFC East just getting beat by them every single year,” he explained. “The fact that they’re good again and find themselves back in the Super Bowl after Tom’s gone and Bill’s gone and now have Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye.
Ryan Fitzpatrick on set during the TNF on Prime pregame show prior to an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 25, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“It’s a hard realization, but I love Mike Vrabel so much. I was with him in Houston, I’m going to play golf with him at the American Century in [Lake] Tahoe every summer. He’s a great guy. I love his family, I love his children, I love him. So actually I feel like I’m rooting for New England in this game, which pains me to say.”
A HAPPY ISLAND, A HAPPY FITZ
After a long football season, Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza, visited Aruba for some well-deserved relaxation to reset and recharge before the Super Bowl.
He partnered with the Aruba Tourism Authority, which demonstrates the island’s commitment to responsible tourism, which includes protecting the island’s natural environment, celebrating local culture, and inviting guests to travel mindfully through the Aruba Promise and Guest Guidelines.
Fitzpatrick did and loved every minute of it as he experienced the outdoor lifestyle that Aruba, nicknamed the “One Happy Island,” has to offer.
Ryan Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza, enjoyed their time in Aruba after the 2025 NFL season. (Aruba Tourism Authority)
“My wife and I – seven kids. So we very rarely get away. So when we do get away, we have to make sure it’s the right place, and this one hit. It’s got the white sand beaches, it’s got the resort, which is great. But it’s also got the adventure. I’m not a guy who likes to just sit on the beach and get a tan all day long, we were swimming in a little cave and we were looking for a little cave. a little.
“The great thing for my wife and I, you feel relaxed right away. Then we come home and there’s this air of happiness and rejuvenation that we feel. It stayed with us.”
