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USATSI

The New York Jets have been brushed aside and out of the national television, primetime spotlight for over a decade since they are tied with the NHL's Buffalo Sabres for the longest active playoff drought among the big four North American professional sports leagues: the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. However, that is no longer the case in 2023 thanks to their trade acquisition of four-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers. 

The league has officially announced an immediate return to primetime for the Jets with their Week 1 contest on ESPN's "Monday Night Football" as they host quarterback Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. According to a New York Post report, Gang Green will be returning to NBC's "Sunday Night Football" for the first time since Week 10 of the 2011 season, 12 years ago, against the New England Patriots with a Week 4 showdown at MetLife Stadium against 2022 NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

The Jets did play in a game that was called "Sunday Night Football" by NBC a week later in 2011 during the nightcap of the Thanksgiving slate, but the Week 10 Patriots contest was their actual last SNF spotlight game. The game will, hopefully, feature the first head-to-head matchup between Rodgers and Mahomes since the two top quarterbacks have missed each other in their first two chances to face off. In Week 8 of the 2019 season, Mahomes was out with an injury, so Rodgers led the Packers to a 31-24 road win in Kansas City. Rodgers missed their second possible matchup in Week 9 of the 2021 season after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week, and Mahomes led the Chiefs past Green Bay in Jordan Love's first career start, 13-7, also in KC. 

The Jets have also received a brand new spotlight opportunity as the NFL announced they will face their AFC East rival Miami Dolphins on Black Friday, marking the first team the league has played a game the day after Thanksgiving. By the time their entire schedule comes out tonight, New York could have up to seven primetime opportunities.