One former Jets player to watch on every team still alive in the NFL playoffs

The New York Jets missing the playoffs is a tradition unlike any other. It has been 15 years since we last saw Gang Green in the playoffs, when they fell to Pittsburgh in the 2011 AFC Championship game. Since that point, the Jets' seasons have all ended prior to January.

And, for better or worse, the remaining playoff finalists are painted with ghosts of Jets past. Some teams contain multiple, while others contain just one. But everyone has at least one guy who passed through the Florham Park halls.

With four teams in each conference, and eight in total remaining, let's walk down memory lane. Here is one notable former Jet that you can watch for each team in the divisional round this weekend.

Former New York Jets players still in the NFL playoffs

Seattle Seahawks: Sam Darnold, QB

Remember him, Jets fan? It feels like just yesterday all our collective hopes and dreams hinged on Sam Darnold's 21-year-old arm. In reality, he was the Jets' first overall pick a whole 7.5 years ago.

His tenure, like almost every quarterback the Jets draft, ended in bitter disappointment. There remain mixed opinions on how much of the failure pie he deserves versus the Jets as an organization.

During his time in New York, from his third overall selection in 2018 to the merciful end of the Adam Gase era, life was rocky. In year one, he floundered under the Todd Bowles regime. In year two, he battled mononucleosis, and the season only went down from there. In year three, the Jets won two games, and he was handed the first ticket out of town.

Since then, he's bounced around from Carolina to San Francisco to Minnesota, and now to Seattle. He had a breakout season with the Vikings in 2024, finishing with 35 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and 4,319 yards passing.

This season, he again eclipsed 4,000 yards passing and delivered the Seahawks a 14-3 record. While it took some time, Darnold certainly found his footing in the regular season. Now is his chance to prove he can do it in the postseason, too.

New England Patriots: Morgan Moses, OT

Watching the Patriots begin yet another magical playoff run is as maddening as it gets for Jets fans. The New England fan base just wrapped up two full decades of dominance a handful of years ago. Do they really have another two decades ahead of them?

The only thing that hurts even more than watching the enemy succeed is watching the enemy succeed with a former one of your own. That's the position Jets nation is in when watching the Patriots this postseason.

Morgan Moses has been one of the more consistent starting offensive linemen in the league over the past decade plus. After seven seasons in Washington, Moses signed with the Jets in 2021. He started 16 of 17 games before signing with Baltimore in 2022.

Then, in 2024, he was traded back to the Jets for a fourth and sixth-round pick, making him the only two-time Jet on this list. He performed well in 2021 with a 71.0 Pro Football Focus (PFF) offensive grade, including a 74.9 run block grade. 2024 wasn't as successful, seeing those grades drop to 63.3 and 60.6, respectively.

The 34-year-old veteran has restored value this year, with a 74.3 grade on the sixth overall rushing attack in the league. Unfortunately for Jets fans, we'll get to see him compete for a conference championship game birth in the worst uniform imaginable.

San Francisco 49ers: Bryce Huff, DE

This is a name that Jets fans likely remember with (mostly) fond memories — and for good reason.

Huff was a homegrown Jet who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020 out of Memphis. He completely blew away any expectations, reaching a PFF pass rush grade of 88.0 in 2022 and 10 sacks in 2023.

A true grinder who developed from just about nothing, Huff became a fan favorite in New York. But to the dismay of Jets fans, he signed a lucrative three-year deal with the Eagles in 2024. The Jets traded for Haason Reddick as a replacement, which turned out to be an all-time disaster.

Huff didn't fare much better in Philadelphia. In 12 games and six starts in 2024, he only recorded 2.5 sacks with the lowest pass-rush grade since his rookie year. From fan favorite to enemy No. 1, he didn't last long in the "City of Brotherly Love."

He was traded to the 49ers in the offseason, reuniting with another former Jet that we all remember, coach Robert Saleh.

Denver Broncos: John Franklin-Myers, DE

A fourth-round selection out of Stephen F. Austin, defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers quickly found himself picked up by the Jets in just his second season after being waived by the Rams.

He was an excellent addition, becoming one of the best linemen the Jets had for multiple seasons. In four seasons with New York, he had a PFF defensive grade of 76.2, with 17.5 sacks and 61 QB hits.

His tenure was cut short early when the Jets traded him to Denver. It was largely due to the trade for Reddick jamming up the salary budget, another reason for Jets fans to look back at Reddick in disgust.

He has been a great addition for the Broncos, with 14.5 sacks, 65 combined tackles, and a 75.9 pass-rush grade over the past two seasons. Franklin-Myers' 31 starts since joining the Broncos have been imperative, significantly contributing to their No. 2 overall defense this season.

Buffalo Bills: Ty Johnson, RB

We return to the AFC East, watching a former friend compete as a foe. I don't think many Jets fan feels the same level of disdain for the Bills as they do the Patriots, though.

Ty Johnson, claimed off waivers in 2020, spent two-and-a-half seasons in the green and white. Johnson spent most of his time in a support position as a number two or three back, but was efficient in the role that he played.

He provided versatility, hauling in 34 receptions for 372 yards in 2021. He did it on the ground and in the air, with a respectable 65.4 offensive grade from 2020 to 2022.

This season, he's had a minimal role again. He's only had 50 rush attempts and 33 pass targets. He's made the most of his touches, though, averaging 4 yards per carry rushing and 8.0 yards per target receiving.

Against the Jaguars on Sunday, he didn't touch the ball as he was inactive due to injury. We'll see if he can make any impact in Denver.

Chicago Bears: Cairo Santos, K

What? Really?

That's probably what you're thinking when reading this name. The 12-year veteran kicker, who's spent the past six seasons in Chicago, also spent a summer in Florham Park.

Back in 2018, the Jets brought Cairo Santos in for a test drive before ultimately releasing him in August. He's been a consistent presence for the Bears ever since, with an 88.5% success rate on 29.7 attempts per season.

This is a name to particularly look out for, as we all know how crucial kickers become in big spots in playoff games... especially Bears kickers.

Oh, and why did the Jets decide to cut Santos over seven years ago? They had someone else, Jason Myers, who is also still kicking in the playoffs for Seattle. There remain multiple one-time Jets kickers in the playoffs, but still no Jets.

Houston Texans: Sheldon Rankins, DT

What a Monday night it was for the former Jets defensive lineman. Sheldon Rankins returned a fourth-quarter fumble from the Steelers' 33-yard line for a touchdown, to all but clinch the Texans' win over Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round.

He spent two seasons in New York, suiting up for 31 games and starting 18 of them. He was an integral part of the massive defensive leap the Jets took from 2021 to 2022, as the unit jumped from dead last in the league to fourth overall. This coincided with his becoming a full-time starter.

He then moved from the Texans to the Bengals and is now back with the Texans. And after his fumble recovery on Monday night, I bet Houston fans couldn't be more thankful for his return. His 72.8 defensive grade on 17 starts this year isn't too shabby either.

Davante Adams: Los Angeles Rams, WR

I don't have to remind Jets fans about the Davante Adams season in New York. It was the same season where the Aaron Rodgers experiment blew up in our faces. It was the season that furthered the "same old Jets" narrative. It was the season from hell.

Adams was quite a positive presence, though, contrary to revisionist history. He acted as a veteran role model and leader from start to finish, which wasn't always easy amidst the firestorm that was the 2024 Jets' season.

In terms of production, there can be no complaints there either. In 11 games and 625 snaps, Adams caught 67 passes on 114 targets for 854 yards. He averaged 2.16 yards per route run and 6.3 yards after catch per reception, totally maximizing his efficiency.

Of course, he came directly from the wish list (demand list?) of Aaron Rodgers, thus his name triggers an eye roll from Jets fans. And sure, he recently took an uncalled-for shot at his former team.

However, the reality is that he was excellent during his time with the Jets, and he has been just as productive with the Rams, leading the league with 14 touchdown receptions in 2025.

Now, he very well might hoist a Lombardi Trophy before the season is over.