C.J. Mosley says it's 'playoffs or bust' for the NY Jets this year

Justin Fried

NY Jets, C.J. Mosley / Al Pereira/GettyImages

The NY Jets may be in the midst of a decade-long playoff drought, but that hasn't stopped certain members of the roster from expressing their optimism. One such player is linebacker C.J. Mosley.

Mosley is one of the most important members of the Jets' defense and he, like so many others on this roster, has experienced the lowest of the lows in green and white.

He was around for the Adam Gase days and under contract for the team's 2-14 campaign a couple of years ago. He witnessed last season's injury-riddled four-win effort that saw the Jets win just one of their final six games.

He's seen it all, but Mosley still believes that the Jets could make the playoffs this year. In fact, he took it a step further in a recent interview with AL.com.

"I’m really expecting playoffs or bust. Obviously, that’s my goal every year, but I think it’s something that’s a realistic goal for our entire team and our coaches."
C.J. Mosley

Is C.J. Mosley right? Are the playoffs a realistic goal for the NY Jets?

Mosley has never been someone short of confidence, and it's that vocal leadership on and off the field that makes him so valuable to the Jets organization. But how realistic is this supposed goal for the team?

The Jets haven't made the playoffs since the 2010 season. They boast the league's longest playoff drought and have won just six games over the last two years. A playoff run in 2022 would buck historical trends and then some.

However, it's not completely out of the realm of possibility. After all, this is the NFL. The Cincinnati Bengals entered last season with better odds to land the No. 1 overall pick than to make the Super Bowl, but that didn't stop them from making a miraculous run to SoFi Stadium this past February.

Anything is possible, and the Jets are hoping that the moves they made this offseason will finally get them over the proverbial hump. Mosley could be a big part of this defense's success — a defense that ranked dead-last in yards allowed last season.

The Jets have a long way to go before they could be considered legitimate contenders, but C.J. Mosley has set a goal for this team. It's always best to aim high.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.