After the team had returned from its 1991 playoff season with a 4–12 1992 campaign, the Jets and coach Bruce Coslet looked to get back into the postseason.
The biggest acquisition for the Jets in the offseason was quarterback Boomer Esiason, whom New York acquired from the Cincinnati Bengals for a draft pick.
Brad Baxter led the Jets with seven rushing touchdowns and Rob Moore, a third-year receiver, caught passes for 843 yards.
The Jets won again the next week by defeating the Washington Redskins by a 3–0 score, but lost their remaining three games to finish 8–8 and out of the playoffs.
On January 7, 1994, five days after the season ended, Coslet was fired (after refusing to give up calling the offense) and assistant Pete Carroll was promoted to serve as head coach.