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The 1985 New York Jets season was the 26th season for the team and the 16th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 7–9 record from 1984 under head coach Joe Walton. Among quarterbacks, Ken O'Brien had the lowest rate of interceptions, with only eight interceptions in 488 passing attempts. The Jets finished the season with a record of 11–5, qualifying for the top Wild Card spot in the playoffs. On October 14, during a Monday Night Halftime ceremony, the Jets retired Joe Namath's number 12, and helped inspire the Jets to a 23–7 victory over the Dolphins. In the Wild Card round of the playoffs, they fell at home to the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots 26–14.

NFL Films produced a documentary about the team's season entitled Just The Beginning; it was narrated by Jeff Kaye.

Offseason

Draft

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Pre season

Schedule

Preseason Game summaries

Week P1 (Saturday, August 10, 1985): vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Week P2 (Saturday, August 17, 1985): at Cincinnati Bengals

Week P3 (Saturday, August 24, 1985): at New York Giants

Week P4 (Saturday, August 31, 1985): at Green Bay Packers

Regular season

Schedule

Regular Season Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday, September 8, 1985): at Los Angeles Raiders

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, California

• Date: September 8, 1985
• Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
• Game attendance: 57,123
• Referee: Tom Dooley
• TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play-by-play) and Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 2 (Sunday, September 15, 1985): vs. Buffalo Bills

at Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: September 15, 1985
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
• Game attendance: 63,449
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Bob Griese (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 3 (Sunday, September 22, 1985): at Green Bay Packers

at Milwaukee County Stadium • Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Date: September 22, 1985
• Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
• Game attendance: 53,667
• Referee: Bob Frederic
• TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Bob Griese (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 4 (Sunday, September 29, 1985): vs. Indianapolis Colts

at Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: September 29, 1985
• Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
• Game attendance: 61,987
• Referee: Dick Jorgensen
• TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play-by-play) and Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 5 (Sunday, October 6, 1985): at Cincinnati Bengals

at Riverfront Stadium • Cincinnati, Ohio

• Date: October 6, 1985
• Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
• Game attendance: 51,785
• Referee: Ben Dreith
• TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play-by-play) and Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 6 (Monday, October 14, 1985): vs. Miami Dolphins

at Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: October 14, 1985
• Game time: 9:06 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: Cloudy & Foggy • 65 °F (18 °C) • Wind SE 7 miles per hour (11 km/h; 6.1 kn)
• Game attendance: 73,807
• Referee: Red Cashion
• TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford (play-by-play), Joe Namath (color commentator) and O. J. Simpson (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Week 7 (Sunday, October 20, 1985): at New England Patriots

at Sullivan Stadium • Foxboro, Massachusetts

• Date: October 20, 1985
• Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: Cloudy • 54 °F (12 °C) • Wind NNW 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)
• Game attendance: 58,163
• Referee: Fred Silva
• TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Bob Griese (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game: 3 hours, 4 minutes

Week 8 (Sunday, October 27, 1985): vs. Seattle Seahawks

at Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: October 27, 1985
• Game time: 1:01 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Sunny • 69 °F (21 °C) • Wind SW 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn) to 16 miles per hour (26 km/h; 14 kn)
• Game attendance: 69,320
• Referee: Jerry Seeman
• TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play-by-play) and Merlin Olsen (color commentator)
• Gamebook

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Week 9 (Sunday, November 3, 1985): at Indianapolis Colts

at Hoosier Dome • Indianapolis, Indiana

• Date: November 3, 1985
• Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
• Game attendance: 59,483
• Referee: Jerry Markbreit
• TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play-by-play) and Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 10 (Sunday, November 10, 1985): at Miami Dolphins

at Miami Orange Bowl • Miami, Florida

• Date: November 10, 1985
• Game time: 4:01 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: Mostly Sunny • 84 °F (29 °C) • Wind E 14 miles per hour (23 km/h; 12 kn)
• Game attendance: 73,965
• Referee: Bob McElwee
• TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play-by-play) and Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 11 (Sunday, November 17, 1985): vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

at Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: November 17, 1985
• Game time: 1:16 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Partly Sunny • 59 °F (15 °C) • Wind NW 7 miles per hour (11 km/h; 6.1 kn)
• Game attendance: 65,344
• Referee: Gordon McCarter
• TV announcers (CBS): Verne Lundquist (play-by-play) and Terry Bradshaw (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game: 3 hours, 29 minutes

Week 12 (Sunday, November 24, 1985): vs. New England Patriots

at Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: November 24, 1985
• Game time: 1:01 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Sunny • 53 °F (12 °C) • Wind NW 12 miles per hour (19 km/h; 10 kn) to 22 miles per hour (35 km/h; 19 kn)
• Game attendance: 74,100
• Referee: Bob Frederic
• TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones (play-by-play) and Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game: 3 hours, 39 minutes

Week 13 (Thursday, November 28, 1985): at Detroit Lions

at Pontiac Silverdome • Pontiac, Michigan

• Date: November 28, 1985
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
• Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
• Game attendance: 65,531
• Referee: Chuck Heberling
• TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play-by-play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator) and Ahmad Rashad (sideline reporter)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 14 (Sunday, December 8, 1985): at Buffalo Bills

at Rich Stadium • Orchard Park, New York

• Date: December 8, 1985
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 23,122
• Referee: Ben Dreith
• TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Bob Griese (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 15 (Saturday, December 14, 1985): vs. Chicago Bears

at Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: December 14, 1985
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 74,752
• Referee: Fred Wyant
• TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play), John Madden (color commentator) and Irv Cross (sideline reporter)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Week 16 (Sunday, December 22, 1985): vs. Cleveland Browns

at Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: December 22, 1985
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 59,073
• Referee: Dick Jorgensen
• TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play-by-play) and Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game:

Standings

Playoffs

Playoff Game summaries

AFC Wild Card Playoffs (Saturday, December 28, 1985): vs. New England Patriots

at Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: December 28, 1985
• Game time: 4:07 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Partly Cloudy • 33 °F (1 °C) • Wind NW 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn) to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h; 26 kn)
• Game attendance: 70,958
• Referee: Jerry Seeman
• TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert (play-by-play), Bob Griese (color commentator) and Ahmad Rashad (sideline reporter)

• Point spread:
• Over/Under:
• Time of Game: 3 hours, 0 minutes

Awards and honors

• Ken O'Brien, NFL passing leader (96.2 passer rating)

External links

• 1985 statistics

References

1. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
2. Pro Football Reference; New York Jets at Los Angeles Raiders – September 8, 1985
3. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
4. Pro Football Reference; Buffalo Bills at New York Jets – September 15, 1985
5. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
6. Pro Football Reference; New York Jets at Green Bay Packers – September 22, 1985
7. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
8. Pro Football Reference; Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets – September 29, 1985
9. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
10. Pro Football Reference; New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals – October 6, 1985
11. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
12. Pro Football Reference; Miami Dolphins at New York Jets – October 14, 1985
13. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
14. Pro Football Reference; New York Jets at New England Patriots – October 20, 1985
15. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
16. Pro Football Reference; Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets – October 27, 1985
17. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
18. Pro Football Reference; New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts – November 3, 1985
19. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
20. Pro Football Reference; New York Jets at Miami Dolphins – November 10, 1985
21. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
22. Pro Football Reference; Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets – November 17, 1985
23. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
24. Pro Football Reference; New England Patriots at New York Jets – November 24, 1985
25. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
26. Pro Football Reference; New York Jets at Detroit Lions – November 28, 1985
27. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
28. Pro Football Reference; New York Jets at Buffalo Bills – December 8, 1985
29. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
30. Pro Football Reference; Chicago Bears at New York Jets – December 14, 1985
31. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
32. Pro Football Reference; Cleveland Browns at New York Jets – December 22, 1985
33. The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Apr-24.
34. Pro Football Reference; AFC Wild Card Playoffs – New England Patriots at New York Jets – December 28, 1985

• New York Jets seasons
• 1985 National Football League season by team
• 1985 in sports in New Jersey
• 20th century in East Rutherford, New Jersey
• Meadowlands Sports Complex