Aug 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) is pressured by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Rayshawn Jenkins (31) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
A new season of Jets football kicks off on Sunday with a matchup against a whole lot of familiar faces.
The Tennessee Titans have a ton of Gang Green alumni, most notably head coach Robert Saleh, who begins his second-ever gig leading a team — his first since the Jets sacked him five games into the 2024 season.
Saleh has made it known that he is not holding any grudges against his former team, but it does not need to be said just how much extra motivation rests in this matchup.
Neither team is expected to go very far in 2026. The Jets are coming off a three-win season and are are projected to win just a few more. The Titans are a young club, anchored by second-year quarterback Cam Ward and rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate.
Here are a couple things to watch out for on Sunday afternoon in Nashville (1 p.m. ET).
Geno’s second act
Geno Smith is back with the team that drafted him a decade later, and his stock is not much higher than how he left things.
After breaking out with the Seattle Seahawks, averaging 4,027 yards and 23 touchdowns over a three-year stretch, he bombed with the Las Vegas Raiders, going 2-13 last season as their starter — the only team worse than the Jets.
The Justin Fields experiment failed in New York last season, and they lost out on Fernando Mendoza, meaning the search for a franchise quarterback is still on. Regardless of how he does, at 35, Smith is not the long-term answer, but if he can revert to his Seattle ways, the Jets should feel a whole lot better about this season.
Hall pass?
Star running back Breece Hall has been nursing a groin injury since last month, and was initially given a two-to-three-week timetable for a return. While he was limited throughout the final stretch of the exhibition slate, it appears that the 25-year-old will be good to go for Sunday.
He was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, suggesting that all signs are pointing to his full availability.
Hall is perhaps the most important member of the Jets’ offense, especially if Smith struggles to find his footing back in New York. He is coming off his first 1,000-yard campaign last year, and he is fully expected to repeat such an output.
Glenn’s defense
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn opted to take a backseat to former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks last season when it came to play-calling.
It was a disaster. The Jets had one of the worst defenses in the league and became the first team in NFL history not to record an interception.
Wilks is out, Brian Duker is in, and Glenn will be reverting to controlling a defense, which was the main reason why Gang Green hired him in the first place. Glenn led the turnaround of the Detroit Lions’ defense as their coordinator, creating one of the league’s most imposing units during a remarkable 15-2 season in 2024.
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