NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
While most football fans are excited to see the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks face off in Super Bowl LX, there is a fan base that might be looking at this game as the worst matchup possible.
The New York Jets haven’t seen the playoffs in 15 years, the worst record of any professional sports team in the U.S. And fans certainly weren’t happy to see a 3-14 finish in the first season under head coach Aaron Glenn.
But to make matters worse, the Patriots, their AFC East rival who accompanied them with consecutive four-win seasons, quickly turned around with Mike Vrabel at the helm and Drake Maye becoming an MVP candidate in just his second season.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks walks on the field after the NFC Championship NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Seattle. The Seattle Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams 31-27. (Getty Images)
The Jets and their fan base spent years being tormented by Tom Brady and the Patriots, and having New England back in the “Big Game” so quickly is not ideal.
Then on the other side in Santa Clara will be the Seahawks, the No. 1 seed in the NFC this year led by quarterback Sam Darnold, the Jets’ third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Darnold is the first quarterback from that draft, which included Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield, to reach the Super Bowl. Jets fans imagined Darnold wearing the green and white, beating the Patriots on their way to the Super Bowl.
FORMER NFL QB RYAN FITZPATRICK GIVES SAM DARNOLD ADVANTAGE OVER DRAKE MAYE FOR SUPER BOWL LX
Things never turned out that way for Gang Green, but one former Jets quarterback believes there’s only one way for fans to get behind something in this Super Bowl.
“I think there are probably a lot of people who still support Sam,” Ryan Fitzpatrick told Pak Gazette Digital, while discussing his trip to Aruba with his wife, Liza, after partnering with the Aruba Tourism Authority.
“Sam would be the first to say he didn’t play well enough, but it’s very difficult when there’s no infrastructure and people around you to be successful as a quarterback in this league. I think Jets fans should be happy and proud to see Sam come out on the other side, because it’s not easy.”
Sam Darnold of the New York Jets watches during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Darnold’s time in New York lasted just three seasons despite his draft selection, culminating in weeks of ups, downs and unfortunate memes, including most infamously against the Patriots, where he said he was seeing “ghosts” on the field.
After stints with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers, Darnold was able to rekindle his career in Minnesota, leading the Vikings to a 14-win season last year. That gave him the opportunity to choose where he wanted to go in free agency last offseason, and he chose the Seahawks after they traded Geno Smith.
Darnold clearly made the right move.
If Fitzpatrick were still a Jets fan (he actively supports the Buffalo Bills, the team he played for before joining New York), it would be easy to root for Darnold’s success.
But even though Fitzpatrick himself was beaten by the Patriots for years during his career, he finds himself grudgingly rooting for them on Sunday.
“The hard thing for me in this case is that I’ve hated the Patriots forever. Even though I was in Boston, I was at Harvard, they had a good little run while I was there. I still was never a Patriots fan, and then it’s like I spent eight years of my career in the AFC East getting beat up by them every year,” he explained. “The fact that they’re good again and they’re back in the Super Bowl after Tom left and Bill left, and now they have Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye.
Ryan Fitzpatrick on set during TNF on Prime’s pregame show before an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 25, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“It’s hard to realize, but I love Mike Vrabel so much. I was with him in Houston, I got to play golf with him at the American Century in [Lake] Tahoe every summer. He’s a great guy. I love his family, I love his children, I love him. “So I actually feel like I’m rooting for New England in this game, which pains me to say.”
A HAPPY ISLAND, A HAPPY FITZ
After a long football season, Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza, visited Aruba for a well-deserved break to reset and recharge before the Super Bowl.
Partnered with the Aruba Tourism Authority, showcasing the island’s commitment to responsible tourism, which includes protecting the island’s natural environment, celebrating local culture, and inviting guests to travel mindfully through the Aruba Promise and Guest Guidelines.
Fitzpatrick did just that and loved every minute, while experiencing the outdoor lifestyle that Aruba, nicknamed “One Happy Island,” has to offer.
Ryan Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza, enjoyed their stay in Aruba following the 2025 NFL season. (Aruba Tourism Authority)
“My wife and I have seven kids. So we rarely get away. So when we get away, we have to make sure it’s the right place, and this is the one. It’s got white sand beaches, it’s got a resort, which is great. But it’s also got the adventure. I’m not a guy who likes to just sit on the beach and get a tan all day. We hiked, we swam in a natural pool, we went and did a little searching in some caves.
“The best thing for my wife and I is that you immediately feel relaxed. Then we come home and feel that air of happiness and rejuvenation. It stayed with us.”
