1981 New York Jets season
The 1981 New York Jets season was the 22nd season for the franchise and its twelfth in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 4–12 record from 1980 under head coach Walt Michaels. The Jets sputtered early, starting 0–3 and fueling a quarterback controversy and altercation between quarterback Richard Todd and sports writer Steve Serby and speculation about Michaels’ job. After the 0–3 start, however, the Jets would catch fire, and go on a 10–2–1 run. The team ultimately finished the season with a record of 10–5–1 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1969, breaking a twelve-season drought. In the playoffs, however, they fell to their division rivals, [1981 1981 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills season|the Buffalo Bills], 31–27.
Offseason
Undrafted free agents
| Player | Position | College |
| Todd Benson | Linebacker | Maryland |
| Ted Blackwell | Running back | Rutgers |
| Kent Clausen | Linebacker | Montana |
| Gary England | Guard | Nebraska |
| Scott Fanz | Guard | Maryland |
| John Nitti | Running back | Yale |
| John Wojtowicz | Guard | Penn State |
Regular season
Playoffs
| Round | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
| Wildcard | December 27 | Buffalo Bills | L 27–31 | 0–1 | Shea Stadium | 57,050 |
TV Announcers : Charlie Jones, Len Dawson