Why Colts elimination from playoffs is great news for the Jets

The New York Jets just picked up their biggest win of the week without taking a snap. The Indianapolis Colts fell out of the NFL playoffs, and their elimination instantly became great news for New York. The Colts’ NFL playoff exit matters for one clear reason: the Sauce Gardner trade tied the two franchises’ futures together.

A season that once saw the Colts start 7–1 has collapsed, and the fallout drops directly into the Jets’ long-term plans. The draft board shifted. The outlook brightened. And for once, Jets fans get to smile about something that didn’t require a miracle finish under the stadium lights.

Why the Colts’ collapse helps the Jets in a big way

Per Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, the Colts missing the playoffs delivers a major boost for New York. As a result, with Indianapolis out, the first-round pick the Colts sent to the Jets for Sauce Gardner is now guaranteed to land inside the top 18 of the 2026 NFL Draft. That is certainty. That is premium value. Most importantly, it arrives right as the Jets are resetting direction and rebuilding their future.

Back in context, the November 2025 trade that sent Gardner to the Colts brought Adonai Mitchell and two first-rounders to New York. It was bold and emotional. Now, though, it looks even better. Ultimately, the Chargers’ result against the Texans shut the Colts out of the postseason. It also locked in the pick range the Jets needed.

Meanwhile, the Jets’ own season still hurts. A 34–10 loss to the Dolphins officially eliminated them from playoff contention again, extending the NFL’s longest active drought to 15 seasons. Once again, a new regime now stands in the same place as so many before it, trying to rebuild belief and identity.

Even so, the board favors them now. A top-18 pick adds flexibility, trade power, and roster-building juice. It is proof that even in a frustrating year, leverage exists and futures change fast. So now the question shifts from doubt to hope: what will the Jets do with a premium pick delivered by the Colts’ elimination?

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