| Team: | New York Jets |
| Year: | 1988 |
| Record: | 8–7–1 |
| Division Place: | 4th AFC East |
| Coach: | Joe Walton |
| Owner: | Leon Hess |
| Stadium: | The Meadowlands |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers: | TE Mickey Shuler WR Al Toon FS Erik McMillan |
| Shortnavlink: | Jets seasons |
The 1988 New York Jets season was the 29th season for the team and the 19th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 6–9 record from 1987 under head coach Joe Walton. The Jets finished the season with a record of 8–7–1. Although for the second straight year they failed to qualify for the playoffs, they would play the spoiler, as a victory over their cross-town rival New York Giants in week 16 kept the Giants out of the playoffs due to a series of tiebreakers. For the third time in his career, Ken O'Brien had the lowest rate of interceptions among quarterbacks. He had 7 interceptions in 424 passing attempts.
The Jets endured a major distraction when Mark Gastineau, the team's main pass rusher who appeared to be experiencing a career-renaissance, abruptly retired in midseason to tend to ailing actress Brigitte Nielsen.
See main article: article and 1988 NFL Draft.
| Phil Alfieri | Defensive end | Oregon | |
| Kelly Averitt | Tackle/Guard | Tennessee Tech | |
| Greg Calcagno | Quarterback | Santa Clara | |
| Harold Collins | Wide receiver | UTEP | |
| Byron Dixon | Cornerback/Safety | Holy Cross | |
| Keith Ferrell | Linebacker | Morehead State | |
| Ricky Flowers | Wide receiver | Jackson State | |
| Blair Fowler | Defensive tackle | UTEP | |
| John Garrett | Center | Syracuse | |
| Leon Hall | Defensive end | East Carolina | |
| Bruce Hatfield | Linebacker | Tennessee Tech | |
| Dave Ingalls | Center | Maine | |
| Greg Johns | Linebacker | Penn State | |
| Matt Kemper | Guard/Tackle | Miami (OH) | |
| Brad Lambert | Cornerback/Safety | Kansas State | |
| Eric Lewis | Wide receiver | North Carolina | |
| Darryl Pearson | Wide receiver | Alabama State | |
| Richard Petitbon | Linebacker | Maryland | |
| Edwin Ross | Safety | Alabama State | |
| Tom Schulting | Wide receiver | Iowa State | |
| Russell Sheffield | Defensive end | Baylor | |
| Mike Swanson | Defensive Tackle | Temple | |
| Darryl Wright | Punter | Maryland |
| POS | Name | GS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | 12 | ||
| RB | 16 | ||
| FB | 12 | ||
| WR | 15 | ||
| WR | 10 | ||
| TE | 15 | ||
| LT | 12 | ||
| LG | 9 | ||
| C | 16 | ||
| RG | 13 | ||
| RT | 16 |
| POS | Name | GS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LDE | 7 | ||
| NT | 15 | ||
| RDE | 16 | ||
| LOLB | 13 | ||
| LILB | 16 | ||
| RILB | 15 | ||
| ROLB | 57 Kevin McArthur | 16 | |
| LCB | 16 | ||
| RCB | 15 | ||
| SS | 16 | ||
| FS | 13 |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 4 | at New England Patriots | L 3–28 | 0–1 | Sullivan Stadium | 44,027 | ||
| 2 | September 11 | at Cleveland Browns | W 23–3 | 1–1 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 74,434 | ||
| 3 | September 18 | Houston Oilers | W 45–3 | 2–1 | Giants Stadium | 64,483 | ||
| 4 | September 25 | at Detroit Lions | W 17–10 | 3–1 | Pontiac Silverdome | 29,250 | ||
| 5 | October 2 | Kansas City Chiefs | T 17–17 (OT) | 3–1–1 | Giants Stadium | 66,110 | ||
| 6 | October 9 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 19–36 | 3–2–1 | Riverfront Stadium | 57,482 | ||
| 7 | October 17 | Buffalo Bills | L 14–37 | 3–3–1 | Giants Stadium | 70,218 | ||
| 8 | October 23 | at Miami Dolphins | W 44–30 | 4–3–1 | Joe Robbie Stadium | 68,292 | ||
| 9 | October 30 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 24–20 | 5–3–1 | Giants Stadium | 64,862 | ||
| 10 | November 6 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 14–38 | 5–4–1 | Hoosier Dome | 59,233 | ||
| 11 | November 13 | New England Patriots | L 13–14 | 5–5–1 | Giants Stadium | 48,358 | ||
| 12 | November 20 | at Buffalo Bills | L 6–9 (OT) | 5–6–1 | Rich Stadium | 78,389 | ||
| 13 | November 27 | Miami Dolphins | W 38–34 | 6–6–1 | Giants Stadium | 52,752 | ||
| 14 | December 4 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 34–38 | 6–7–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 30,059 | ||
| 15 | December 10 | Indianapolis Colts | W 34–16 | 7–7–1 | Giants Stadium | 46,284 | ||
| 16 | December 18 | New York Giants | W 27–21 | 8–7–1 | Giants Stadium | 69,770 | ||
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | ||||||||