Jets, Giants each start 1-0 for first time in over 15 years

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  Anthony GharibSep 14, 2026, 05:55 PM ET

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The summer of New York is gaining strength in its late stages.

The New York Giants and New York Jets both won their Week 1 matchups Sunday. The Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 on "Sunday Night Football," and the Jets beat the Tennessee Titans 23-10 earlier in the day.

Victories for both of New York's NFL teams in Week 1 are a rare sight. This is the first time the Giants and Jets have each started a campaign 1-0 since 2009, according to ESPN Research. It's also the first time they've both been above .500 at any point of a season since Week 14 in 2022.

The other team in New York, the Buffalo Bills, won its opener as well, defeating the Houston Texans 36-31. That makes all three teams undefeated in Week 1 for the first time since 2008.

A hot start for the two current MetLife Stadium tenants brought opposite outcomes in 2009.

Two seasons after a Super Bowl victory, the Giants began 5-0 in their final season at Giant Stadium. They then lost four straight games and split wins and losses from Week 11 to 16. The final defeat coincided with a Cowboys win that eliminated the Giants from playoff contention for the first time since 2004.

Rex Ryan began his first season as Jets head coach in 2009, and two months in, it looked like the Jets might have to find a new leader. They had a 4-6 record after a 3-0 start to the year. It would mark their worst stretch of the season as the Jets won five of their next six games to reach the playoffs.

New York would beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC wild-card round. The Jets then took down No. 2-seeded Los Angeles Chargers in the divisional round to reach the conference championship game for the first time since 1998. The No. 1-seeded Indianapolis Colts ended the Jets' run, but New York would be back in the conference final the following season. It hasn't made the playoffs since.

Week 2 pits the Jets and Giants against two NFC teams. The Jets host the Green Bay Packers, while the Giants visit the Los Angeles Rams on "Monday Night Football" (8:15 ET on ABC/ESPN).

Regardless of the outcomes, Jets and Giants fans will always be able to brag about Week 1.