History

Former Jets president and NFL official Jim Kensil, who spent 12 seasons with the club from 1977-88 and helped guide the Jets to four playoff appearances before retiring, died.

The Jets hired longtime Bill Parcells assistant Bill Belichick as their head coach, naming Parcells as a consultant, all of which spurred an official complaint from New England, which claimed Parcells was still under contract to the Patriots.

Leon Hess and Patriots owner Bob Kraft met with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue in New York over the Parcells matter. After hours of negotiations, Tagliabue ruled Parcells could take over the Jets' football operations immediately. In return, the Jets would compensate the Patriots with four high draft picks over the next three years - third- and fourth-round picks in 1997, their second-rounder in '98 and their first-rounder in '99.

Parcells became the 11th full-time head coach in club history when he was introduced at a news conference at Weeb Ewbank Hall. Belichick was named assistant head coach/defensive coordinator.

The Jets upgraded their Hofstra University practice facilities with improved grass and turf fields and a new air-supported indoor practice bubble.

Jets fans had to be delirious with the result of the first game of the Parcells era, a 41-3 rout of the Seahawks in Seattle in which Neil O'Donnell threw five touchdown passes and the Jets gained 434 yards.

Aaron Glenn became the first cornerback in franchise history to be named a starter in the NFL Pro Bowl/AFL All-Star Game.

The Jets didn't make it to the playoffs in Parcells' first year, but they posted their first winning season at 9-7 in nine years and at least played in a win-you're-in-lose-you're-out game, the regular-season finale at Detroit in which Barry Sanders and the Lions prevailed, 13-10.