The Jets begin the Rex Ryan Era on the road at Houston, open their final season at the Meadowlands by hosting the Patriots, and play the Bills in Toronto, Thursday night Dec. 3, highlighting the Jets schedule as the NFL unveiled the 2009 regular season slate Tuesday night on NFL Network.

“We got the schedule today and I am fired up about the upcoming season,” said Coach Ryan. “This will be my first season as a head coach and the schedule is filled with challenges, but our coaching staff and players have been working hard and I know that we will be ready.”

For the first time since 1977, when the Jets defeated the Houston Oilers, 20-0, at the Astrodome, the Jets open the season in Texas, facing the Texans, Sept. 13.

Following the opener, the Jets return home to host New England, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m., marking the fourth consecutive year that the Jets-Patriots contest at the Meadowlands opens the Jets home schedule.  After 26 seasons at the Meadowlands, their home since 1984, the team moves into New Jets Stadium beginning in 2010.

The Jets homestand continues with the AFC South Champion Tennessee Titans on Sept. 27, before two consecutive road games at New Orleans, Oct. 4, and on Monday Night at the defending AFC East Champion Miami Dolphins, Oct. 12. The Jets and Dolphins play twice in four games with the return matchup at the Meadowlands, Nov. 1, sandwiched around a home game against Buffalo, Oct. 18, and a contest at Oakland, Oct. 25. Following the Miami home game is a bye on Week Nine, after which the Jets host Jacksonville, Nov. 15, before going to Foxborough to play the Patriots, Nov. 22.

After hosting the 2008 NFC South Champion Carolina Panthers on Nov. 29, the Jets travel to Toronto to face the Bills on the Thursday Night NFL Network contest, Dec. 3 at 8:20 p.m. The Jets last traveled to Canada 21 years ago during the preseason, where they defeated the Browns, 11-7, in Montreal, Aug. 18, 1988.

The Jets return to the United States and then head to Tampa Bay, Dec. 13, before returning home to host Atlanta, Dec. 20.  The Falcons, a Wild Card Playoff team in 2008, visit the Jets at the Meadowlands for the first time since 1998.

The Jets road schedule wraps up with a trip to Indianapolis, Dec. 27, marking the Jets first game in Lucas Oil Stadium. The Jets last regular-season game, and the last scheduled NFL regular season game at the Meadowlands will be vs. Cincinnati on Jan. 3, 2009.

Since 2006, the NFL has implemented flexible scheduling for the last seven weeks of the regular season. The Jets Week 13 game vs. Buffalo at Toronto will not change but Jets games in Weeks 11, 12 and 14-17 are currently listed as TBA (to be announced), and may be played at 1 p.m., 4:05 p.m., 4:15 p.m. or at 8:15 p.m. on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Game times will be confirmed a minimum of 12 days in advance (except in Week 17 when it may be confirmed six days in advance).

The Jets preseason schedule was also finalized. The preseason opener vs. St. Louis is set for Friday, Aug. 14, at 8 p.m. Following the Jets Monday night game at Baltimore, Aug. 24, the Jets play the Giants Saturday, Aug. 29 in the final Jets-Giants game at the Meadowlands. The preseason ends with the traditional Thursday night contest vs. the Eagles.

2009 New York Jets Schedule

Preseason

8/14    Friday  vs. St. Louis   7 p.m.  WCBS

8/24    Monday  at Baltimore    8 p.m.  ESPN

8/29    Saturday        at Giants       8 p.m.  WNBC

9/3     Thursday        vs. Philadelphia        7 p.m.  WCBS

Regular Season

9/13    Sunday  at Houston      1 p.m.  CBS

9/20    Sunday  vs. New England 1 p.m.  CBS

9/27    Sunday  vs. Tennessee   4:15 p.m.       CBS

10/4    Sunday  at New Orleans  4:05 p.m.       CBS

10/12   Monday  at Miami        8:30 p.m.       ESPN

10/18   Sunday  vs. Buffalo     4:15 p.m.       CBS

10/25   Sunday  at Oakland      4:05 p.m.       CBS

11/1    Sunday  vs. Miami       1 p.m.  CBS

11/8            BYE            

11/15   Sunday  vs. Jacksonville        1 p.m.  CBS

11/22   Sunday  at New England  TBA*    TBA*

11/29   Sunday  vs. Carolina    TBA*    TBA*

12/3    Thursday        at Buffalo (Toronto)    8:20 p.m.       NFLN

12/13   Sunday  at Tampa Bay    TBA*    TBA*

12/20   Sunday  vs. Atlanta     TBA*    TBA*

12/27   Sunday  at Indianapolis TBA*    TBA*

1/3     Sunday  vs. Cincinnati  TBA*    TBA*

*Subject to NFL Flex Schedule

ans Encouraged to Wear Green for Sunday’s “Green Out” vs. Bills

The New York Jets are holding Fan Appreciation Day for the game vs. Buffalo at the Meadowlands on Sunday at 1 p.m. The team is encouraging all fans to wear their Jets green gear to create a “Green Out” at the game.

Prizes and giveaways will be distributed throughout the game and one fan will be chosen at random to kick a field goal at halftime for $150,000.

Fan Appreciation Day is brought to you by SportsNet New York (SNY).

WHO: Jets fans

WHAT: Fan Appreciation Day featuring a “Green Out”

WHERE: The Meadowlands

WHEN: December 14, 2008, 1 p.m.

Donations Benefit U.S. Marines Reserve Corps Toys for Tots Program

The New York Jets in conjunction with the U.S. Marine Reserve Corps, Burgdorff Realtors ERA and A-1 First Class-Viking Moving and Storage will hold their annual toy drive to benefit the Toys for Tots program on December 14, 2008, at The Meadowlands before the 1:00 p.m. game versus Buffalo. Fans are encouraged to bring a new unwrapped toy to the game that will be collected at all gates upon entering the stadium.

The annual U.S. Marine Reserve Corps Toys for Tots program’s mission is to collect unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help these children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable natural resources - our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause and to contribute to better communities in the future.

WHO: New York Jets and their loyal fans

WHAT: Unwrapped toys to benefit the Toys for Tots program

WHERE: The Meadowlands

WHEN: December 14, 2008, 11:00 – 1:00 p.m.

WHY: To benefit the U.S. Marine Reserve Corps Toys for Tots Program

Programs funded by the New York Jets Foundation touch the lives of countless young men and women in the Tri-state area. Realogy Corporation, a premier global provider of real estate and relocation services, and its subsidiary companies Burgdorff Realtors ERA and Cartus, are title sponsors for all of the Jets’ community relations programs. Over the past eight years, the Jets and their charitable foundation have donated or contributed more than eight million dollars to promote youth health, fitness and education, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

From fighting childhood obesity through the Generation Jets: Be Lean & Green initiative to launching a football team in a Harlem high school, urging students in the Bronx to eat right and move more and supporting the efforts of the Alliance for Lupus Research, the New York Jets invest in programs that make a difference in the lives of others. In addition to the Jets Foundation, which supports our own extensive youth initiatives, the Jets partner with numerous established charitable organizations and participate in causes sponsored by the NFL.