ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky Says He Could Lead Jets to Playoffs As Quarterback

The former NFL quarterback turned analyst believes he could bring the magic touch to end the franchise’s playoff drought.

It’s been a little more than five years since Dan Orlovsky hung up his cleats and retired from the NFL.

Orlovksy, who was taken in the fifth round by the Lions in the 2005 NFL draft, played for several teams in the league with the most notable being two stints in Detroit, the Texans, the Colts and the Buccaneers before he was released by the Rams in ’17 shortly before his retirement.

However, after Orlovsky told ESPN’s First Take host Molly Qerim that the Jets inconsistent play at the quarterback position was the reason that the franchise has failed to make the playoffs, the former NFL quarterback turned ESPN NFL analyst jokingly shared that he could be the difference at signal caller for the team.

“I honestly felt like if I went and played for the Jets, they’d be a playoff team and I can barely walk up and down a stairs right now,” Orlovsky said. “… 2011, 2008, I could take this team to the playoffs.”

.@danorlovsky7: "If I went and played for the Jets, they'd be a playoff team."@stephenasmith: "When you're the quarterback, you do have to stay in bounds in order to produce on the football field."

😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/9SAVyUe2l2

— First Take (@FirstTake) December 22, 2022

The Jets (7-7) currently own the longest active NFL playoff drought at 11 seasons. Immediately after Orlovsky shared his take, the facial expressions from Stephen A. Smith and Marcus Spears were hilarious.

Smith took it a step further in his antics of Orlovsky bringing up the quarterback’s longtime gaffe of stepping out of bounds and accruing a safety during his tenure with the Lions.

“When you’re the quarterback, you do have to stay in bounds in order to produce on the football field,” Smith said. “You gotta be inbounds.”

Between Smith and Spears laughing hysterically, there would be zero percent in faith that Orlovsky could lead this team to the postseason. However, in reality, the Jets will look to keep their playoff hopes alive when they face the Jaguars at home on Thursday Night Football.