Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Long Island doesn't agree on much when it comes to football. Nassau County leans Jets, Suffolk leans Giants and depending on which side of the Long Island Expressway a household falls on, the flag on the porch could be green or blue.
What both sides agree on is that Sept. 20 and 21 bring one of the season’s first major New York football weekends: the Jets host Green Bay in their home opener Sunday, and the Giants visit the Rams on Monday night. Two hometown teams, two marquee games and every corner of the Island gearing up for them.
Whichever team gets you to grab the remote this week, getting the day right takes more than a jersey in the closet. Here's what to have in place before kickoff.
Gear up for game time
Fanatics carries officially licensed Jets gear and Giants gear, and this year’s smartest buy isn’t necessarily a jersey. With both teams still sorting out their starting lineup, a Nike Sideline full-zip hoodie or classic ’47 Clean Up adjustable cap gets the team colors on without betting on who will be on the gridiron in December.
For the more casual half of the tailgate, Life is Good's Tailgate Football Crusher Tee skips team logos entirely in favor of the laid-back, dog-and-a-football graphic, useful for anyone dressing up for the day rather than the roster.
Set up your tailgate headquarters
An RTIC 65 QT Ultra-Tough Hard Cooler is the kind of gear that gets used every weekend through the rest of the season without complaint, built to keep ice solid through a full slate of tailgating.
Bogg’s oversized, waterproof totes have become a tailgate and parking-lot staple. The brand’s officially licensed New York Jets Original Bogg Bag and New York Giants Original Bogg Bag offer plenty of room for drinks, snacks and everything else headed to the watch party.
Gear for your good boy!
The tailgate crowd isn’t only the two-legged kind. Chewy carries Littlearth NFL jerseys for dogs and cats in both Giants and Jets styles — officially licensed team gear for the four-legged fan joining the backyard watch party.
Set up the perfect spread
Not every game day meal needs to start with a grocery run. Goldbelly ships Guy Fieri's BBQ Trash Can Nachos and Jack Stack BBQ's full Kansas City barbecue spread nationwide, the kind of order that turns into a real spread without anyone standing over a stove during the first quarter.
Realax on your home turf
As fall temperatures drop, the compact Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 Fire Pit + Stand offers portable warmth for weekends away, while the larger Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit + Stand keeps a backyard watch party comfortable long after kickoff.
A home opener is also as good a reason as any to look at the TV setup before the season gets going. TCL's QM7L Mini-LED handles most living rooms well, with the QM8L as the step up for anyone building a real home-viewing centerpiece.
Green and white or blue and red, two-legged or four, this weekend Long Island is watching.
