second seed in the playoffs with a first round bye. The Jets faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in their divisional playoff game, their first home playoff game since the 1986 season. New York defeated the Jaguars 34–24 and met the top-seeded Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. Though the Jets possessed a 10–0 lead in the 3rd quarter, the Broncos, led by John Elway in his final home game, came back and defeated the Jets, 23–10. The Jets had high hopes for 1999, but suffered a blow in the season opener when Testaverde ruptured his Achilles tendon and was lost for the season. New York suffered other injuries and fell to a 2–6 record before recovering to finish 8–8. Two days after the end of the season, Parcells announced his resignation as coach; he remained with the team for a year as chief of football operations. Belichick was slated to become head coach in Parcells' place, but one day later, he announced his own resignation. Robert Kraft had gotten word to Belichick through intermediaries that he could have complete control of football operations and a $2 million salary if he got out of his contract with the Jets. After a lawsuit to void Belichick's contract failed and Tagliabue refused to release him, the Jets and Patriots agreed on draft choice compensation for the Jets. As a result of Leon Hess' death in May 1999, the team was put up for auction in January 2000. In a bidding war between Charles F. Dolan and Woody Johnson, Johnson emerged victorious, and he purchased the team for $635 million. Johnson expressed interest in having Parcells return to his coaching role; the team elevated linebackers coach Al Groh to the head coaching position when Parcells refused. In April 2000, New York traded wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, a major offensive threat on the 1998 team, to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two 1st-round draft picks. Johnson wanted a renegotiated contract and was threatening to hold out. Having acquired New England's pick in the Belichick compensation, and with their own pick, the Jets had four 1st-round picks. They selected quarterback Chad Pennington as well as defensive linemen John Abraham and Shaun Ellis, and tight end Anthony Becht, all of whom would be key players on the Jets playoff teams of the 2000s. For the first time, the Jets won their first four games, including a victory over