In the final stage of a wildly disappointing season, the Jets have dropped to 3-9. They have not seen their Aaron Rodgers trade come close to meeting expectations, and the now-41-year-old quarterback is not believed to be in the team’s plans beyond this season.
It would then be understandable if the sides reached a resolution of sorts, as Rodgers has played through injuries separate from his Achilles — an injury that defined his 2023 season — for much of this year. An IR placement or outright benching emerged as a potential solution here, but interim HC Jeff Ulbrich pushed back on that coming out of a bye week. After a loss to the Seahawks, the Jets are not changing course.
Ulbrich announced Monday (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) that Rodgers will remain the team’s starter for its Week 14 game — and for the season’s remainder. Ulbrich was less definitive when asked about his starter following the Jets’ Week 13 loss but returned to form today by indicating Rodgers can still play at a “high level.” The interim boss also indicated Rodgers’ decorated resume is part of the conversation here.
Rodgers said in mid-November he wanted to keep playing beyond 2024, comments in line with his previous New York-era stances, but walked that back last week by noting he was not yet sure. The increasingly outspoken QB also said he wanted to play for Ulbrich in New York again next season, though he stopped short (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) of ruling out playing for another coach in 2025. Considering how poorly the Jets have fared, Ulbrich has next to no chance of returning as their HC. The team has already brought in The33rdteam.com’s Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman to run the upcoming searches, one that will undoubtedly tab outside HC and GM hires.
This is potentially the least amount of leverage Rodgers has held in his NFL career. After being given considerable power upon being traded to New York, Rodgers has not shown much of his MVP-level form. That continued Sunday, when the 20th-year veteran missed a wide-open Garrett Wilson for a score and then threw a pick-six to Leonard Williams on the ensuing play. Likely on his way out after two Jets seasons, Rodgers profiles as a lame duck.
The Jets appear prepared to eat the second-most dead money for a single player in NFL history ($49MM) next year to start fresh. For what it’s worth, Ulbrich attributes (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) much of Rodgers’ struggles this season to the injuries he has sustained. Rodgers has battled hamstring, knee and ankle maladies this season. Though, he was off Gang Green’s injury report in Week 13.
Rodgers’ Achilles tear and spate of nagging issues this season will naturally affect his chances of playing in 2025. Interest may well emerge for a diminished version of the four-time MVP, but a free agency foray is highly unlikely to approach the level of interest Tom Brady did when he hit the market ahead of an age-43 season in 2020. That and maybe Warren Moon‘s 1997 free agency bid (when the former Oilers and Vikings starter joined the Seahawks before his age-41 campaign) are about the only parallels to what a Rodgers FA effort may look like.
As for this season, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds Woody Johnson may not have confined his calls for a Rodgers benching to merely the post-Week 4 effort. Johnson making another push for the high-priced passer to be benched for Tyrod Taylor would obviously be notable, as it certainly increases the likelihood Rodgers is off the Jets’ roster next year. It also could point to ownership again intervening at QB late this season.
Although a recent report attempted to pour cold water on the drama between Johnson and Rodgers, the 77-year-old owner has taken considerable heat for impeding former GM Joe Douglas during the final year of his run. Johnson’s outsized role figures to be a key topic when interviews for the Jets’ GM and HC positions begin.
It’s all so stupid. I’m not happy with the Rodgers situation, I didn’t want him in the first place, and it’s gone terribly, but he’s also still been their best QB in ages. He’s been worse than you want from Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers and he’s held back what the offense even does, but he hasn’t been as bad as some make him out to be. The team has also been overrun with injuries, sloppy penalties, bad kicking, and other problems, and people are too quick to act like all of the team’s woes are Rodgers’ fault. And I say that as a Jets fan who dislikes the guy and hopes to see him leave. Woody Johnson needs to find another hobby and leave football management to people who know anything about football and/or management.
At this point an early spot in the draft is all the Jets can salvage from this season so they might as well just keep losing with Rodgers.
AR can’t move in the pocket to extend plays, and taking needless sacks. He isn’t running. Defenses have much less to worry about. Plus he let’s the play clock go down to zero every play. He’s aged past the modern NFL
It sucks because they have so much talent on that team, they underperformed and made a huge mistake letting Rodgers come in and run the show. Shame, I thought they’d be able to win a bunch of games if they were a run heavy team..the defense is a real head scratcher this year too.
I’m of the belief that many of the Jets woes can be attributed to Rodgers, but that belief is more rooted in what he’s done to the chemistry of the team than his play. Aaron never takes accountability for anything. Plus, he has a ton of pull. It kinda creates a double standard in the locker room, and I don’t know how that goes over.
I generally agree with you, and giving the mega star treatment to a guy who’s merely solid is a problem, but the team has been a lot sloppier since Saleh was fired–which wouldn’t have happened if not for a couple of bad kicks–and seems like it maybe wasn’t actually Rodgers’ doing.
Oof is right. I’ve been saying it for some time, but I also don’t know what:
1. The GM is supposed to do when the owner blocks his moves
2. The coach is supposed to do when the owner fired him before a game for first place in the division at the time
3. The quarterback is supposed to do when the owner makes several attempts to have him benched throughout the year
It seems to me that the most common denominator is not somebody who is supposed to be either playing or managing the roster. This is not even considering what the offense is supposed to do when the kicker’s leg drops out, but you figure that whatever the individual mistakes were from Douglas, Rodgers, or even Saleh, the team probably could have overcome them in the long run. At least, they could have had a chance to. Johnson just…I mean, in what world did he think that any of this would help? Who told him that? Tepper?
Rogers really is Favre 2.0
Really it seemed like Favre took the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC championship game
At least Rodgers hasn’t sent any pictures of his junk to team employees… that we know of.
Farce is ripping off the system in Mississippi, claiming brain damage, pathetic.
Next up? The Vikings!
So if the owner wants Rodgers benched & they won’t do it, are they gonna fire the interim coach, make Rodgers the interim interim coach, and tell him to bench himself?
Terrible draft for a QB needy team.
Ya hate to see it.
Let Jordan Travis cook.
I lean towards agreeing, but usually two or more franchise-caliber QBs come out of each draft class. If not, there’s at least one, even if by accident (see Purdy in 2022). Oftentimes the more hyped classes end up with fewer success stories while the classes in which the QBs are afterthoughts end up producing a few quality passers. Look at 2020. It was thought of as a solid class, but it was pretty much Burrow and then everyone else. It had nowhere near the hype of 2018 or 2021, and it’s been light years better than 2021 and arguably better overall than 2018 depending on how one feels about Darnold and Mayfield.
While you may be right – that still is a less than optimal way to build a team “ hope this guy makes it”
Isn’t that kind of the hope for every drafted QB though? Teams identify a guy with traits they think translate to the NFL and fit their preferences, then they have to help develop them. It’s pretty rare a guy walks in week 1 and sets the league on fire.
I think you would rather trust your scouting.
There is a reason why teams trade up for better regarded qbs.
Its gotta exact science….but surely you agree.
Of course, but no one can trust their scouting department 100% because there is no such thing as a “sure thing” based on tape alone. There is as much an onus on development, mental makeup, personnel, coaching, ability to stay healthy, etc. as scouting. And I think everyone has to admit a little luck is involved, too, because the evidence shows it’s still a bit of a crapshoot.
I think Josh Allen is a prime example. The tape was questionable, the metrics were questionable, etc., but the Bills believed in the traits and obviously the makeup, and developed him into a QB on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
If im starting over, I want a QB rich class.
Ill take those chances more often.
Im not sure there is a great counter argument here.
Draft Sanders and bring his dad in as coach it’ll be fun to watch
Lol
Woody Johnson’s meddling came up a couple of weeks ago during the Jets’ open date.
Owner wanted Rodgers benched after the loss to Denver? Jets lost when Greg Zuerlein was wide right from 50 in the rain in the final minute.
Robert Saleh out after losing to Minnesota in London? Owner went behind the general manager’s back to get rid of a decent head coach.
Joe Douglas fired followed the last-minute loss to Indianapolis? Owner wanted a scapegoat.
Robert Irsay did this stuff with the Baltimore Colts and it gave them a deserved reputation as a team players didn’t want to go to. Just ask John Elway.
Flacco, Darnold, Geno. You can have any of them back next year. Also, Mark Sanchez is still only 38.
Why would anyone want to work or play for Woody Johnson?
No one wants to, but that guaranteed contract in the millions always works
Dumpster fire organization.
Talking about the New York Football Giants?
Jets/Giants they both have issues. It must be the stadium.