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The New York Jets lost again in Week 13, falling 26-21 to the Seattle Seahawks. After opening up a 21-7 lead, they allowed 19 unanswered points and fell to 3-9. Their offense was not able to get rolling in the second half, largely thanks to poor play from Aaron Rodgers. After the game, head coach Jeff Ulbrich said he would not bench the quarterback yet. What does Aaron Rodgers think about potentially hitting the bench?
“Yeah, I don't know. We'll figure that out when we have those conversations,” Rodgers said, per Rich Cimini of ESPN. “I'll have a conversation with [Ulbrich] if that's what he's thinking.” Cimini continued, “Rodgers declined to comment on how he'd react, saying it's hypothetical. He did say he wants to keep playing and that he feels ‘as good as I've felt all season' from a physical standpoint.”
The idea of benching Aaron Rodgers is not a new idea. In the aftermath of Joe Douglas' firing, a report from The Athletic detailed a meeting involving Woody Johnson after Week 4. The owner wanted to bench the quarterback after a brutal 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos. Douglas and then-coach Robert Saleh did not bench him and Saleh was fired the next week.
The game against the Seahawks was one of Rodgers' worst of the season and the playoffs are all but gone. It makes sense to bench Rodgers now, as the Jets may have him next season.
Jets need to prioritize next season in December
The Jets and Aaron Rodgers have not been a marriage made in heaven. While his first year was lost to a torn Achilles, the second year had high expectations. After s 2-1 start, it has been a miserable season for the Jets and they could move on from the 41-year-old. But the salary cap consequences of cutting him are severe. If they are going to have him next year, they should bench him now.
The only way the Jets have a chance to win games in 2025 is with a healthy and capable Aaron Rodgers. He has been miserable this season, showing no mobility and poor accuracy. Rodgers has expressed interest in coming back to the Jets even though the team may want to move on.
The future of the Jets is a murky swamp of politics and poor football. Woody Johnson may be the Ambassador to England again, as he was from 2016 to 2020. If that continues, Christopher Johnson could be making the decision again.
He could be the guy who chooses whether the new regime is pro-Rodgers or anti-Rodgers. Benching him now gives the new group a choice while putting him out there could get him hurt and make it not a conversation.
