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The New York Jets are 3-8 coming out of their bye week. They've fired their head coach, they just fired their general manager, and there's a chance they end up benching their starting quarterback because their owner no longer believes in him. That quarterback is, of course, four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, whose a future NFL Hall of Famer but he's been pedestrian, to say the least, for the Jets in 2024.
You can't take away anything from Rodgers in 2023. He suffered a freak Achilles injury just four snaps into the regular season, so frankly, the Jets' disappointing 7-10 record that season had nothing to do with him. If anything, he deserves credit for coming back from that injury in the shape that he did at 40 years old.
With that in context, New York's results in 2024 can very much so be traced by to Rodgers. It's not all on him, of course. Football is a team sport, and the Jets are an inherently flawed team. For instance, despite having a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball, the Jets are giving up 130.1 yards per game on the ground. That means they're the 21st-ranked run defense in the NFL, and that's not a Rodgers problem.
What is a Rodgers problem, though, is that the Jets traded for him hoping that he'd be the missing piece to a Super Bowl run. They probably didn't expect him to be an MVP candidate, but they gave away a haul to get him in return and they also made several personnel decisions with him in mind.
The Jets traded the Green Bay Packers for Rodgers because they thought he'd be their Tom Brady. Rodgers had been compared to Brady multiple times throughout his career, after all. Brady went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won a Super Bowl in his first season.
Throw away 2023 and let's consider 2024 Rodgers' first season with the Jets. This was supposed to be their Super Bowl run. Instead, head coach Robert Saleh was fired after Week 5, general manager Joe Douglas was fired after Week 11 and now there are reports that Rodgers, who says he wants to play in 2025, likely won't be with the Jets next season.
Again, that's not all on Rodgers, but he certainly hasn't lived up to his end of the bargain. He's having the worst statistical season of his career — having thrown for 2,442 yards and 17 touchdowns with seven interceptions and an average passer rating of 88.9 — and his often-times cryptic attitude hasn't helped an already toxic situation in New York.
Even bringing in one of his best friends, wide receiver Davante Adams, hasn't worked. Adams has caught just one touchdown since being traded to the Jets. Bringing him in via trade was yet another example of the Jets mortgaging their future to ensure that Rodgers is happy. Meanwhile, he never looks happy, his future with the organization is absolutely in question, and his once sterling reputation as a quarterback is being ruined week-by-week.
The Jets have lost seven of their last eight and they're quickly running out of responses other than firing everybody. So it makes sense to question whether or not Rodgers would be next on that list. He commands to much respect because of his resume to be cut outright, but he has been banged up this season, so the Jets could certainly help him save face by sending him to the bench or even the injured reserve.
Aaron Rodgers will start for the Jets vs. the Seahawks
That won't yet be the case, according to interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich. Rodgers will “absolutely” start Week 13's matchup with the Seattle Seahawks.
“All I can say — and you'd have to ask Aaron if he's fully healthy — but he's better off today than he's been as of late,” Ulbrich said, via ESPN “So he's definitely feeling healthier than he has for probably the past month. And a healthy Aaron Rodgers is an Aaron Rodgers we all love. So I'm excited about what that looks like.”
This is a smart move, at least short-term, from Ulbrich and the Jets because the last thing they need is a pissed off and offended Rodgers venting on Pat McAfee. That would further tear up the Jets' locker room and it doesn't set a good precedent for future relations with veteran stars the Jets may lure in to help turn things around.
Sure, Rodgers likely won't be here in 2025 and Adams is unlikely to return as well because the Jets would have to pay his $35.6 million salary over the next two seasons if they don't take the $8.3 million dead cap “out” in his contract this offseason.
Heck, it's likely Ulbrich won't be with the Jets either in 2025 because the Jets are 1-5 under his leadership. But letting Rodgers play, at least against the Seahawks, is the right move for this franchise in Week 13.
That's not to say it will be the right move in Week 14 against the Miami Dolphins or for any of the other games on the schedule. The Jets may need to shut Rodgers down for his own protection. Johnson may even decide to shut him down in order to send a message.
Those are all future problems, though, and the Jets are so bad the really don't have the luxury of looking into the future. For now, they need to stay in the good graces of the grouchy, nearly 41 year old quarterback they sold their soul for. This is a relationship that is likely headed for a breakup sooner rather than later, but those bad vibes can wait for another day.
