The Aaron Rodgers era with the New York Jets, which began with so much promise and excitement, has quickly devolved into an unmitigated disaster. The latest embarrassment, a 40-14 shellacking at the hands of the Buffalo Bills in which Rodgers was benched in the fourth quarter, made it abundantly clear – the Jets must move on from the washed-up former MVP as soon as possible.
Sunday’s loss was rock bottom in a season full of new lows for Rodgers and the Jets. The 41-year-old quarterback, acquired in a blockbuster offseason trade, looked completely cooked. He threw two ugly interceptions, was sacked in the end zone for a safety, and even drew a late hit penalty in the loss. But the most telling moment came when backup Tyrod Taylor replaced Rodgers in the fourth quarter and immediately led a touchdown drive, finding star receiver Garrett Wilson for the score.
Wilson’s reaction said it all. The young wideout, who is reportedly already fed up with Rodgers, laid on the ground for an extra beat after catching the TD pass, seemingly relieved to finally find the end zone without the cantankerous veteran under center. The entire Jets team looked liberated with Rodgers on the sideline. The vibe instantly changed.
The Rodgers-Wilson Rift
Reports surfaced Sunday morning, before the Bills debacle, that Wilson is planning to request a trade if the Jets retain Rodgers for next season. The alleged rift stems from a lack of “common ground” and chemistry between the two, dating back to a training camp dispute when Rodgers skipped OTAs to vacation in Egypt.
Wilson has managed to eke out his third 1,000-yard season in three years, but much of that was due to his clear-cut role as WR1 before the Jets brought over Davante Adams in Week 7.
– Melissa Jacobs, The Guardian
Since Adams’ arrival, Wilson’s targets and production have steadily declined. It’s not due to any drop-off in ability from the ultra-talented wideout, but rather the Jets handing complete control of the franchise over to Rodgers and his hand-picked guys like Adams, Allen Lazard, and OC Nathaniel Hackett.
A Rotten Culture
Throughout this dismal season, Rodgers has done nothing but complain and point fingers. He’s whined about teammates, coaches, media members – you name it. The toxic culture that owner Woody Johnson has cultivated certainly didn’t help matters, but injecting a diva like Rodgers into the mix poured gasoline on the fire.
- Johnson fired coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start…in a 30-second phone call
- The Jets passed on trading for Jerry Jeudy due to his poor Madden rating
- Johnson, not the coaches, decides who plays based on his personal whims
The Jets young core – Wilson, Sauce Gardner, Breece Hall, and others – deserve far better than this circus. They need a fresh start, as far away from Rodgers as possible, to have any chance of salvaging their Jets careers and sanity.
Where Do The Jets Go From Here?
The path forward is clear – the Jets must aggressively move on from Rodgers this offseason, even if it means eating a massive amount of dead cap space. The relationship is broken beyond repair. Keeping the grumpy old gunslinger around any longer will only do further damage to the franchise’s culture and on-field product.
New York’s first order of business needs to be finding the right head coach to begin the extensive rebuilding process. After the Nathaniel Hackett fiasco, it’s difficult to imagine any high-end candidates wanting to attach themselves to the dysfunction Woody Johnson and Rodgers have created. A full teardown and franchise reset feels inevitable.
The Jets may have had visions of Super Bowl contention when they landed Rodgers, but the partnership could not have gone worse. They bet big on a fading legend and his oversized ego, and lost in spectacular fashion. It’s a painful lesson, but one the Jets can’t afford to ignore any longer. The Aaron Rodgers era in New York is over – whether he knows it yet or not.
