When the New York Jets brought in Aaron Rodgers during the 2023 offseason, hopes were sky high for the first time in a long time in the Big Apple.
The media hype leading up to the trade with Green Bay was as intense as we’d seen in some time. So, watching from the sideline at how the past two years have played out, it’s easy to understand a certain level of disappointment and anger at how it’s ending.
Rodgers came in and got everything he wanted without hesitation from then-general manager Joe Douglas, with owner Woody Johnson’s blessing.
The Jets were more than willing to give Rodgers the contract extension that the Packers passed on. They brought in some of Rodgers’ favorite teammates from Green Bay and even picked up his old offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, off the scrap heap.
New York allowed Rodgers to have his way in every way imaginable. All they’ve got to show for it after two years is five wins, one lost season due to injury and more Rodgers headlines for off-field engagement the Jets could’ve imagined. Rodgers has had far more publicity (good or bad) for what he’s said in the media, especially on his buddy, Pat McAfee’s ESPN show.
While Rodgers’s first full season leading the Jets onto the field hasn’t been as bad statistically as it seems, we surely haven’t seen much of the greatness of years past. Rodgers’ completion percentage is the lowest in his career, dating back to 2008 when he became the Packers’ full-time starting quarterback.
He’s also averaging the second-fewest yards per game (234.1) of his career. In 2022, Rodgers averaged just 217.4 ypg, which wound up being his last in Green Bay.
After Rodgers’ final season in Green Bay, it was clear that he wasn’t the same MVP-caliber player he’d been previously. But the Jets just had to have him and went to any lengths necessary to acquire the Super Bowl winner and four-time league MVP. However, the Jets were paying for an inferior model.
Then in his first game with the team, Rodgers tore his Achilles and the writing should have been on the wall then.
At the time Rodgers was 39 years old with an injury that’s tough for a 24-year-old to recover from. He even teased fans and teammates with talk of coming back last season although it never happened. For anyone to think Rodgers would return in ’24 and suddenly revert to what he was for so many years with Green Bay was absurd.
And that’s exactly what we’ve seen this season. It should be the end of an era.
Whether Rodgers continues to play is his choice, but it doesn’t need to be in New York. This experiment should be over and the Jets should be looking to move on from him at once following their Week 18 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.
Everything the Jets did to bring Rodgers in, they should be trying even harder to move him along.
Things have gotten so bad with the Jets that rumors have surfaced about wide receiver Garrett Wilson potentially wanting out if Rodgers returns for year three. It’s time for the Jets to cut their losses with Rodgers as he may only play one more year regardless of where that may be.
Wilson is 24 and has many productive years left in front of him. It’s time to put an end to A-Rod’s reign of terror.
