The 2024 season has exposed the flaws of Aaron Rodgers’ tenure with the New York Jets. It’s time for the franchise to move on.
The arrival of Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets was met with high hopes. After years of mediocrity at the quarterback position, Rodgers was expected to bring stability, leadership, and a championship mindset. However, nearly two years into the experiment, the reality has been far from what the Jets envisioned. As the 2024 season heads into its final stretch, it’s become clear: the Rodgers experiment has been a massive failure, and it’s time for the Jets to end it for good.
The Decline of a Legend
Aaron Rodgers, a future Hall of Famer, was once regarded as one of the most talented quarterbacks in NFL history. However, time waits for no man, and even the greatest of athletes must eventually succumb to the ravages of age. By the time Rodgers joined the Jets in 2023, his performance had already begun to show signs of decline. The 2022 season with the Green Bay Packers saw him throw 12 interceptions, his highest total in years, and the Packers missed the playoffs.
Despite the warning signs, the Jets traded for Rodgers, hoping his veteran presence would be enough to push them over the top. But after just four snaps in 2023, Rodgers tore his Achilles, sidelining him for most of the season. Fast forward to 2024, and the Jets are left with a 3-8 record, with Rodgers looking far from the player he once was.
A Disappointing 2024 Campaign
Rodgers’ struggles have continued into the 2024 season. With only 17 touchdowns to his name and seven interceptions, his stats don’t paint a picture of a quarterback who can lead a team to the playoffs, let alone a Super Bowl. His average of 6.4 yards per attempt and lack of 300-yard passing games show a quarterback who no longer has the arm strength or consistency to dominate defenses.
In a particularly disappointing 28-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Rodgers was outdueled by Anthony Richardson, who had been benched earlier in the season. Rodgers’ performance was marked by uncertainty, and he struggled to find any rhythm, completing only 184 yards in the game. After the loss, Rodgers himself admitted to being disappointed with the season but avoided directly calling it a “shocking” experience, instead offering a cryptic, “I’m just going to echo that I’m disappointed.”
Time for the Jets to Cut Their Losses
The writing is on the wall: the Jets cannot afford to go into the 2025 season with Rodgers at quarterback. While Rodgers may still want to play, his declining performance, coupled with his Achilles injury and his age—he turns 41 in December—makes it clear that the best course of action is to part ways.
The Jets are stuck with a hefty $23.5 million contract for 2025, and cutting or trading him would still result in a significant cap hit. However, the franchise cannot afford to tie up their future in a quarterback who can no longer perform at a high level. They need to start fresh with a new quarterback and begin the long process of rebuilding. If Rodgers is willing to retire gracefully, the Jets can move on without any further complications. But if he insists on continuing to play, the team should consider all options to move forward without him.
A New Beginning for the Jets
The failure of the Rodgers experiment should signal a fresh start for the New York Jets. With a new head coach and general manager likely on the horizon, the Jets need to tear down their roster and rebuild from the ground up. The front office, led by Joe Douglas, took a huge gamble by trading for Rodgers, and it hasn’t paid off. Now, it’s time to cut their losses and focus on the future.
It’s a lesson learned the hard way: betting on an aging, eccentric quarterback who has no Super Bowl rings with his new team is a risky proposition. Unlike the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who hit the jackpot with Tom Brady, the Jets have no such luck. It’s time to admit that this experiment has failed and move forward with a new vision for the franchise.
