Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets are somehow having a worst season than the 2023-2024 campaign, when they finished with a dissapointed 7-10 record after they lost the former NFL MVP in their season opener.
Currently, the Jets have an awful 4-12 record which puts them on 3rd place of the AFC East, only ahead of the terrible New England Patriots.
Former New York Jets No. 1 pick wonders “what the hell is wrong” with Aaron Rodgers after he ‘quit’ on his team
Their most recent loss came at the hands of state rival Buffalo Bills (13-3, one of the best records in the league) with an embarrasing score of 40-14, after allowing 28 second-half points. Buffalo dominated the game wire to wire, taking advantage of three Jets turnovers and multiple short fields while clinching the AFC’s No. 2 seed for the postseason.
Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said that the Bills got the Jets in every way, outcoached them and outplayed them.
“I thought the effort wasn’t the issue. It was the execution, it was all of it. We’ll take a good, hard look at the film and assess what exactly happened, but it we didn’t play well enough by any means, in any facet in any of the three phases.” Ulbrich said.
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Keyshawn Johnson goes off on Aaron Rodgers
With the Jets trailing 40-0 early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Bills, Rodgers admitted that he pulled himself out of the game. His backup Tyrod Taylor entered the game and led the Jets on two touchdown drives.
Rodgers asking to be benched drew the ire of former Jets No.1 draft pick in 1996 Keyshawn Johnson on FS1’s Speak on Monday afternoon. He likened the situation to 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who refused to enter a game earlier this season.
“You decide to take your ball and go home because you aren’t getting your way (…) You quit on your team, man, I am not goint to be nice to Aaron Rodgers right there. You are being paid a lot of money to be on the field with your teammates.” Johnson said.
He went even further to say that he tought Rodgers was on a mission to convince the Jets that he should come back this season after he missed the team’s entire 2023 season because he injured his Achilles in Week 1. “Based on what he did Sunday, I don’t want to be nowhere near him.” Johnson expressed.
The Super Bowl XXXVII champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers criticized the fact that Rodgers left the game because he basically checked out on his teammates and the Jets organization.
“He took his ball and went home because he wasn’t getting his way and the Bills were kicking his rear end. What the hell is wrong with Aaron Rodgers? I don’t want to have anything to do with him, That to me is unacceptable. Getting the coach fired, not being happy with your receiver, all of that is cool, but deciding not to play anymore and throw his teammates under fire (…) I won’t accept that” Keyshawn concluded.
A little hope for the Jets with a backup quarterback
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who replaced Rodgers in the final frame, finished with 83 yards and 2 passing touchdowns, while lining up primarily against Buffalo’s reserves.
“Going out and competing, as a competitor, that’s what you love to do,” Taylor said. “Obviously you never want it to be at the cost of an injury or at a blowout, but when your number is called, you have to go out there and perform. It was good to get out there and put some plays on film. Proud of the way the guys responded.”
The Jets will take the field one last time in the 2024 season when they host the Dolphins in Week 18. The start date and time is to be determined.
