There would be no discussion. It’s not controversial, in any case. If all this determined whether or not Aaron Rodgers returned to quarterback on Jets next season, this is what the future 41-year-old could do on the pitch, Aaron Glenn And Darren Mougey would welcome him with open arms.
But that’s simply not the case. There’s more to Rodgers than just quarterback. This is why the Jets now have their new head coach and general managerthey must determine if their new start also includes the under center.
There’s nothing simple about it.
Rodgers can still play. He can still play at a pretty high level. He’s not the player who collected four MVP awards during his two decades in Green Bay, but so few are. Up front: He’s an above-average starting quarterback at this point in his career. There’s reason to believe he can be better than that.
With a quarterback rating of 90.5 last season, Rodgers totaled 3,897 yards with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He completed 63 percent of his passes. He did this despite injuries to both knees, his ankle and his hamstring, which were the most strain one could have with the muscle still attached to the bone.
Let’s put these numbers into perspective. His yardage ranked third in Jets franchise history, as did his touchdowns. His completion percentage and grade rank seventh among Jets quarterbacks to throw at least 200 passes.
You might not win again because of Rodgers. But you can absolutely still win with him.
There aren’t many alternatives that could provide an obvious boost to the former. Sam Darnold will not come back. The Vikings don’t trade JJ McCarthy. Daniel Jones And Derek Carr are not as good. The Jets don’t seem to be able to draft Cam Room (Miami) or Shedeur Sanders (Colorado).
There’s a compelling argument for moving back, considering how the Jets roster looks when healthy (line, backfield, receivers, defense). Try again. Rodgers himself said his best option would be a third year with the Jets.
It’s never possible to connect the dots with this team.
There’s a lot more to Rodgers than what he does between the lines. He is very opinionated, justified given his professional achievements. He wants things to be done a certain way. One of the reasons he joined the Jets was because they offered him the opportunity to run the offense he wanted with the players he wanted. He demands excellence. He holds others accountable to a degree that some are uncomfortable with.
When his opinions are not heard, excellence is not achieved and accountability is not respected…he speaks out. Publicly, privately and nationally The Pat McAfee Show. Sometimes these conversations stray from what the public deems acceptable. This leads to criticism. Criticisms which then fall on the organization.
The Jets had no problem with any of this in Rodgers’ first two years. That’s when they felt he was going to lead them to the Super Bowl. A debut that ended after four snaps and a sophomore year that ended with just five wins changed things.
Rodgers’ relationship with the owner Woody Johnson is tense. Some believe Johnson, while deferring to his general manager and head coach, would prefer a complete organizational reset.
Glenn for Robert Saleh was the first part. Mougey for Joe Douglas was part 2. Rodgers would complete the trilogy.
The Jets are sick of hearing it. This playoff drought, which has now lasted 14 years, is the longest in professional sports. Failed coaches, general managers and quarterbacks, horrible drafts, rash decisions and ill-timed injuries have all contributed.
This team thinks they have the players. They now feel that they have a coach to lead them and a manager to complete the architectural structure of the workforce. In the NFL, however, that means nothing without a quarterback.
Maybe the Jets have one. Maybe they need to find one.
They need to understand this now.
