The 2023 New York Jets could be encapsulated in two photos: The hopeful beginning, when the flag-waving Aaron Rodgers led his new teammates onto the MetLife Stadium field before the opener, and moments later, when the presumed franchise savior was helped off the turf with a season-ending Achilles injury.
The 2023 New York Jets could be encapsulated in two photos: The hopeful beginning, when the flag-waving Aaron Rodgers led his new teammates onto the MetLife Stadium field before the opener, and moments later, when the presumed franchise savior was helped off the turf with a season-ending Achilles injury.
But in speaking to 30 sources in and around the team, The Athletic is revealing deeper issues that further sabotaged the Jets’ efforts to survive without Rodgers under center.
‘It’s just such a f***ing mess,’ one Jets coach told The Athletic. ‘Something has to change.’
Wednesday’s report paints the Jets as rudderless ship: Sources describe Rodgers as the de facto general manager ahead of the real GM, Joe Douglas, while the quarterback’s hand-picked offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, is accused of losing players’ trust.
What’s more, head coach Robert Saleh is said to be obsessed with negative press, and although he publicly defended backup quarterback Zach Wilson, he’s alleged to have blamed Rodgers’ backup privately for the Jets’ struggles.
Injured Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks on during a January 7 game in New England
Injured Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks on during a January 7 game in New England
Jets head coach Robert Saleh grimaces during the team’s October 29 game against the Giants
Jets head coach Robert Saleh grimaces during the team’s October 29 game against the Giants
The high point of the Jets’ season came in the opener when Rodgers led the team onto the field
The high point of the Jets’ season came in the opener when Rodgers led the team onto the field
Rodgers’ season came to an end in the first quarter against the Bills when he hurt his ankle
Rodgers’ season came to an end in the first quarter against the Bills when he hurt his ankle
The Jets declined to speak to The Athletic about the article, and Rodgers did not respond to requests for an interview.
Instead, anonymous sources including coaches and players spoke out against a toxic football team that did more excuse-making in 2023 than anyone is ready to admit publicly.
One unnamed coach said he was alarmed by Hackett’s paltry level of preparation following the Rodgers injury, saying he’d never seen a team watch so little scouting tape on opponents.
To many, the organization seemed resigned to its fate, even after Wilson pulled out a miraculous season-opening win over the Buffalo Bills in relief of Rodgers.
Hackett, who previously coached Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers, is accused of failing to adjust after the Rodgers injury, instead choosing to game plan as if he still had the four-time MVP at his disposal.
And Hackett wasn’t alone in his deference to Rodgers.
‘That’s what Aaron wants’ was a common phrase around the Jets’ facility in Florham Park, New Jersey, according to the report.
When Rodgers reportedly disagreed with a particular play call during training camp, he’d have the offense reset to do whatever it was that he wanted.
For his part, Saleh was very ‘hands off’ with the offense, according to the report.
A defensive coordinator in San Francisco before being hired by the Jets in 2021, Saleh’s concerns about the offense were primarily limited to Wilson, who reportedly bristled at being reinserted into the starting lineup at the end of the season.
Fearful he’d be hurt behind an injury-depleted offensive line (spoiler: he suffered a concussion), Wilson’s desire to remain off the field after being benched in December eventually leaked to the press, prompting Saleh to hunt for the source.
‘If you come forward now, you won’t get in trouble,’ Saleh reportedly told the team while threatening to take their phones.
The Jets brought in Allen Lazard on a $44 million deal to reunite the receiver with Rodgers
The Jets brought in Allen Lazard on a $44 million deal to reunite the receiver with Rodgers
The source was never revealed, but Saleh’s apparent media paranoia was only growing worse.
Fearful that he’d end up like Vic Fangio, a well-respected defensive coordinator who got the Broncos head-coaching job only to be done in by a lackluster offense, Saleh reportedly became obsessed with the team’s coverage.
Often, The Athletic reported, Saleh would wonder why the New York Giants would receive better press than his team.
Exacerbating matters was the presence of owner Woody Johnson, who not only read the local tabloids, but fan comments on social media as well, before relaying his own concerns to Saleh, according to the report.
As for Douglas, he’s nearly spared in the report, but only because Rodgers is perceived to be calling the shots in Florham Park.
‘Rodgers isn’t the assistant GM,’ one AFC general manager told The Athletic. ‘Joe Douglas is the assistant GM.’
Jets star Garrett Wilson told The Athletic: ‘Whatever happened this season can’t happen again’
Jets star Garrett Wilson told The Athletic: ‘Whatever happened this season can’t happen again’
Not only did the Jets add Hackett in their effort to get Rodgers to agree to a trade before the season, but New York also added former Green Bay receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, not to mention several other ex-Packers as well.
Rodgers also wanted left tackle David Bakhtiari and tight end Marcedes Lewis, but the Jets did not acquire them from Green Bay,
Everyone is coming back in 2024, but Saleh has reportedly made noise about adding to the offensive staff under Hackett.
Whether or not that does the trick is anyone’s guess, but one thing is clear: It’s the Jets’ 31st-ranked offense – and not its third-ranked defense – that is to blame for the disastrous 2023 season.
‘What happened this season can’t happen again,’ receiver Garrett Wilson told The Athletic. ‘We’ve gotta make adjustments in the game, we’ve gotta do things to counter what we’re getting and be able to put points on the board because two years I’ve been here, it’s been tough.
‘Football hasn’t been this hard. When I watch it on the sideline, it don’t look that hard for the other team so we gotta figure out something to get it rolling no matter who is slinging it.’
