Jets QB Aaron Rodgers says final two weeks will be about ‘who’s on board moving forward and who’s ready to get out’

Following Sunday's 19-9 loss to the Rams, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a message for some of his teammates already looking forward to the offseason.

Dec 22, 2024 - 23:39
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Jets QB Aaron Rodgers says final two weeks will be about ‘who’s on board moving forward and who’s ready to get out’

It has obviously been a tough season for the Jets.

They are 4-11 and will miss the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season with two games remaining.

Following Sunday’s 19-9 loss to the Rams, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a message for some of his teammates already looking forward to the offseason.

“It’s about perspective, and your perspective forms your truth, and your truth makes your reality,” Rodgers said. “The reality of the situation is what it is.

“You perspective is something you can change every single day. What you’re focusing on every single day is the most important thing now. It’s not to change the reality of the situation, 4-11 and out of the playoffs going into an unknown offseason, but we have to figure out what it means to be a professional, I think that’s an important part of building culture.

“The last two weeks, you can really see who’s on board moving forward and who’s ready to get out. It’s just part of the game. I’ve been on a couple of teams and we were out of it and it is interesting to watch the practice habits, the operational habits. It will be interesting conversations in the next couple of weeks, but just focus on the relationships we have with each other and try to finish this thing out like a pro.

I’m not sure who Rodgers was speaking to, but his statement that some players are already looking forward to their winter vacations speaks volumes about the Jets’ culture inside the locker room.

The Jets entered the season with playoff and Super Bowl dreams, but those aspirations blew up in smoke two weeks ago when they were eliminated from playoff contention after losing at Miami. Now, the team is playing for pride during the remainder of the schedule.

Jets owner Woody Johnson fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8, hoping it would ignite a winning streak. However, it did the complete opposite. Since Jeff Ulbrich became interim coach, the Jets have gone 2-8. This also led to the firing of general manager Joe Douglas last month.

Gang Green has struggled offensively, defensively, and on special teams throughout the season, resulting in 10 of its 12 losses.

Last week, the Jets’ culture inside and outside the locker room became even more of a talking point after The Athletic published an article showing the team’s dysfunction behind the scenes.

In the column, an unknown executive said about the Jets, “Unless we drastically alter our culture and the way we do things from the top down, we have no chance. “There’s not a comfortable environment where you can speak your mind and try to address things that could improve the situation. You have to tiptoe around it.”

A Jets spokesperson called the quote “a false premise” and said owner Woody Johnson “welcomes feedback and debate.”

Whatever the Jets’ issues are, they have clearly extended to the football field. In 15 games, the Jets haven’t played complementary football.

That was the case again on Sunday, as the Jets’ defense held the Rams to 19 points, below their season average. Gang Green scored a touchdown on their opening drive but mustered just three points on the six drives following that score.

Rodgers had a chance to lead the Jets to a game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. However, Rams safety Kam Curl sacked Rodgers and forced a fumble that linebacker Jared Verse recovered at the Jets’ 21-yard-line.

Three plays later, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford found tight end Tyler Higbee in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown reception that gave them a 16-9 lead. Joshua Karty later added a 45-yard field goal with 5:17 remaining, which put the Rams up 19-9 and sealed the victory.

Now, the Jets will face division rivals in back-to-back rivals in back-to-back weeks to end the season. They will first travel to Buffalo to play the Bills in Week 17 before hosting the Dolphins in Week 18 in the finale.

However, the Jets front office has already turned the page towards 2025 after interviewing Thomas Dimitroff, Jim Nagy, and Jon Robinson for their vacant general manager position. Whoever the Jets hire as general manager will likely be responsible for picking their next coach.

The future of Rodgers is also in flux because he is not owed any guaranteed money after this season. If the Jets release Rodgers, they would incur a $49 million salary cap hit.

Whatever happens to the Jets moving forward, Rodgers says he has talked to some of the teammates he feels who have already checked out with two games remaining.

“I think you try and say stuff if you care about them,” Rodgers said. “I get it, it has been a rough season for all of us. But there’s a way of going about your business I think that’s important to learn in these adverse times.

“There’s a lot of guys who have been busting their butt off and been locked in and hopefully everyone does that for the last two weeks.”

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