Latest unhinged Aaron Rodgers report proves New York Jets problems start at very top

The New York Jets once had all-time great strategist Bill Belichick as their head coach, but that relationship was over before it even began.

Moments before his introductory press conference, Belichick infamously scribbled on a sheet of loose-leaf paper that he was resigning as “HC of the NYJ” and handed it to team officials. 

Belichick would later suggest that his decision to decline the job had to do with the team’s new owners, Woody and Christopher Johnson. Belichick had learned his lesson about working with poor ownership during his tumultuous tenure as head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Since then, it’s become evident that Belichick was wise to escape while he could. Under Woody Johnson’s reign, the Jets have been steeped in dysfunction. The 2024 season has served as a shining reminder of that reality.

New York began the 2024 season with Super Bowl aspirations. Although the roster has enough talent to contend for a championship, it takes much more than talent to win in the NFL. The Jets have produced just three wins in three months, and they are now being led by an interim general manager and an interim head coach.

Recent reports have provided insight into the dysfunction that has riddled the Jets organization throughout their disappointing campaign.

Woody Johnson wanted to bench Aaron Rodgers after Week 4

During a meeting with coaches and executives after a Week 4 loss, Johnson proposed benching quarterback Aaron Rodgers in favor of backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor, The Athletic reported on Tuesday. 

One coach reportedly found the suggestion so “absurd” that he asked if Johnson was serious. Despite their 10-9 loss against the Denver Broncos, New York still held a 2-2 record at the time. The team’s staff managed to talk Johnson out of it, suggesting that benching a future Hall of Fame player would not sit well with the locker room. 

The Jets lost to the Minnesota Vikings in the following week, but they still had an opportunity to take first place in the AFC East with a win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. Instead, Johnson made the unilateral decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh before that game. 

Johnson made that decision without informing general manager Joe Douglas, who had been stripped of his power since the 2023 season. During the offseason, Douglas wanted to sign defensive end Bryce Huff to a contract extension but was overruled by ownership. Huff’s departure led the Jets to trade for Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker Haason Reddick, who held out for most of the season. 

Johnson had already fired assistant general manager Rex Hogan, who had an extremely close relationship with Douglas, during the offseason. Jets director of player personnel Chad Alexander also left for an assistant general manager role with the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Woody should just fire me now,” Douglas told Jets staffers, according to The Athletic. After the team fell to a 3-8 record in Week 11, Johnson obliged. Senior personnel advisor Phil Savage was named as the interim general manager after Johnson fired Douglas.

New York began the season with a 2-3 record with Saleh. Since his firing, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich has guided the Jets to five losses in six games, two of which came against teams with a losing record.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how much talent the Jets acquire. With an overbearing and unhinged owner, any team would be destined to fail. Until ownership changes, there is no general manager, head coach or Hall of Fame player who will be able to snap the team’s soon-to-be 14-year playoff drought, which is tied for the longest active streak in the four major North American professional sports leagues.