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The Jets gave their side of the story to SI’s Albert Breer.
Let’s breakdown this report.
“Deep down, both (the Jets brass and Rodgers) knew it would be difficult to mesh the Jets’ desire to turn the page on their recent past with where Rodgers is in his career,” wrote Breer.
Part of that recent past was Rodgers throwing 28 TDs the past year, the same as NFL MVP Josh Allen. The year before that he was IR the whole year aside from one series. So why would he be part of a recent past that needs cleaning? His play wasn’t the problem, it was more a bad defense, line issues and lousy coaching.
“There was no attempt from either side at negotiating a third year for Rodgers with the team,” wrote Breer.
That is strange. Why not? You can want a fresh start as a new regime, but where are you going without a QB? So you are going from somebody who can do the job, to no-man’s land. This might work out great, but if you don’t have a QB in the league, where are you going?
“If you don’t have a guy who can play the position really well, you don’t have a chance, you can’t compete against the best teams in the league,” Hall-of-Fame QB Kurt Warner said recently.
“Contrary to popular belief, Rodgers did have strong relationships in the building, with ex-coach Robert Saleh, team president Hymie Elhai and co-owner Christopher Johnson, among others,” wrote Breer.
Notice he left out Woody Johnson, the owner. The QB and the majority owner don’t have a good relationship. So, it’s accurate that he had a good relationship with those other men, but what does that matter if the relationship is lousy with the man at the top?
“For what it’s worth, the Jets do believe Rodgers still has bullets left in the gun. And, really, a lot of this, again, boils down to goals that don’t really match up,’ Breer wrote.
And how could goals in the NFL ever not match up between the team and the QB? There should be only one goal every year – to win a Super Bowl. That’s it.
“For the Jets, now, it means doubling down on the young core that Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Olu Fashanu, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Quinnen Williams, Quincy Williams, Jermaine Johnson and Sauce Gardner make up, and creating a sustained winner off it,” wrote Breer.
You can have all the talent in the world at other positions, but if you don’t have a QB, where are you going?
“For Rodgers, conversely, it means being with a team that will lean into winning right now, the way the Jets have the last couple years, and the way the Broncos and Buccaneers did years ago behind Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Whether or not that sort of team will be out there for Rodgers is an open question. But after the last two years, the Jets weren’t going to be that team again,” Breer wrote.
Why not? Breer mentioned all that great young talent, so why can’t they be that team?
Breer wrote that Rodgers wanted to be with a team, “that will lean into winning right away” and “the Jets weren’t going to be that team again.”
They are not leaning into “winning right away” this year?
You should always be leaning into “winning right away.”
Not sure who exactly the source was, and his (or their) intentions were good, but not sure I would ever say, you aren’t leaning into winning right away.
Sometimes, when it comes to explaining matters, less is more.
If the new brass wants to move on from Rodgers, that is their right, but some would argue it might be best to just move on, and not overexplain it.
We will see what their plan at QB is. It could turn out to be great. I have no idea.
But as far as I’m concerned, this idea of “goals not matching up” is a foreign concept to me.
The goal every year should be winning the Super Bowl.
End of story.
February 19, 2025
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