After watching the New York Jets lose by one point to the Denver Broncos to improve their record to 2-2, team owner Woody Johnson called an internal meeting with the organization’s top football officials.
In that meeting held after the September 30 loss, Johnson, concerned about the direction of the team, brought up the idea of benching star quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Johnson’s suggestion, first reported by The Athleticprovoked various reactions. A source at the meeting said it was “spoken in a joking and provocative manner.” Others at the meeting interpreted it differently.
One source said Johnson seemed serious, while another mentioned that “if Woody really wanted Rodgers on the bench, he would have been.”
Rodgers survived the threat — it’s unclear if he really knew about it — but two people at the meeting are no longer with the team. Eight days later, Johnson fired head coach Robert Saleh after more than three seasons. On Tuesday, general manager Joe Douglas suffered the same fate after more than five seasons in the position.
One of the NFL’s biggest disappointments, the Jets (3-8) will be in the midst of several changes this offseason. Johnson announced Tuesday that the search for a new CEO is already underway.
The September 30 meeting, previously reported by ESPNproved to be a defining moment in the season. It created tension in the organization, with a source saying at the time that Johnson wanted to find someone to blame for the team’s woes.
Typically, Johnson met with Douglas and Saleh after each game. This time the meeting was on a larger scale. It included the three coordinators and other members of management, which changed the importance of this meeting. People were stunned when Rodgers’ status was mentioned.
The four-time NFL MVP didn’t play particularly well in the 10-9 loss to the Broncos, a game in which the Jets failed to score a touchdown. The idea of replacing him with Tyrod Taylor seemed extreme, however.
Two weeks later, the Jets made a major trade to help Rodgers by acquiring his close friend Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. Johnson pushed for the trade to go through by agreeing to pay more than $11 million of Adams’ 2024 salary.
Johnson recently said this team was his best in his 25 years of ownership, expressing confidence – even after firing Saleh – that it would end the team’s 13-year drought without making the playoffs. The Jets are very close to being mathematically eliminated, but the team should still continue to be in the spotlight due to the presence of Rodgers.
Rodgers, who turns 41 on Dec. 2, noted he would like to play in 2025, but it probably won’t be with the Jets. A source said she would be “shocked” if Johnson retained the services of Rodgers, who is having the worst season of his career.
