Jets owner reportedly wanted Aaron Rodgers benched because of poor performance after Broncos game

The New York Jets first fired Robert Saleh a month earlier and now have let go of GM Joe Douglas. Owner Woody Johnson made those moves based on what he felt is the best way forward for his franchise. Now the focus shifts back on to superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers as the losses pile up.

After Saleh’s firing, the team was expected to show response with their playoff hopes diminishing. In the next three losses, the last two of which were embarrassing at best, suggested there were deeper problems the team was struggling with.

The next win against the Houston Texans brought some excitement, as the reconstructed offense looked good. But then, in their last two games, that same offense faltered embarrassingly. The focus has shifted back on the play of Aaron Rodgers. But it seems the owner saw this coming a few weeks ago.

The day after the Jets’ loss to the Denver Broncos, there was a contentious meeting at the team facility. It included Johnson, Douglas, then-head coach Robert Saleh, OC Nathaniel Hackett and others. During the meeting, Johnson suggested to the coaches that they bench Aaron Rodgers in favor of Tyrod Taylor because he felt Rodgers’ performance was holding the team back.

The Athletic on Woody Johnson

As per authors of that article for The Athletic, Zack Rosenblatt and Dianna Russini, Woody Johnson almost forced the coaching staff to bench Aaron Rodgers. But the likes of Saleh, Douglas and the rest of the coaches coaxed him out of that thought.

That move could have had ramifications in the locker room. But it seems, the owner saw the problems much before his staff were ready to accept it. Now in hindsight, had they listened to him, maybe it could have spurred Rodgers to play better.

Jets players seemingly done with season as Aaron Rodgers’ future hangs in balance

Woody Johnson might have seen the signs well before the NFL world saw when Aaron Rodgers struggled to play at his older elite self, but even without considering problems with his play, the team has struggled as a whole. Not one department has worked well and the team now stands with a 3-8 record.

With almost no hopes of making the playoffs, players were about to head into their bye week. But at their practice facilities, they were made aware of the firing of GM Joe Douglas. Sources aware of the mood at the franchise revealed this to SNY TV’s Connor J Hughes.

Now, you have a team sources described to SNY as ‘checked out.’ Players aren’t angry or annoyed at their 3-8 record. They’re, as one person described, ‘just ready for it to be over.’

Connor J Hughes wrote

The writer also noted that his sources told him the team also preferred to move on from Aaron Rodgers. With Johnson seemingly on board with the idea, this could be the final few games of the four-time MVP’s career. The New York Jets is looking towards a full-fledged rebuild.