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Two wins. That’s the extent New York Jets regime of general manager Joe Douglas, head coach Robert Saleh, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers got to enjoy together after Rodgers was brought into town in April 2023 (the Jets have three wins this year but one came after Saleh was fired).
After firing head coach Robert Saleh after the Jets’ 2-3 start to the season, embattled team owner Woody Johnson has now fired general manager Joe Douglas, signaling yet another full rebuild of the organization.
Hired in June 2019, Douglas went 30-64 as the Jets general manager with no winning seasons and no playoff appearances.
“Today, I informed Joe Douglas he will no longer serve as the General Manager of the New York Jets. I want to thank Joe for his commitment to the Jets over the last six years and wish him and his family the best moving forward,” Johnson said in a statement.
It’s been a disastrous turn of events for the Jets, who entered the 2024 season with expectations of not only breaking a 13-year-long playoff drought but even potentially contending for an AFC title. Now they’re playing meaningless football games before Thanksgiving rolls around and have arguably the worst vibes in the entire NFL.
Laughing stock
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) November 19, 2024
There’s truly no telling how far back the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers has set back the team, as they were previously considered as being a “quarterback away” from contention and are now facing the prospect of a total rebuild, making it potentially difficult to re-sign young stars such as cornerback Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner (who has stunningly regressed this season), wide receiver Garrett Wilson, and the defensive duo of the Williams brothers.
Having watched previously drafted quarterbacks likes Geno Smith and Sam Darnold go on to thrive elsewhere (god help them if Zach Wilson turns it around), the Jets have to, once again, search for an ever elusive franchise QB, likely through the draft.
Who will quarterback the team next season? Maybe a rookie, maybe a journeyman, but whoever it is, the Jets will head into another season not knowing if the solution is on their team. Rodgers has indicated that he wants to stick around next season, but based on the tape he’s put together so far, any GM worth their salt will see that the 40-year-old four-time MVP is well and truly washed.
Who knows what this team would’ve looked like if they pursued Derek Carr instead of Rodgers in the 2023 offseason? No one ever will. But what Jets fans do know is that the Aaron Rodgers experiment has wound up being one of the biggest disasters in the franchise’s history. But, hey, at least they traded for Davante Adams before the trade deadline.