Aaron Rodgers goes public with Jets complaints as franchise spirals with Zach Wilson under center
The New York Jets have struggled in the absence of Aaron Rodgers. He only played four snaps before tearing his achilles, which has derailed the Jets' season.
Rodgers, who is still watching and providing what help he can to the rest of the team, believes they need to grow up. The Jets are a very young team, but the sidelined quarterback said to Pat McAfee that sideline explosions are one thing that cannot happen if they want to have a successful season:
"There’s some heated conversations on the sideline. I think we need to hold our poise a little bit better, really just offensively. We need to not have some of those things happen on the sideline and to be a little better competitors,” Rodgers said.
“There’s been too many little side conversations and we just need to grow up a little bit on offense and lock in and do our jobs. And not point fingers, and that’s everybody. We don’t point fingers at the coaching staff, don’t point fingers at each other, just get back to work and get the job done. It sucks not being there … I feel like if I was there some of those things wouldn’t be happening … it’s more of the side stuff that I don’t like, that I want to see us stick together through the tough times.”
Garrett Wilson was recently seen screaming at now-starting quarterback Zach Wilson on the sideline of a recent loss. The team managed to win the first game that Rodgers initially started, in overtime, but they've since lost two straight.
The Jets are dead last in the division, behind the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills (the team they beat), and the undefeated Miami Dolphins. It's set to be a long season, one that Rodgers would like to see his teammates handle better.
Zach Wilson has struggled in Aaron Rodgers' stead
The New York Jets selected Zach Wilson second overall in 2021, behind Trevor Lawrence. However, he has not had the success the Jets envisioned. This prompted the Jets to bring in Aaron Rodgers during the offseason.
With Rodgers' injury, the team has been forced to turn back to Wilson. He has not risen to the occasion thus far. He's completed just 52.4% of his passes. He has fewer than 500 yards in three games and he's tossed just two touchdowns to four interceptions.
Many felt that Rodgers made the Jets Super Bowl contenders. Now that the smoke has cleared on his injury, it doesn't look as if they will even make the playoffs.
Their division is deep and the AFC is loaded. It could be another long year for the team.