New York Jets
Record: 5-12-0 (3rd in AFC East)
Head Coach: Robert Saleh (Fired After Week 5)
Preseason Expectations:
The New York Jets 2023 season was derailed in just four snaps, when Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles Tendon. An experimental treatment saw Rodgers back throwing a football before the end of the 2023 campaign, with hopes that he could return to being a star in 2024. Sure enough, Rodgers was cleared to start under center in Week 1, when the Jets would take on the reigning NFC Champions: the San Francisco 49ers.
With Rodgers, Garrett Wilson, and a lockdown secondary, the New York Jets were a sneaky pick to make a run if they didn’t implode. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.
A Roller Coaster Season
The Jets got off to a 2-1 start for the first time since 2015, losing to San Francisco 32-19 before defeating the Titans 24-17 and the Patriots 24-3. Outscoring teams 67-52 over the first three games of the season, the Jets were off to solid start. However, a five-game losing streak ultimately derailed the season for New York. In the midst of this losing streak, Jets owner Woody Johnson made the decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh, following the team’s Week 5 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Johnson said in a press conference “This is probably the best team I’ve had in 25 years…I just felt that the best way to go forward was a new direction” (ESPN).
Just hours after the Jets fired Saleh, CBS’s Jonathan Jones reported that Saleh was close to firing offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett just before he was fired. (CBS Sports). This revelation started up a mill of conspiracies, with many thinking Saleh was fired to protect Hackett—a friend of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Regardless of the rumors, the Jets season continued without things on the field improving.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich went 0-3 over the next three matchups, losing to the eventual division champion Buffalo Bills in a close 23-20 contest, then falling to the wild card bound Pittsburgh Steelers 37-15 and the AFC East basement dwelling New England Patriots 25-22.
Despite having Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis, the Jets had the second fewest yards on the ground, rushing for 1,561 yards across 17 games (91.8 yards per game). Recognizing the need for reinforcements early, the Jets acquired Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders following week 6.
Adams led all Jets receivers in targets with 114 after being traded, becoming the team’s number one wide receiver. The return of the Adams and Rodgers pairing was seen as a huge opportunity for the Jets to right the ship and bring the team back to the playoffs. However, the emphasis on Davante Adams led to Garrett Wilson becoming a neglected weapon.
Neglecting Wilson caused a bigger issue within the Jets locker room. A heated discussion on the sidelines in training camp didn’t destroy the relationship between the wide receiver and quarterback, but the acquisition of Davante Adams certainly made the situation more complicated.
Back in December, Wilson was reportedly, “Frustrated at the lack of looks from Rodgers while wondering what else he can do to fix the relationship…Those who study the film will notice him being open while the ball goes elsewhere.” (Rapoport).
One of the more “memeable” moments of the Jets season came following the Jets loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. After a game in which the Jets missed 20 tackles, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich tried to bring back the fundamentals, and cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner took exception to that.
The 2nd year cornerback said: “We know how to tackle. We know how to tackle. We gotta make the tackles. That’s really it. We’ve been doing it. We really don’t need no presentation. I know where he’s coming from when he did it but us as professional athletes, we gotta be able to make tackles, me included for sure.” (New York Jets).
As the Jets continued to underperform on the field, more damning rumors circulated off the field. Jets owner Woody Johnson became the focus of the two latest Jets conspiracies, with the first being his attempt to get quarterback Aaron Rodgers benched. ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported, “Johnson’s suggestion…triggered different reactions. One source, who attended the meeting, indicated that it was “said in jest in a provocative nature.” Others in the meeting interpreted it differently” (ESPN).
Whether said in jest or in the most serious of intentions, the internal distractions had to create some unrest within the Jets building. As the Jets improved to 4-10 following a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Woody Johnson’s name was back in the headlines for the wrong reasons once again.
The most damning story to come out of the Meadowlands this season was The Athletic’s in-depth look into Jets operations behind the scenes. Allegations included that Woody Johnson relying on Madden ratings to determine what players the Jets should sign, Johnson’s son Brick was the “de-facto GM” of the Jets, and the Joe Douglas “answered to a Teenager” (The Athletic).
While Johnson has denied these allegations, the consensus remained that the Jets have been a disaster for the longest time. Of course, Johnson and the Jets are going to try and right the ship once again in 2025.
Moving Forward
For a team like the Jets, the most important thing is to find some stability. Since making two consecutive AFC Conference Championships in 2009-2010, the Jets have fallen and never recovered. Over the past 14 seasons, the Jets have finished with a record of 82-146, or a 5.8-10.4 average record over the course of the same time period.
The Jets have had five head coaches over that time, and only Todd Bowles’ 2015 Jets have held a record over .500. Gang Green currently has the longest active playoff drought in not only the NFL, but the entirety of the United States big-four sports (NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB).
At the time of writing, the Jets do not have a head coach or a general manager. They also might not have a starting quarterback if Aaron Rodgers leaves the team. Whether that be for retirement or to follow in his predecessor Brett Favre’s shoes—going to a Packers division rival—rumors are circulating that Rodgers will not be back in New York next season. (NFL.com).
While rookie quarterback Jordan Travis could be given the chance to start in 2025, that relies on the uncertainty that he heals from the leg injury that cost him his entire rookie season. Sitting at seventh in the draft, the Jets aren’t currently in a position to select a quarterback. Could New York see a reunion with a former first round pick in Sam Darnold? Or will the Jets look to have another stop-gap veteran while they wait for a better quarterback class?
With Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson possibly out after the 2025 season, do the Jets get lucky and have wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan fall into their laps? Or could they go offensive line with tackles Kelvin Banks Jr. or Will Campbell?
At this point in the offseason, there are too many questions for the Jets to answer before you can say where they are going in 2025. Many players seem to want out. Rex Ryan seems like the only person who wants to be a New York Jet next season (Bleacher Report), and even if he does get the job as the Jets head coach, it’s a long way back to the top for New York.
