Jets aren't ready to send Aaron Rodgers to the sideline as a lost season reaches the home stretch

Updated Dec. 2, 2024 5:19 p.m. ET

Associated Press

Aaron Rodgers celebrated his 41st birthday with the news he's still the New York Jets' starting quarterback.

That's hardly a surprise gift, but it ends some of the speculation that has been growing in recent days from some fans and media who were clamoring for change.

“We have great belief in Aaron, we really do,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Monday. “And we think he gives us the best opportunity to win.”

That’s why the Jets aren’t turning to Tyrod Taylor at this point. Or perhaps even giving practice squad QB Adrian Martinez, the UFL’s MVP last season, a long look.

The locker room, from all indications, has remained positive despite the firings of coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas a month later. And there’s still belief from his teammates that Rodgers can help them pull out some victories as the season hits the home stretch.

“Aaron Rodgers is Aaron Rodgers,” linebacker Jamien Sherwood said. “At the end of the day, he’s still a Hall of Famer to all of us.”

But victories have been few and far between for the struggling Jets, who fell to 3-9 on Sunday with a 26-21 loss to Seattle. It was New York's third straight defeat and eighth in nine games. And it put the Jets perilously closer to the seemingly inevitable reality that they'll miss the postseason for the 14th straight year, the NFL's longest active drought.

Not exactly the results the Jets and their frustrated fans expected when New York acquired Rodgers from Green Bay last year.

“There are 11 guys on the field,” Rodgers said after the game. “Sometimes it’s my fault. Definitely multiple times today. And then the details aren’t there in some other spots, too.”

The four-time NFL MVP has dealt with a few injuries to his left leg after coming off the torn Achilles tendon that limited him to four snaps in his Jets debut last year. That, Ulbrich said, has contributed to the struggles of Rodgers and the offense.

But Rodgers headed into the game Sunday off the injury report for the first time since Week 4. Some of his scrambles provided proof he was feeling much better. But his overall play was still hurting. Rodgers was 21 of 39 for 185 yards with two touchdown passes and had an interception returned 92 yards for a score by Leonard Williams. Rodgers also failed to get the Jets in position for a winning score in the closing minutes, something he has been unable to do regularly this season.

Despite all that, Ulbrich insists he doesn't have any questions about whether Rodgers can still do the job.

“I don’t,” he said, “because I see enough evidence on tape of him still being capable of playing high level football for us.”

What’s working

Special teams. The Jets got a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Kene Nwangwu, who was elevated from the practice squad before the game, and he also forced a fumble on a kickoff. New York signed him to the active roster Monday.

The Seahawks fumbled three times on kickoffs, with the Jets recovering two, including one by kicker Anders Carlson. Quinnen Williams also blocked an extra point. About the only thing that didn't go right for the Jets' special teams unit was Carlson having an extra point of his own blocked.

What needs help

Everything else. The offense finally had a fast start with three touchdowns in New York's first four drives, but the Jets didn't score again after that. The defense had some stops but was called for penalties in some big spots, helping extend drives for Seattle.

Stock up

LT Olu Fashanu. In his second start in place of the injured Tyron Smith, Fashanu excelled by allowing no pressures in 42 pass blocking snaps, according to Next Gen Stats. The first-rounder out of Penn State is likely to start at left tackle the rest of the season.

“The more ops to play, the better he gets,” Ulbrich said. “He just builds on each performance and in both phases, both in the run game and pass protection, so, just so excited about the future this guy has.”

Stock down

Rodgers. He has thrown for 2,627 yards and 19 touchdowns with eight interceptions, but his 6.3 yards-per-pass attempt is the lowest of his career as a starter. Rodgers also has had the ball five times with a chance to lead the Jets to a victory in their final possession. They're 0-5 in those situations.

Injuries

CB Sauce Gardner (hamstring) and RT Morgan Moses (shoulder) left the game with injuries and Ulbrich had no immediate updates on either. ... LB C.J. Mosley is getting closer to returning from the herniated disk in his neck that has sidelined him for five games.

Key number

12 — That's how many accepted penalties the Jets had against the Seahawks, with four coming on Seattle's go-ahead touchdown drive. They actually had a fifth after the score for unsportsmanlike conduct, but it was offset by the same call on Seattle.