Since Aaron Rodgers joined the New York Jets in 2023, the team has largely been built around the veteran quarterback. The organization made significant moves in both the offseason and during the 2024 season to bolster the roster, adding pieces that were supposed to help Rodgers thrive and lead the team to success. However, despite these efforts, things have not gone as planned.
Rodgers, now in his first healthy season with the Jets, has found himself struggling to deliver the results fans and analysts had hoped for. The 10-time Pro Bowler has recorded 2,258 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes so far this season, but the team’s performance has been underwhelming.
With a 3-7 record, the Jets find themselves ranked 26th in both scoring and total yards gained, raising concerns about the direction of the team and Rodgers’ role within it.
On Monday, former Jets and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason offered his candid thoughts on the Jets’ struggles during an appearance on WFAN’s “Boomer & Gio” radio show. Esiason did not hold back in his assessment of Rodgers’ impact, particularly following the team’s disappointing 31-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
“I hate to say it, but it feels like Aaron Rodgers has completely sucked the air out of the building,” Esiason said. “I think a lot of guys on the team are deferring to him mentally. In their minds, and certainly in mine, he is a first-ballot Hall of Fame player—one of the greatest quarterbacks we have ever seen in his prime.”
Esiason praised Rodgers’ talent, highlighting his unique abilities as a quarterback. “Very few people throw the ball like Aaron Rodgers. I used to say that Dan Marino, Joe Namath, and Aaron Rodgers all threw the ball differently from everyone else. We’ve never seen anything quite like it. And I still believe that those three players were truly special when it came to throwing the football. The way they approached it was just so natural and amazing to watch.”
Esiason also pointed to the situation with veteran wide receiver Mike Williams as an example of the dysfunction within the Jets organization. Williams and Rodgers appeared to struggle to connect on the field, which ultimately led to the Jets trading Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers and acquiring Davante Adams to replace him.
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On Sunday, Williams made headlines when he caught the go-ahead touchdown for the Steelers in their victory over the Washington Commanders.
Esiason noted that Williams’ success in Pittsburgh was a stark contrast to his time with the Jets, suggesting that the environment around Rodgers might have contributed to Williams’ struggles in New York.
“Since Aaron Rodgers arrived here, it feels like every player on this team has deferred to him in every way,” Esiason added. “The reason I bring this up is because Russell Wilson said something about Mike Williams yesterday. During the game, it was reported that when Williams arrived in Pittsburgh, he had a huge smile on his face. He was so happy and unencumbered by playing for the Jets and with Rodgers. Then he goes out there and makes the game-winning touchdown catch over his left shoulder—an incredible sequence of events.”
Esiason continued, “The only reason Williams was even on the field for that play was because the player who would have been out there got hurt on the previous play. But Russell Wilson had the confidence to throw him the football, and it ended up being a game-winning touchdown pass. What Russell said about Williams gives you real insight into what’s going on in that Jets locker room. It says a lot about the environment and how players are feeling.”
As the season continues, it appears that the hype surrounding Rodgers’ arrival has been one of the few things keeping Jets fans hopeful.
With a 3-7 record, the team’s chances of making the playoffs are slim, and a significant turnaround will be needed if they hope to keep their postseason aspirations alive.
Despite the talent Rodgers brings to the table, the disconnect between him and the rest of the team—both on and off the field—seems to be a major hurdle that the Jets will need to overcome.
The path forward for the Jets remains uncertain, but Esiason’s comments paint a picture of a team that may need to reassess its approach if it wants to get back on track.
The question now is whether Rodgers can adapt and help the Jets find the cohesion they need, or if the team will continue to struggle under the weight of high expectations and missed opportunities.