In some ways, the New York Jets' 2023 season was ended just as it started. On New York's first offensive drive of the season back on Sept. 11, its new quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, suffered a torn Achilles. The Jets struggled to replace him, and started three different quarterbacks as they finished with a 7-10 record and the second-worst offense in the league (268.6 yards of total offense per game).
The Jets entered the year with Super Bowl aspirations, but instead registered their eighth-straight losing season. On Monday, Rodgers was asked what could be learned from the 2023 campaign, and he offered up an interesting response.
"Anything in this building that we're doing that has nothing to do with winning needs to be assessed," Rodgers said, via The Athletic. "Everything that we do has to have a purpose ... the bullshit that has nothing to do with winning has to get out of the building."
As for what Rodgers is referring to with these supposed distractions, it's likely more than one thing. But Rodgers did lament the leaks that made their way out of the Jets building this season on numerous occasions. For example, The Athletic reported last month that the Jets were leaning toward going back to Zach Wilson under center, but that he was reluctant to step back in due to injury risk. Both Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Rodgers denied the report.
"What is your motivation to try to bury someone like that? And that's a problem with the organization, we need to get to the bottom of whatever this is coming from and put a stop to it privately," Rodgers said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "I think its chicken shit at its core and I think it has no place in a winning organization."
Unwanted noise is amplified when teams are losing more than they win, and we saw that happen with the Jets this season. When Rodgers returns under center next year, he will have a chance to implement the kind of culture he wants for New York.
