NEW YORK JETS
New York Jets

Aaron Rodgers is not the reason for Jets dysfunction: Explosive details emerge about the true culprit

The problems in New York run way deeper than the players.

Aaron Rodgers hasn't decided on his NFL future yet.
Aaron Rodgers hasn't decided on his NFL future yet.LAPRESSE

It's safe to say the 2023 and 2024 NFL seasons didn't go how the New York Jets planned it when they traded for Aaron Rodgers. The franchise thought it was finally fixing the quarterback problems that have plagued the Jets for so long, turning the page on draft bust Zach Wilson in the process. Instead, Rodgers tore his Achilles in the first game of 2023, then saw the team fall apart in 2024.

Despite Rodgers not looking like his former self, he has shown glimpses of the old gunslinger in the past two weeks, and his season as a whole hasn't been bad at all. That begs the question: What has gone wrong with the Jets? If an explosive new report is to be believed, owner Woody Johnson is the sole person to blame.

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A collective piece written by Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Mike Silver came to light on Thursday morning. In it, the three questioned Jets employees and executives at various levels about the dysfunction under Johnson's watch, and there's a lot going on. Here's what stood out.

  • Johnson decided against trading for WR Jerry Jeudy because his Madden video game rating was too low.
  • Johnson made GM Joe Douglas trade for a worse pick (257 instead of 256) because he wanted to draft the "next Brock Purdy" (aka Mr. Irrelevant).
  • Johnson weighs his teenage sons' opinions as heavily as other executives, despite them getting their information from online blogs.

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That's just the tip of the iceberg, really, as there's more in the report and we don't know what else goes on behind the scenes. For instance, Johnson apparently told backup quarterback Mike White "you f***ing suck" after a loss, despite White playing through the game with broken ribs.

It's a toxic culture Johnson has created. He's not fully to blame, as former GM Joe Douglas made a fair share of poor moves, and the players haven't been up to par. But it starts at the very top.

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