New York Jets Overlooked Warning Signs of Aaron Rodgers' Decline

The New York Jets could have foreseen the shaky performances from their quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, based on his recent track record.

Nov 17, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) reacts during the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Things were supposed to be different for the New York Jets the last two seasons after acquiring quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers.

He was supposed to fix many of their problems under center on the offensive side of the ball. The future Hall of Famer was going to be the most talented player at the position the team has had in a long time.

Unfortunately for the Jets, nothing has gone according to plan. This is something that the franchise could have foreseen occurring.

As shared by Rich Cimini of ESPN, Rodgers has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL dating back to 2022 to the present day. His total QBR of 44.5 ranks 30th out of 33 qualified players.

The only players who have performed worse in the statistic are Mac Jones, who the New England Patriots traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars after flaming out as a first-round pick in 2021, Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers and Will Levis of the Tennessee Titans.

They have recorded 37.1, 36.0 and 35.7, respectively.

From 2022 to present, Aaron Rodgers ranks 30th out of 33 qualified passers in Total QBR.

30. Rodgers - 44.5
31. Mac Jones - 37.1
32. Bryce Young - 36.0
33. Will Levis - 35.7#Jets

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) December 2, 2024

Those are names that you would never expect Rodgers to be associated with in any statistic, but it goes to show just how poorly he has performed. Hindsight is always 20/20, but there were some warning flags. 

The future Hall of Famer was 39 when the team acquired him, a risk in itself. It certainly would have been interesting to see how things would have turned out differently had he not injured his Achilles four plays into his debut with the franchise.

Given his age and the toll that kind of injury takes on a person, we are seeing a shell of the former Rodgers we became accustomed to watching on the field.

As a result, New York is struggling mightily on the field.

His numbers are more prolific than those of Zach Wilson, who struggled the last two seasons as the starter. But the most important statistic is wins and losses; with the former No. 2 pick as the starter, things were never this bad when it came to their record.

While not everything can be blamed on the quarterback, the Jets acquired him expecting him to elevate the team. That just hasn’t happened, as every opportunity he has to answer the call, he has failed to do so.

In 2024, the ball has been in Rodgers’ hands with a chance to win the game five times, including this past Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. New York is 0-5 in those games, and there isn’t much hope that things will be turning around any time soon.