Aaron Rodgers Faces Uncertain Future: If Robert Saleh Is Let Go, What Was the True Cause of the Jets’ Struggles?
The 2024 NFL season was supposed to be the year everything came together for the New York Jets. After years of frustration, missed playoff opportunities, and a revolving door of head coaches and quarterbacks, the arrival of Aaron Rodgers was seen as the dawn of a new era. A future Hall of Famer with four MVP awards and a Super Bowl title under his belt, Rodgers was expected to elevate the Jets to Super Bowl contention, bringing with him not only his remarkable skills but also a winning mentality.
Alongside him was head coach Robert Saleh, the defensive mastermind who had turned the Jets’ defense into one of the most formidable units in the league. The combination of Rodgers’ offensive genius and Saleh’s defensive acumen was meant to finally turn the Jets into a legitimate threat in the AFC. However, things have not gone according to plan.
Now, with the season spiraling out of control due to a combination of Rodgers’ injury, poor offensive performance, and mismanagement, Robert Saleh’s future as head coach is in doubt. Should Saleh be let go at the end of the season, many will be left asking the same question: **What was the real problem? Why did things fall apart for the Jets, and is Aaron Rodgers truly at a dead end with the franchise?**
The High Hopes of the Rodgers-Saleh Partnership
When the Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers in the offseason, the move was hailed as a game-changer. After all, Rodgers wasn’t just another quarterback – he was a bona fide legend, the type of player who could transform a team overnight. With Rodgers under center and Saleh overseeing a defense stacked with young, talented playmakers like Quinnen Williams, Sauce Gardner, and C.J. Mosley, the Jets appeared poised to make a deep playoff run.
For Rodgers, the opportunity to join the Jets was an appealing one. After a tumultuous final season with the Green Bay Packers, where he had grown frustrated with the team’s direction, New York represented a fresh start. He had long admired Saleh’s leadership and defensive philosophy, and the Jets’ young core of offensive weapons, including wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard, promised to give him the support he needed to reignite his career.
The preseason hype reached a fever pitch, with fans and analysts alike pegging the Jets as potential Super Bowl contenders. However, the excitement was short-lived.
Rodgers’ Injury: A Crushing Blow to the Jets’ Season
Just four snaps into his Jets debut, disaster struck. Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles in the team’s season opener against the Buffalo Bills, leaving the Jets’ offense in disarray and the franchise reeling. The injury was a devastating blow, not only to the team’s chances in 2024 but to Rodgers himself, who had committed to a new chapter in his storied career only to see it derailed almost immediately.
Rodgers’ absence put the Jets in a precarious position. Zach Wilson, the team’s former first-round pick and backup quarterback, was thrust back into the starting role, despite a track record of inconsistency and struggles during his previous seasons with the Jets. The offense, which had been built around Rodgers’ unique skill set, sputtered with Wilson at the helm. Without the future Hall of Famer’s leadership and ability to make plays under pressure, the team’s early momentum faded quickly.
The injury to Rodgers highlighted just how reliant the Jets had become on their new star quarterback. While Saleh’s defense continued to perform at a high level, the offense could not generate enough points to keep pace with the team’s opponents, resulting in a string of frustrating losses. As the losses mounted, so did the scrutiny on Saleh and his coaching staff.
Robert Saleh’s Tenure Under the Microscope
Robert Saleh was hired by the Jets in 2021 after earning a reputation as one of the brightest defensive minds in the NFL during his time with the San Francisco 49ers. His no-nonsense, energetic approach to coaching immediately endeared him to the Jets’ fanbase, and he quickly began to reshape the team’s identity around a stout, aggressive defense. Under his leadership, the Jets transformed from one of the league’s worst defensive units to one of its best, boasting a top-five defense by 2023.
Despite the defensive success, Saleh’s tenure as head coach has not been without its challenges. The offense has been a persistent problem, cycling through multiple offensive coordinators and quarterbacks with little success. Even with the Rodgers acquisition, there were concerns about the team’s offensive line and depth at key positions. Saleh, who is a defensive specialist by trade, has faced criticism for his inability to get the offense to click, even with veteran offensive coordinators and high-profile signings like Rodgers.
The injury to Rodgers put even more pressure on Saleh to find solutions on offense, and his inability to do so has put his job security in jeopardy. While no one could have predicted the catastrophic injury to Rodgers, critics argue that Saleh’s offense was too reliant on a single player and that the team failed to develop a reliable backup plan.
If Saleh is indeed let go at the end of the season, many will wonder whether he was given a fair shot. Was Saleh doomed by factors beyond his control, or was he simply unable to elevate the Jets to the next level?
Was Aaron Rodgers the Solution or the Problem?
The arrival of Aaron Rodgers was seen as the cure for the Jets’ long-standing quarterback woes. For decades, the team had struggled to find a consistent, elite quarterback, cycling through a litany of draft picks and free agents with little success. Rodgers, even at 39 years old, was expected to be the missing piece—a veteran with championship pedigree and a proven track record of making everyone around him better.
However, Rodgers’ injury has raised difficult questions about the future. Achilles injuries are notoriously difficult to recover from, especially for older athletes. While Rodgers has expressed a desire to return, possibly even before the end of the 2024 season, there are no guarantees that he will be the same player he was before the injury. Even if he does return at full strength, how much longer can the Jets realistically count on him as their franchise quarterback?
The decision to bring in Rodgers was a calculated risk by both Saleh and Jets general manager Joe Douglas. They bet on Rodgers being the player who could lead them to a Super Bowl, but that bet now appears to have backfired. If Saleh is let go, Rodgers’ future with the Jets could also be in question. Would a new coach want to build the offense around an aging, injury-prone quarterback, or would they prefer to start fresh with a younger player?
Rodgers, for his part, has remained committed to the Jets. In multiple interviews, he has expressed his desire to return and finish what he started, but the reality of the situation is that the Jets may not have the luxury of waiting for Rodgers to be healthy. The NFL is a results-driven league, and patience is often in short supply.
The Real Problem: An Organizational Failure?
If Robert Saleh is fired and Aaron Rodgers finds himself at a crossroads, the true question becomes: **What went wrong?** Was the issue simply the injury to Rodgers, or were there deeper problems within the Jets organization?
Some would argue that the Jets’ issues run deeper than just bad luck. The team’s offensive struggles predate Rodgers, and Saleh’s inability to develop a consistent offense has been a persistent problem. The offensive line has been an ongoing issue for years, and despite significant investments in the draft and free agency, the Jets have yet to build a line capable of protecting their quarterbacks or establishing a dominant run game.
Others point to the Jets’ front office, arguing that the organization’s constant turnover in leadership and coaching staff has led to a lack of stability and continuity. The decision to trade for Rodgers, while bold, may have been a case of putting too many eggs in one basket. When Rodgers went down, the Jets were left without a viable backup plan, and the rest of the roster was not strong enough to carry the team.
If the Jets do decide to part ways with Saleh, it could signal yet another reset for the franchise. But will another coaching change solve the problem, or is the issue deeper than just the head coach?
What’s Next for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets?
As the 2024 season continues, the future of both Aaron Rodgers and Robert Saleh hangs in the balance. For Saleh, the next few games could determine whether he keeps his job or becomes the latest in a long line of Jets coaches to be shown the door. For Rodgers, the path forward is even more uncertain. Can he recover from his Achilles injury and return to form, or will this be the beginning of the end for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time?
If Saleh is fired, the Jets will be faced with the difficult decision of whether to stick with Rodgers or start planning for the future with a new quarterback. A new head coach may want to rebuild the offense around a younger player, especially if Rodgers is unable to return to full strength. On the other hand, Rodgers’ desire to finish what he started could lead the team to give him one more shot in 2025, hoping that a healthy Rodgers can finally deliver the success that has eluded the franchise for so long.
In the end, the 2024 season will likely be remembered as a pivotal moment for the New York Jets. Whether it’s the injury to Rodgers, the struggles of Saleh, or the broader failures of the organization, one thing is clear: the Jets are once again at a crossroads, and the decisions made in the coming months will shape the future of the franchise for years to come.
