It has become quite clear in recent weeks that the New York Jets made a massive blunder by not re-signing Joe Flacco when they had the chance, but the team’s head coach unsurprisingly doubled down on the confusing decision ahead of a game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17.
When starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the season, the Jets’ playoff chances were immediately put behind the eight ball. However, with a talented defense and several impact skills players on offense, the team still had a roster good enough to compete for a postseason spot. As long as they could replace Rodgers with a competent starting QB.
Related: New York Jets sticking with Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas in 2024 over continuity with Aaron Rodgers
However, despite two seasons worth of evidence that former first-round pick Zach Wilson was not the answer to replace the future Hall-of-Famer, Jets head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas continued to show blind loyalty to the draft bust and let him start 12 of the team’s games. Yet, it didn’t have to be that way, especially since Jets veteran Joe Flacco was available for weeks after the Rodgers injury.
The 38-year-old played his last three seasons with New York so it seemed like there was no better option when it came to veteran signal callers that could jump in and do a solid job leading the offense the rest of the season. Yet the organization resisted signing him and instead chose to keep Tim Boyle and add Trevor Siemian to the roster.
New York Jets head coach won’t admit regret in not re-signing Joe Flacco
That has become a terrible decision in recent weeks after Flacco signed with the Cleveland Browns and has put up some of the best numbers of any quarterback in the entire NFL.
The New York Jets will see the New Jersey native in person on Thursday night. It has obviously set the stage for questions of regret for Gang Green’s brain trust. However, when Saleh was recently asked if he wished he would have brought Flacco back in 2023, the coach was unwilling to admit his mistake.
Related: New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers reportedly wants the team to land 2 Green Bay Packers players in 2024
“I don’t think I ever let myself go there,” Saleh said about regrets. “We love Joe, first and foremost. We spent a couple of years with him, love the way he prepares, really pumped for him and the success he’s having. It’s just the decision we made in terms of the quarterback room and the way we developed it over the course of OTAs and training camp. It was just a decision we made.”
- Joe Flacco stats (2023): 4 games, 1,307 passing yards, 10 TDs, 7 INTs, 85.1 rating
The Jets enter Week 17 with a 6-9 record while the Browns are 10-5 and could clinch of playoff spot with a victory.
