Andrew Buller-Russ
Before the 2023 NFL season began, the New York Jets emerged as a popular Super Bowl pick, thanks to the arrival of Aaron Rodgers. Four snaps into the season, those dreams were dashed, leaving behind an entire organization that had no choice but to continue on in pursuit of a playoff spot.
The hope was that the rest of the Jets could still carry on the effort, doing just enough to stay competitive deep into the year, so Rodgers could possibly even return from injury. Well, Rodgers did nearly get to the point of return, but the Jets didn’t hold up their end of the bargain by Week 16 when they had fallen to 5-9.
Once the Jets were eliminated from playoff contention, there was no point for Rodgers to rush his recovery process while risking a re-injury.
After starting four different quarterbacks, there’s no doubt the Jets’ season didn’t go according to plan. None were effective, with the Jets slipping to 29th in points per game entering Week 18.
But where do you point the blame? It’s not Rodgers’s fault he experienced a phantom injury. Turning to Zach Wilson, a former No. 2 overall pick, was the right decision. The Jets needed to see what they had in the former first-round pick, and there’s a case to be made that he was head and shoulders above their other three in-house options this season.
Yet, first-year offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is stepping up to the plate, accepting fault for a season that quickly derailed.
“We’ve had so many changes. We missed some opportunities, we’ve had some inconsistencies, and we’ve had self-inflicted wounds and all those things we have to buckle down, and we have to fix those, and it starts with me. So, I think it’ll be good to kind of sit back and reevaluate everything.”
New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett taking blame for team’s woes
Hackett drew plenty of criticism before the year even began, with Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton saying the now Jets coordinator oversaw “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.” Are the Jets still just as confident in their offensive play-caller now? With Rodgers set to return, don’t expect Hackett to go anywhere as long as No. 8 is in town.
Related: New York Jets coach Robert Saleh makes bold claim about Zach Wilson’s playing future
